Japan Strikes

Japan Invades Asia Invades Manchuria and China – war drags on Invade SE Asia for resources Americans cracked secret code about SE Asia U.S. send aid to China to stop Japanese from taking Guam and Philippines Japan controls French Indochina - Roosevelt cuts off oil shipments to Japan Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto argues U.S. fleet in Hawaii was “a dagger pointed at our throat” and must be destroyed

Pearl Harbor Dec : Japanese attacked U.S. fleet at Pearl Harbor U.S. knew from coded message that attack may happen but did not know where or when Japanese sunk 18 ships; 2,400 Americans killed ; 1,000 wounded Dec : U.S. declares war on Japan President Roosevelt Dec. 7 = “a date that will live in infamy”

Japanese Victories Japanese take Guam, Wake Island, Philippines, Hong Kong, Malaya, Singapore, Dutch East Indies, Burma 1 million sq miles of land Told people “Asia for the Asians” – but came as conquerors Bataan Death March: native people and POW’s march and are tortured

Allies Turn the Tide Lieutenant Colonel Doolittle: commanded B-25 bombers for U.S. Bombed Tokyo and major cities little damage – but proved could be attacked Japan “we started to doubt that we were invincible” US and Australia intercept Japanese about to take Port Moresby - to take Australia Battle of the Coral Sea: ships not fire a single shot, planes did everything – draw - allies lose more ships so Japan claims victory but not moving south anymore

Battle of Midway West of Hawaii – American airfield Japanese code broken – knew were attacking Admiral Nimitz (U.S.) – outnumbered 4 to 1 in ships and planes Allowed enemy to strike first; planes go over island, then U.S. attack ships; many Japanese planes still on decks; destroy 322 planes, all 4 aircraft carriers, and one support ship; Yamamoto retreats Japanese officials “ the Americans have avenged Pearl Harbor”

Allies Take Offensive General Douglas MacArthur- commander of Allied land forces in Pacific “Island-hop” past Japanese strongpoint's, take islands not well defended but closer to Japan, then use planes to cut supply lines, troops starve “hit ‘em where they aint, let ‘em die on the vine”

Battle of Guadalcanal Japanese building air base Strike before completed Japanese taken by surprise “enemy forces overwhelming. We will defend our posts to the death” Fight 6 months Japanese lose 23,000 out of 36,000 men – abandon island “Island of Death”

Americans: island = “Hell” “Hell was furry red spiders as big as your fist, giant lizards as long as your leg, leeches falling from trees to suck blood, armies of white ants with bits of fire, scurrying scorpions, inflaming any flesh they touched, enormous rats and bats everywhere, and rivers with waiting crocodiles. Hell was the sour, foul smell of the squishy jungle, humidity that rotted a body within hours… hell was an enemy… so fanatic that it used its own dead as booby traps. – Ralph Martin

Analyzing Causes What reasons could have made the Japanese fight until they lost 23,000 out of 36,000 soldiers defending the island of Guadalcanal?

Answers: Importance of the airfield, bravery, honor, blind obedience, believe in country over individual life