JAPAN VRS THE USA The Pacific War and Hiroshima

The Battle of Leyte Oct The battle was fought in waters near the Philippine islands of Leyte, Samar, and Luzon. The American naval fleet was much superior to the Japanese at this point. On Oct. 20, U.S troops invaded the island of Leyte as a strategic move to cut Japan off from the countries it had occupied in the “Greater East- Asian Co-Prosperity Sphere,” thus cutting it off from its oil supplies.

The Battle of Leyte The Japanese navy mobilized all of its remaining major naval vessels for this fight but was quickly squashed by the U.S navies attacking fleets. The Japanese navy failed to hold back the Americans and suffered heavy losses. They would never again have a naval force of any concern to the allies. Japan would use organized Kamikaze pilots (the divine wind) for the first time at this battle.

The Scene is set Early on in the Philippines Macarthur realized what kind of fighting they would be seeing when the Japanese refused to surrender. By 1944 the US was starting to take control of the Pacific Japans Navy had taken major hits in the Battle of Guadalcanal and Leyte Gulf and started resorting to using kamikaze

The Manhattan Project Before the outbreak of war, a group of American scientists- many of them refugees from war torn fascist nations, began researching nuclear weapons. This research was sparked by the news that extensive nuclear weapon research was being done in Nazi Germany. In 1940 the U.S government began funding its own atomic weapons development program.

J. Robert Oppenheimer would lead a team of engineers who would turn key materials for nuclear bombs (uranium-235, plutonium (Pu-239) into a workable atomic bomb. On July 16 th, 1945, the Manhattan Project held its first successful test of an atomic device –a plutonium bomb- at the Trinity test site in New Mexico.

Potsdam Declaration July Put forward by the U.S, Britain, and China stating the conditions for surrender of the Japanese. They demand surrender under the following conditions: 1) They will demilitarize their army completely. 2) They will only occupy territories that are traditionally within the boarders of Japan. 3) Points in Japanese territory would be occupied by the allies. 4) Those who led the Japanese people to believe they could participate in world conquest would be eliminated. 5) War criminals would be handed over and would receive severe justice. 6) They will surrender unconditionally.

Hiroshima Aug 6 th 1945 Hiroshima was a manufacturing center of some 350,000 people located about 500 miles from Tokyo. It was chosen as the first target. A B-29 bomber named the “Enola Gay” (after the mother of the pilot) dropped the first bomb, named “Big-Boy” at 8:15 am.

Before and After This bomb immediately killed or vaporized what is said to be between 70,000 to 100,000 people. The wounded numbered at approximately 150,000, with those remaining in the city suffering from radiation poisoning from severe to minor degrees.

The US calls for a unconditional surrender The Soviet Union declares war on Japan as a member of the allied team and invades Manchuria (now Manchukuo). Japan attempts to suggest different surrender conditions. They want to protect their Emperor, Emperor Hirohito. “If they do not now accept our terms, they may expect a rain of ruin from the air, the like of which has never been seen on this earth. Behind this air attack will follow sea and land forces in such numbers and power as they have not yet seen and with the fighting skill of which they are already well aware.” –President Harry S. Truman “If they do not now accept our terms, they may expect a rain of ruin from the air, the like of which has never been seen on this earth. Behind this air attack will follow sea and land forces in such numbers and power as they have not yet seen and with the fighting skill of which they are already well aware.” –President Harry S. Truman

Scene 2 Japan was under the assumption that the United States was not in possession of another atomic bomb. Japanese military factions held allot of decision making power. They had no intention of surrendering and were making further plans to invade North America. Japan does not surrender and the second bomb is dropped.

Nagaskai The bomb “fat man” was originally to be dropped on the city of Kokura, with Nagasaki being the secondary target. Cloud cover had covered Kokura thus the decision was made to target Nagasaki instead. An air raid alert was sounded in Nagasaki at 7:50 am but the all clear signal was given at 8:30 when the initial bombers flew overhead and away. The Japanese assumed they were on a reconnaissance mission. “Fat Man”

Nagasaki Cloud cover over Nagasaki was heavy and the bomber had flown over Nagasaki many times. Finally, the cloud cover dissipated and the bomber was able to deploy “fat man” at a little after 11 am. The blast was slightly off target and was contained within a populated valley. A major portion of the city was thus saved by hills blocking the waves of heat and radiation. Death estimates range from about 40,000 to 75,000

Japan Surrenders After what seemed like a dangerous amount of time to be unresponsive, the Japanese Emperor Hirohito recorded and released his capitulation or surrender announcement to the Japanese nation on August 15 th, The Japanese military was completely against this decision. The people of Japan, which had believed Emperor Hirohito to be a god, had never heard him speak, and were shocked by his announcement.

Japan was occupied by the Allied powers led by the United States. This was the first time in Japanese history that the country had been occupied by a foreign power. Emperor was allowed to remain in power, however had to announce himself as not a divine entity or a god. Hirohito now became head of state and an ally to the Allies.

Radiation poisoning and exposure caused many survivors to die within 6 months of the bombings. Radiation poisoning caused pregnant mothers, and women who would decide to have children but had been exposed, to give birth to children with deformations and health issues due to radiation passed from the mother. Those effected by the bombings would trickle down generations.