War in the Pacific!

Pearl Harbour Japan joins Germany and Italy as an Axis power In 1941, Japan prepares to invade the USA and European colonies in SE Asia because they were rich in oil, rubber and tin BACKGROUND: In 1920, Japan begins to modernize. Radical call for a complete rejection of Western ways and want a militarist government (Kind of like the NAZI party). Japan is worried about the expansion of China – wants to still be imperialistic and wants to acquire new territories (which have raw materials and access to new markets) 1931 = Japan invades Manchuria (naughty, naughty) Inner turmoil in Japan – Prime Minister is assassinated – fighting in the streets! Hit squads begin to kill major political figures! France occupies French Indo-China (19401) – USA is mad! President Rossevelt freezes Japanese assets in USA banks. Cut off from major supplies – Japanese military commanders decide to wage war with the USA MAIN IDEAS FOR NOTES: - Japan is a part of the Triple Axis - Japan wants USA and European colonies for natural resources

December 7th, 1941: Japanese bomb US naval base at Pearl Harbour, Hawaii

Japan then bombs the Phillipines Dec 8th = USA declares war on Japan Dec 9th = Germany & Italy declare war on the USA USA then declares war on Germany & Italy USA had previously adopted a policy of isolationism in the war, leaving the Allies to fight the war alone Japan is adopting an aggressive militaristic, nationalistic and imperialistic policy….does this sound like anything familiar? FACISM! USA enters the war because of a threat to its own security.

Ask the students what Dr. Seuss (yes…him Ask the students what Dr. Seuss (yes…him!) is trying to say in this very opinonated political cartoon. Was this cartoon drawn BEFORE or AFTER Pearl Harbour? Why? Answer: Beore – trying to encourage USA to come out of isolationism and help the Allies Why do you think that the USA had adopted a policy of isolationism? -- could make $$ supplying the war effort -- worried about their own economic and social problems -- not wanting to be involved in another World war.

Hong Kong After Pearl Harbour, Japan invades British colony of Hong Kong By Christmas, Hong Kong belongs to the Japanese Canadian troops were stationed at the time in Hong Kong

Of the 1975 troops in Hong Kong, all were killed or taken prisoner 555 die in horrible conditions as prisoners in camps for 3 ½ years Canadians at home are horrified and angry They begin to turn against Japanese-Canadian, blaming them for the war This is a good time to talk about racism back home (they discussed it yesterday) – refresh their memories and ask them what groups were discriminated against? -- Pacifist religious groups (Hutterites, Mennonites, Jeheova Witness etc) -- Jewist -- Black Canadians -- Communists

Ask for students reaction (especially with local connections) After Pearl Harbour, there is a fear of ‘enemy alien’ Japanese Men, women and children are given ID numbers, required to carry ID card at all times. Does this sound like another persecution in Europe? Japanese Canadians were given choice between deportation or relocation.

Internment Camps 22 000 are sent to internment camps (14 000 of which have been born in Canada). Custodian of Aliens Act: Canadian government can sell possessions of Japanese Canadians without their permission. Money from the Custodian of Aliens Act was used to essentially ‘pay’ for the Japanese to stay at internment camps. In 1944 – law passed saying Japanese could be deported to Japan if they did not leave BC – even if they were born in Canada. They didn’t want Japanese in BC for fear they would ‘bomb’ Canadian navy out of Vancouver.

The same fear of the ‘other’ was also happening in the USA (as is demonstrated in Dr, Seuss’ cartoon) Show USA propaganda video legitimizing Internment of Japanese in the States (click on picture) Prep for discussion. Have them write down 3 points that struck them from the movie. Follow up: All Japanese Canadians were released in 1946 after the war and the defeat of Japan. In 1988, 46 years after the internment, Brian Mulrooney gave $21 000 to each survivor (in total 12 million)

The Final Stages of War in the Pacific Manhattan Project = very secret and $ project to create the world’s first atomic bomb In 1945, President Truman decided that bombs should be dropped without warning on Japan military targets in a city to end the war Scientists disagreed – thought the bomb should be dropped somewhere isolated

Hiroshima, August 6th 1945 Truman decides to drop the bomb “Little Boy” on the industrial city of Hiroshima The explosion at Ground Zero creates a temperature of 540,000 degrees F. Firestorms destroy over 60 000 buildings Official death count = 78 000 Later, over 60 000 die of bomb related injuries/diseases

Nagasaki, August 9th, 1945 Japan did not surrender immediately, so Truman ordered the next atomic bomb to be dropped on Japanese city of Nagasaki “Fat Man” was dropped and 35 000 died

Peace, August 14th 1945 – VJ Day (Victory in Japan) This day marked the Japanese government’s surrender and WWII in the Pacific was over