1. The War in the Pacific 1941-1945

2. I. Japan’s Involvement in WWII A. Japan joined an alliance w/ Germany in 1936 B. War took place 1937-1945 C. Started with Japanese expansion of territory D. It really began with bombing of Pearl Harbor

3. II. U.S. Enters the War A. Japan had occupied areas of China –Treated Chinese w/ extreme brutality –This turned U.S. opinion against Japan –US & British cut off trading of oil & steel B. December 7-8, 1941 –Surprise attack: Pearl Harbor (U.S. military base in Hawaii) –Japan knew they couldn’t win a prolonged war w/ U.S. –Hoped that U.S. would immediately surrender C. U.S. enters war (December 8, 1941)

4. III. Japanese Expansion A. After Pearl Harbor, Japan rapidly expanded territory B. By May 1942, 1 million square miles conquered

5. IV. Battle of Midway A.1942: 1.Japanese attempt to occupy Midway (island west of Hawaii) a.U.S. outnumbered 4 to 1 in ships & planes b.U.S. makes surprise attack – destroy 322 Japanese planes c.Turning point for U.S. forces

6. V. Island-Hopping Strategy A. 1943: 1.U.S. takes offensive a. Strategy: i.instead of storming every occupied island “hop” past strong points (heavily occupied islands) ii.Invade less occupied islands iii.Cut off supply line from Japan to other islands 2.Strategy works 3.U.S. take Guadalcanal, Philippines, Iwo Jima, Okinawa 4.From there they begin to bomb Tokyo

7. Guadalcanal: Aug 7, 1942- Feb 9, 1943 1st Major Allied Offensive launched against Japan. 7,100/60,000 killed 4 captured 29 ships lost 615 Aircraft lost Henderson Field Airbase on Guadalcanal strategically important. 31,000/36,200 killed 1,000 captured 38 ships lost 683-880 aircraft lost

8. Iwo Jima: February 19-March 26, 1945 Fiercest Fighting in WWII 6,821/110,000 killed 19,217 wounded Japanese “dug in” by hiding in caves throughout the island. 18,061-18,591 Japanese soldiers 17,845-18,375 dead 216 captured

9. Okinawa: April 1, 1945-June 22, 1945 Largest amphibious assault in the Pacific theater Bloodiest Battle 12,513 killed 38,916 wounded 22,096 non-combat losses The Beginning of the End… 110,000 killed 7,400-10,755 captured Estimated 42,000-150,000 civilians killed

10. The Nation Mourns the loss of a great leader FDR dies from complications following a stroke on April 12, 1945… Less than 1 month before V-E Day Harry S. Truman becomes the 33 rd President 1945-1953

11. Japanese Defense Kamikaze Kamikaze –Tactic in which the Japanese would use a suicide plane attack and crash their bomb- laden planes into allied ships

12. Conditions Soldiers Faced Tropical Weather Tropical Weather Mosquitoes Mosquitoes Thick Vegetation Thick Vegetation Japanese Kamikazes Japanese Kamikazes

13. “Hell was red furry spiders as big as your fist, giant lizards as long as your leg, leeches falling from trees to suck blood, armies of white ants with a bite of fire, scurrying scorpians inflaming any flesh they touched, enormous rats and bats everywhere, and rivers with waiting crocodiles. Hell was the sour, foul smell of the squishy jungle, humidity that rotted a body within hours,…stinking wet heat of dripping rain forests that sapped the strength of any man.”-- The GI War