32:2 Japan’s Pacific Campaign

Surprise Attack on Pearl Harbor October 1940: U.S. cracks Japanese code; aware of Japanese plans to conquer southeast Asia – American-controlled Philippines, Guam threatened; U.S. sends aid to China – Japan conquers French Indochina (Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos); U.S. cuts off oil shipments to Japan

– Japan carries out surprise attacks on British and Dutch colonies in southeast Asia – Japan attacks American outposts in the Pacific – Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto (Japan’s greatest naval strategist) calls for attack on U.S. naval fleet in Hawaii

Day of Infamy: – December 7 th, 1941: Pearl Harbor (U.S. naval base in Hawaii) attacked by Japan – U.S. were aware that attack might come – Japanese sink/damage 19 ships (inc. 8 battleships) – 2,300 Americans killed, 1,100 wounded – U.S. is stunned by attack

– FDR asks Congress to declare war on Japan and allies – Japanese launch attack on Hong Kong and American-controlled Guam and Wake Island – Japan lands invasion force in Thailand – Drive for Pacific empire well underway

Japanese Victories January 1942: Japan marches into Manila (capital of Philippines) – American/Filipino forces take up defensive position on Bataan Peninsula; Philippine government moves to Corregidor island – Japan takes Bataan Peninsula and Corregidor – Japan seizes Hong Kong; invades Malaya from the sea and overland from Thailand

– February 1942: Japan takes Singapore – Japan conquers Dutch East Indies (Indonesia) – Japan takes Burma next; sets sights on India – Japanese cruel towards conquered Asians, more cruel towards Allied prisoners – Bataan Death March: 50+ mile forced march along Bataan Peninsula; 70,000 prisoners march, 54,000 survive

The Allies Strike Back April 1942: Lieutenant Colonel James H. Doolittle commands 16 B-25 bombers in attacks on Tokyo and other Japanese cities – Bombings do little damage – Japanese shown to be vulnerable

The Allies Turn the Tide: – Japanese show concern over spreading resources too thin – May 1942: American fleet with Australian support intercept Japanese strike force headed for Port Moresby in New Guinea – Allied air base in critical location; could be used to launch attacks on Australia

– Battle of Coral Sea ensues – New naval warfare: ships do not fire on each other; attacks carried out by planes taking off from aircraft carriers – Allies suffer more losses in ships and troops – Despite losses, Allies stop Japanese advancement

The Battle of Midway: – Japan targets Midway Island (1,500 miles west of Hawaii) – Allies crack code; Admiral Chester Nimitz aware of attack – Admiral Yamamoto personally leading attack – Japan hopes attack of Midway will draw entire U.S. fleet away from Pearl Harbor

– June 4th, 1942:Nimits allows Japanese to begin assault on Midway – American planes then sweep in to attack Japanese fleet – American pilots destroy 332 Japanese planes, all 4 aircraft carriers, 1 support ship – Yamamoto orders crippled fleet to withdraw – June 7 th, 1942: Battle of Midway ends, turning the tide of war in Pacific

An Allied Offensive Pacific theatre difficulty: Japanese spread out among hundreds of islands and thousands of miles – General Douglas MacArthur: commander of Allied forces in the Pacific develops plan – Instead of storming each island, MacArthur plans on “island hopping”: seize poorly defended islands close to Japan

– MacArthur, Allies plan to attack island of Guadalcanal in Solomon Islands – Japanese building huge air base on island – August 7 th, 1942: several thousand U.S. Marines with Australian support land on Guadalcanal and Tulagi – Marines seize airfield; savage battle ensues as both sides flood island with troops

– February 1943: Battle of Guadalcanal finally ends following 6 months of fierce fighting on land and at sea – Japanese lose 24,000 of 36,000 troops on “Island of Death”