1. VA and US History The Pacific Theater Lecture Notes: Unit 7 Lesson 4 Standard VUS.11b

2. Bell Ringer: According to the Geneva Conventions: “…even where there is not a conflict of international character, the parties must as a minimum adhere to minimal protections described as: non-combatants…shall in all circumstances be treated humanely, with the following prohibitions:  (a) violence to life and person, in particular murder of all kinds, mutilation, cruel treatment and torture;  (b) taking of hostages;  (c) outrages upon personal dignity, in particular humiliating and degrading treatment  (d) the passing of sentences and the carrying out of executions without previous judgment pronounced by a regularly constituted court, affording all the judicial guarantees which are recognized as indispensable by civilized peoples.

3. Key Points Allied vs. Axis Strategies Iwo Jima and Okinawa Firebombing Japan Kamikazes The Atomic Bomb  Hiroshima  Nagasaki

4. In the Pacific American military strategy called for an “island hopping” campaign  Seizing islands closer and closer to Japan and using them as bases for air attacks on Japan  Cutting off Japanese supplies through submarine warfare against Japanese shipping. Began with American victory at Midway

5. Japanese Strategy Following Pearl Harbor:  Japan invaded the Philippines and Indonesia and planned to invade both Australia and Hawaii.  Japanese leaders hoped that America would then accept Japanese predominance in Southeast Asia and the Pacific, rather than conduct a bloody and costly war to reverse Japanese gains

7. Iwo Jima and Okinawa The American invasions of the islands of Iwo Jima and Okinawa brought American forces closer than ever to Japan.  Both invasions cost thousands of American lives and even more Japanese lives. Japanese soldiers fought fiercely over every square inch of the islands.  Battles were meant delay American forces from attacking mainland Japan.  Japanese soldiers and civilians committed suicide rather than surrender.

12. Okinawa

13. Okinawa was the largest sea-land-air battle in history, running from April through June, 1945.

24. Go to youtube clip

25. Use of the atomic bomb Facing the prospect of horrendous casualties among both Americans and Japanese if American forces had to invade Japan itself:  President Harry Truman ordered the use of atomic bombs on the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki to force the Japanese to surrender.

26. These slips bore up anti-war propaganda and warning of air raids. However, no warning was issued in advance on possible atomic bombing

28. The “Little Boy” was dropped onto Hiroshima on August 6 th 1945

30. Hiroshima’s Aftermath

36. Success? Almost 200,000 Japanese people were killed in Hiroshima and Nagasaki combined.  The American atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki are commonly believed to be the major factor leading to the surrender of the Japanese government six days after the latter attack. Due to the fact that the US dropped atomic bombs on Japan, there was no need to invade. However, at the time the atomic bombs were dropped, the Japanese position was extremely weak and defeat was considered inevitable by some historians even without the use of the atomic bombs

37. President Harry Truman “[The atomic bomb was] the greatest achievement of organized science in history.”

38. Dr. J. Robert Oppenheimer director of atomic bomb project “[The atomic bomb was] a grievous error.” and “We have blood on our hands.”

39. Activity Fog of War – Lesson 5 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hOCYcg OnWUM https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hOCYcg OnWUM Fog of War: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nwXF6Ud keI4 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nwXF6Ud keI4