Japan The Western Front

Japanese Theater Objectives Terms What were the 3 American objectives in the Japanese theater? Douglas Macarthur

THE WAR IN THE PACIFIC Next Job- JAPAN Japan had conquered much of southeast Asia including Dutch East Indies Guam Most of China Douglas Macarthur in charge

Objectives 3 Main Objectives 1. Stop the Japanese Expansion 2. Island Hop to Japan Close enough for planes to reach them 3. Invade Mainland Japan

Japanese Theater Objectives Terms What were the 3 American objectives in the Japanese theater? 1. Stop the Japanese Expansion 2. Get close enough to conduct a bombing campaign on Japan Island Hop 3. Invade Japan Douglas Macarthur Leading commander of USA forces in the Japanese theater

Stop Japanese Advancements Objective #1 Stop Japanese Advancements

Objective #1- Stop Expansion Terms What was the importance of the battle of Coral Sea and Midway? Coral Sea Midway

BATTLE OF THE CORAL SEA In May 1942 Importance USA HALTS INVASION The Japanese were winning every battle and taking over the Pacific Allied forces were Americans and Australians Importance Stopped the Japanese drive toward Australia in the five-day Battle of the Coral Sea

JAPANESE PLAN, USA HALTS INVASION

THE BATTLE OF MIDWAY Japan’s next thrust was toward Midway Island northwest of Hawaii U.S. launched surprise attack on Japan at Pacific island called Midway The Americans won a decisive victory as their planes destroyed 4 Japanese aircraft carriers and 250 planes

Japanese Expansion Stopped Midway Japanese Empire Coral Sea Japanese Expansion Stopped

Objective #1- Stop Expansion Terms What was the importance of the battle of Coral Sea and Midway? It halted Japanese expansion It destroyed military units the Japanese could not replace Ships Airplanes Pilots Coral Sea Protected Australia Stopped Japanese expansion to the East Midway Protected Hawaii Stopped Japanese expansion to the South

Objective #2 Island Hopping

Objective #2- Bombing Campaign Objectives Terms What was the importance of the battle of Iwo Jima and Okinawa? ISLAND HOPPING Kamikaze

USA ISLAND HOPPING USA strategy to take key islands to get closer to Japan We don’t need them all

KAMIKAZE PILOTS ATTACK ALLIES KAMIKAZE CLIP The Americans continued leapfrogging across the Pacific toward Japan Japanese countered by employing a new tactic Kamikaze (divine wind) attacks Pilots in small bomb planes Suicide bombers Would crash into Allied ships

IWO JIMA Iwo Jima, island was critical to the Allies as a base for an attack on Japan It was called the most heavily defended spot on earth 27,000 Japanese held Iwo Jima Allied and Japanese forces suffered heavy casualties American soldiers plant the flag on the Island of Iwo Jima after their victory

THE BATTLE FOR OKINAWA In April 1945, U.S. marines invaded Okinawa The Japanese unleashed 1,900 Kamikaze attacks sinking 30 ships and killing 5,000 seamen Okinawa cost the Americans 7,600 marines and the Japanese 110,000 soldiers

Objective #2- Bombing Campaign Objectives Terms What was the importance of the battle of Iwo Jima and Okinawa? It allowed the USA to become close enough to; Begin a bombing campaign Launch an invasion on mainland Japan ISLAND HOPPING Allied strategy to take key islands to get closer to Japan Kamikaze (divine wind) Japanese Suicide pilots

Objective #3 Invade Japan

Objective #3- Invade Japan Objectives Terms What was the two choices America had to end the war with Japan? What two Japanese sites did the Americans use the Atomic Bomb? Why was dropping the atomic bomb such a debatable topic? “Little Boy” and “Fat Man”

Why did we not drop the “bomb” on Germany?

INVADE JAPAN? MacArthur predicted amphibious invasion of Japan would result in 1,500,000 Allied deaths President Truman had 2 choices 1. Invade 2. Use a new super bomb “Atomic Bomb”

What would you do? 1. Invade Japan- 1 million MILITARY USA Losses plus Japanese MILITARY losses 2. Drop the Bomb Half a million Japanese CIVILVIAN losses

U.S. DROPS TWO ATOMIC BOMBS ON JAPAN Truman warned Japan in late July 1945 that without a immediate Japanese surrender, it faced “prompt and utter destruction” On August 6 (Hiroshima) and August 9 (Nagasaki) a B-29 bomber dropped Atomic Bombs on Japan The plane and crew that dropped an atomic bomb on Hiroshima, Japan

The Bomb Hiroshima Nagasaki August 9, 1945 “Fat Man” Leveled half of the city Truman warned Japan that without a immediate Japanese surrender, it faced “prompt and utter destruction”. Hiroshima August 6, 1945 “Little Boy” In 43 seconds, the city collapsed to dust

August 9, 1945 NAGASAKI

Why Hiroshima and Nagasaki? Multiple Theories Scientific Theory These cities were untouched by pervious bombing True sign of how devastating the A-bomb was Military Theory These cities were major shipping and military supply centers Government Japanese leaders did NOT live here We did NOT want to kill the Emperor of Japan

JAPAN SURRENDERS Japan surrendered days after the second atomic bomb was dropped September 2, 1945: V-J Day = Victory in Japan Day (Formal surrender)

Objective #2- Invade Japan Objectives Terms What was the two choices America had to end the war with Japan? Invade the Mainland Use Nuclear Warfare What two Japanese sites did the Americans use the Atomic Bomb? Hiroshima Nagasaki Why was dropping the atomic bomb such a debatable topic? Invasion of Japan would result in mainly military losses Atomic bomb would result in mainly civilian losses “Little Boy” and “Fat Man” Nicknames of the Atomic Bombs used at WWII

IF WE CAN SHOULD WE? 200,000 Japanese died due to the Atomic bombs dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki Hiroshima Atomic Bomb Clip