VJ Day  The formal surrender took place on August 15 th,1945 in Tokyo Bay  U.S. used island hopping in central and south west pacific in 1944 to gain victory over Japan  First stage taking back of Leyte in December of 1944  Next liberation of Luzon January 2nd-8th 1945 US attacked  Two battles were the final stages of liberation in the Philippines, invasions in Iwo Jima and Okinawa  Suffered severe casualties due to kamikaze attacks

Manila  Battle for Manila began in early February ended on March 4th  Key strategic island for the rest of the invasions in the future  US took Manila Bay on April 17th  US took Yamashita August 15th  Total casualties US 33,000 Japan 190,000 and 10,000 captured

Iwo Jima  February 18th land on shore to end of March 1945  Strategic land, for US bombers to resupply and to make emergency landings  22,000 Japanese defended the island  December 8th 1944 bombers started an on going attack on Iwo Jima for 72 days  500 warships 75,000 Marines  U.S. casualties 6,000 dead 17,000 wounded the Japanese all dead except for 216 prisoners

Okinawa  Japan 77,000 people  US 1,200 warships 500,000 men  Attacked in April  Japan - Casualties 127,000 dead including civilians 400 warships sunk  U.S. - 7,400 dead 32,000 wounded  The battle was so fatal it is sometimes referred to as the “Typhoon of Steel”

Atomic Bomb  First atomic bomb named little boy, destroyed 4.5 miles, 66% of building in a 9.5 mile radius were destroyed  Dropped on august 6th  Target Hiroshima  71,000 died  68,000 injured  Second bomb Fat man Dropped on august 9th  Target Nagasaki  Killed 40,000  Injured 25,000