World War II: Pacific Theater

Overview Where the battle’s were fought Who won those battle’s Outcome of the battle Did it affect the moral Why was the battle fought

Japan’s Rise Began to become dominate in the early 1930’s Had fought with Russia Invaded China Took certain sectors of China Why?

Japan on the move Japan’s military is battle tested Begins to take islands near Japan Meetings with Axis powers The empire feels dominate--takes more islands throughout the Pacific Makes a critical decision about the United States

ATTACK!! After repeated warnings by the United States--Japan ignores Attacks the Philippines and Pearl Harbor

Pearl Harbor Dec. 7 1941--Sunday morning Japanese mini sub found Japan attacks with waves of fighter bombers and torpedo planes Kills over 2000 men, sinks the Arizona where over 1000 die in a matter of seconds Why that date?

U.S.S. Shaw

U.S. Declares War Monday Dec. 8, 1941 Roosevelt gives speech: “This day will live in infamy” Who declares war? Thousands of men line up for recruitment America joins the fight in Europe and is ready to fight Japan

The Philippines Dec. 8, 1941--Japan attacks British, Dutch and American forces in the Pacific For over a month, Japanese troop push American and Filipino troops back Take Manila in Jan. 1942 MacArthur leader of troops leaves in Feb. Vows to return again

Battaan Death March Japanese take Bataan Peninsula Many American and Filipino forced to march to camps Zero food and water provided for three days Many died of weakness--if one fell out of the row, more than likely shot dead 6 Day march 5,000+ Soldiers died along the march

The March

Japanese-Americans Camp After the attack, sentiment against those of Japanese decent grew Thousands of people were rounded up and forced into an internment camp in Kansas No rights were given Many of the people were citizens for over 25 years or natural citizens

Internment Camp

Coral Sea First major Naval battle (May4-8,1942) First time ever two powers fought without seeing each other (all attacks were carried out by airplanes) South Pacific--Northeast of Australia Battle was considered a draw but moral victory for U.S. Stopped Japanese advancement

Midway Island in Pacific located about half way between Asia and North America Japanese mad from Doolittle Raid First U.S. attack on Japanese mainland Turning point Four aircraft carriers for Japan sank Shortage of piolts U.S. uses Midway Island as a seaplane base and fueling station for submarines

Guadacanal-”Operation Watchtower” Aug. 1942 South Pacific- “secret” Japanese airbase constructed Tokyo Express: nighttime convoys of Japanese reinforcements First time the Japanese lost ground Began island hopping campaign

Guadalcanal

Island Hopping A term used to describe the fighting in the Pacific U.S. and Japan would go from island to island fighting for control Japan controlled most of the islands in the Pacific U.S. picked strategic islands to fight for--Why?

Leyte Gulf Largest air-sea battle in history Recapture of Philippine island of Leyte-- 1944 The Japanese sent nearly every ship to fight U.S. fought a heavy battle Japan takes the greatest casualties and nearly loses every ship Kamikaze raids begin

Leyte Gulf

Iwo Jima-Operation Detachment Tiny volcanic islands in the Pacific--North Northwest of Guam (4 miles long-2 miles wide) Important Japanese airbase Feb. 1945 to March 1945 660 Miles south of Tokyo Famous photograph of U.S. troops raising flag

Iwo Jima cont..

Battle of Okinawa April to June 1945 Second largest amphibious battle of WWII Bloodiest battle of the Pacific War

Manhattan Project Name for the research development program for the atomic bomb Eisenhower urged Roosevelt to set up the project in fear that Germany would develop the technology first Project’s lead scientist= Robert Oppenheimer “Father of the Atomic Bomb” American leaders thought the atomic bombs would save up to a million Allied lives (as opposed to an invasion of mainland Japan) The U.S. used 2 Bombs on Japan 1st- “Little Boy” was dropped on Hiroshima on August 6th, 1945 by the Enola Gay (Uranium) 2nd-”Fat Man” was dropped on Nagasaki on August 9th, 1945 (Plutonian)

The End Aug. 15, Emperor Hirohito announces Japan’s surrender, shocks whole country Official surrender Sept. 2, 1945 In Tokyo Bay aboard the U.S.S. Missouri--a battleship that was in Pearl Harbor