Meanwhile…..In the Pacific Theater

Battle of Leyte Gulf Japan tries to destroy entire American Fleet Backfired – lost their entire fleet instead US forces land on Philippines First use of Kamikazes

Kamikaze Means “Divine Wind” Suicide attacks Over 40 ships sunk by Kamikazes at Battle of Leyte Gulf Psychological attack

Battle Of Iwo Jima Key island – provide airbases to bomb Japan Feb. – March – 1945 18,000 Japanese soldiers present at battle Only 216 taken prisoner Americans killed – (6800) Greater than total on D-Day

Battle Of Okinawa Largest amphibious assault – Pacific Theater April – June 1945 110,000 Japanese soldiers killed 34 U.S. ships destroyed by Kamikazes U.S. 12,000 dead 36,000 wounded Last major campaign of Pacific War.

Firebombing of Tokyo March 9-10, 1945 300 American planes ½ million incendiary bombs dropped 100,000 die in ONE night Goal: destroy Japanese morale

Manhattan Project Atomic bomb project – U.S. Robert Oppenheimer Trinity Test – first ever successful atomic bomb Birth of the Atomic Age 2 bombs Fat Man - Nagasaki Little Boy - Hiroshima

Hiroshima August 6, 1945 B-29 “Superfortres” Enola Gay drops 1st atomic bomb in history Destroyed about 70% of the city 80,000 people killed Japanese = no surrender

Picture of Hiroshima after the dropping of the first ever atomic bomb

Nagasaki August 9, 1945 B-29 Super fortress Bockscar 75,000 killed Hundreds of thousands dies from after effects Japanese agree to surrender

Nagasaki and the damage from the atomic bomb dropped on the city.

Location of the cities

Japanese Surrender September 2, 1945 Tokyo Bay, Japan USS Missouri Japanese surrender to Gen MacArthur End of WWII VJ Day – Victory in Japan