World War II Pacific Theater

Japanese Victories In the months following the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor European and American possessions in the Pacific and Southeast Asia fell one by one Losses to Japanese – American Philippines – British Hong Kong, Burma, Malaya – Dutch East Indies – French Indochina By the beginning of 1942 the Japanese empire stretched from Southeast Asia to the Western Pacific Ocean

War in the Pacific The War in the Pacific was very different from that in Europe – Fought at sea or tiny islands Coral Sea and Midway May and June 1942 – Americans severely damaged two Japanese fleets – Greatly weekend Japanese naval power

After Midway the United States took the offensive under the command of Douglas MacArthur – Island hopping= recapture some Japanese held islands while bypassing others, the captured islands would serve as stepping stones to the next – Gradually moved north toward Japan – On the captured islands American build air bases to enable them to carry the war closer to Japan

By 1944 American ships were blockading Japan American bombers pounded Japanese cities and industries October 1944 MacArthur began to retake the Philippines Japanese government rejected any suggestions of surrender