1. The Pacific War

2. Mapping the Pacific War

3. In 1937, Japan invaded China with the aim of conquering it
In 1937, Japan invaded China with the aim of conquering it. This was known as the Second Sino-Japanese War. The Japanese committed notorious atrocities during this invasion including the massacre of Nanking.
By Dec 1941 Japan an Axis power had conquered or occupied Korea and Indochina
Japan wanted to gain more resources and rid the region of European imperialism – its focus was on destroying American, British, Dutch and Australian bases in Asia
Imperialism is empire building. Expansion occurs when one state is more powerful than are the obstacles to expansion. The obstacles may be other states or peoples, or they may be geographic or physical or technological obstacles.

4. Pearl Harbour

7. Why was Pearl Harbour attacked?
The Japanese saw the base as the pinnacle of America’s military supremacy in the Pacific Ocean. If a catastrophic blow could be struck against America at Pearl Harbour, then the Japanese surmised that America would pull out of the region leaving it free for the Japanese to continue their expansion in the Pacific.

8. America….
The Americans saw Pearl Harbour as impenetrable. The naval station could only be approached by narrow waterways that were only 40 feet in depth, twisting and fully protected by anti-submarine nets. Also, the water was shallow at Pearl Harbour so torpedoes dropped from planes would not work. It was believed that by keeping all the battleships close together, they would be able to protect each other if anybody tried to attack.
The Japanese figured out how to modify their torpedoes so that they could work in shallow water. As a result, they were able to attack the battleships with fighter planes instead of slow-moving bombers. These fighters proved too fast for the battleship guns.

9. Sun 7 Dec 1941
Waves of Japanese planes attacked the United States naval base at Pearl Harbor in Hawaii
The attack came as a complete surprise
Casualties included – 188 American aircraft and 19 warships together with 2500 American personnel who were killed
Attack was designed to destroy the US Pacific fleet (if not for the fact that the aircraft carriers were at sea it would have succeeded)

10. This attack brought the United States of America into World War Two.
Franklin D. Roosevelt the US President now had a strong reason to join the war and the American people supported him
Declaration of war on Japan was signed on 8 Dec 1941.

11. The destruction to the Pacific Fleet at Pearl Harbour

12. Fortress Singapore
Following its attack on Pearl Harbour, Japan continued its aggressive military action in the Asia – Pacific region
Japan focused on the Royal Australian Air Force base at Sungei Patani in Malaya’s north
Japanese planes swooped on the unsuspecting naval base destroying it within hours

13. Fall of Singapore By Feb 1942 Singapore had fallen
Some Australians were among the Allied troops who surrendered

14. Kokoda

15. Battle of Kokoda Trail
After the fall of Singapore, Japan had a pathway to invading Australia.
Japan captured many small but important Pacific islands and took tens of thousands of prisoners
More than 300 of the Australians captured on Amboina island were executed without cause

16. Japan wanted to capture Port Moresby in New
They expected little resistance from the Australian force once landing at Buna and Gona on New Guinea’s north – there plan was to travel down the Kokoda trail
The Australians defended the Kokoda Trail to prevent the Japanese from advancing further.
Australian losses were high and wounded soldiers were helped by local villages known as the ‘fuzzy wuzzy angels’

17. The period of fighting between the Japanese and Australian soldiers became known as the ‘Battle for Australia’
The Australian’s were exhausted but after extra troops returned from the Middle East to help - they started turning the Japanese back

18. Attack on home soil Fall of Singapore = scared Australians
Australia was now exposed
Feb – Darwin attacked – 243 people dead and hundred injured
(Darwin experienced 64 Japanese air attacks)
3 months later 3 midget submarines entered Sydney Harbour to attack the large naval and merchant fleet but this mission failed

19. Prisoners of War

20. 993 000 Australian men and women enlisted to fight during WWII
Nearly others were taken as prisoners of war
Australian’s taken as POWs in Europe had a reasonably good chance of survival
Most of the Australian POW who died in captivity were in Japanese POW camps

21. They died either from a lack of food or medical facilities
Or by being brutally punished overworked or executed
Many of those who did survive were left with lifelong physical and mental scars
Most Australians taken as POW by the Japanese were captured with the fall of Singapore
Changi prison in Singapore provided the main holding camp – from there groups were sent to other camps in Asia
The POW were forced to provide labour for the Japanese even if they were weakened by illness

22. Questions. What was Japan doing before the attack on Pearl Harbour?
What happened at Pearl Harbour and how did America react?
How many allied troops surrendered at Singapore? Where were most of these troops taken?
Why were Australians scared after Singapore was taken?
What was the significance of the Kokoda Track?
What is “Changi” and why is it important?
What were the two reasons that Australian POW’s died in Changi?
When was the bombing of Darwin?