1. War in the Pacific

2. Background Japan invades China in 1937.
Japan joins the Axis in Sept 1940.
US, British, and Dutch impose oil embargo in July 1941 to put brakes on Japanese imperialism.
Japanese expect armed conflict, but buy time and surprise through negotiations.
US population focused on war in Europe.

3. Situation Successful opening offensive
Growing Japanese Empire starved for resources
Needed for economy / war machine
Oil, rubber, rice, metals, etc
Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor
Pre-emptive Strike
Successful opening offensive
Border extended 14,200mi
Over half the earths circumference
Each offensive conducted in an area larger then European and Mediterranean Theatres combined

5. Defensive Phase
Offensive Phase
Tarawa
Marianas (Saipan, Tinian, Guam)
Iwo Jima
Okinawa
Firebombing Tokyo
Pearl Harbor
Wake Is.
Kiska/Attu – Aleutians
Philippines (Bataan)
Guam
Hiroshima, Nagasaki
“Turning Point”

6. Midway - June 1942 Japanese get greedy. US breaks Japanese code.
Not satisfied w/ original perimeter.
Want base to bomb Hawaii.
Destroy US naval fleet.
US breaks Japanese code.
Jap. complex plan with many targets.
Aleutians, Midway, Fleet, etc.
First naval battle fought entirely with airplanes.

7. Midway: The Tide Turns
Japanese lose four heavy carriers, all planes, and many of their best pilots
US loses A/CC USSYorktown.

8. Offensive Phase “Twin Thrusts” MacArthur from south Purpose
Push back and destroy the enemy
By-Pass enemy strongholds
Regain the Philippines
Capture of New Guinea puts him in a position to retake Philippines

9. Offensive in the Southern Pacific
MacArthur

10. Twin Thrusts – Nimitz Nimitz from across the Pacific Purpose
Carrier Fleet vulnerable to land air bases
Purpose
Cut the enemy in two
Break enemy will to fight
Firebombing
Prepare to invade Japan

11. Offensive in the Central Pacific
Nimitz
Tarawa

12. 1943
(Mac) March Bismark Sea (limited Japanese reinforcement of Southern Pacific)
(Nim) November Tarawa and Makin (Gilberts)
1944
(Nim) February Kwajalein & Eniwetok (Marshalls)
(Mac) February-June New Guinea
(Nim) June-August Saipan, Tinian, Guam (Marianas)
B29s able to bomb Japan
(Mac & Nim) October Leyte Gulf
Destroyed much of Japanese Navy
Largest Naval Battle in History

13. Iwo Jima (Nimitz) 9 Feb 1945 Objective: Airfields
Pre-invasion bombardment: 3 days.
Weather limited effectiveness of this.
3, 4, 5 MARineDIV
1st wave gets ashore, but when bombardment lifts for them to move inland, all hell breaks loose.
Southern half of island in US hands by D+2.
Takes 34 more days to secure remainder of island (8 square miles total).

14. Iwo Jima Nothing fancy; simple but costly.
“Throwing human flesh against reinforced concrete.”
36 days, 26k US casualties including 6k KIA.   
1k of 20k defenders survived   
2400 B-29s w/ 27k crewmen made unscheduled landings on island by the time the war ended.
27 Medals of Honor awarded. 

17. 1945 February-March Iwo Jima (Nim.) March Tokyo raids
Low level incendiary bombing runs with much destruction. Designed to force surrender but didn’t.
April-June Okinawa (Nim.)
Japanese home island – very tough resistance
August
6th Hiroshima
9th Nagasaki
14th Japan surrenders.
September 2 VJ Day

18. What “trends” can you identify?
Using the data below, create a bar graph or line graph showing U.S. casualties in the Pacific theater in WWII.
What “trends” can you identify?
Battle Dead Wounded
Tarawa (Gilberts) 1,001 2,300
Guam (Marianas) 3,000 7,000
Saipan (Marianas) 3, ,160
Iwo Jima 6, ,200
Okinawa , ,500

19. A New Formula for Mass Destruction
Japan warned, but refused to surrender.
Planners estimate 3-5x as many casualties as at Okinawa.
Hiroshima
6 August 1945
60-70k killed or missing
Nagasaki
9 August
40k killed
Logical outcome of “Total War”?