1. WWII – Pacific Theatre
Lecture II - COURSE

2. Course and Outcome WWII Pacific
Japan attacked Philippines, Malaya, Dutch East Indies & other Pacific islands.
Defeated US and Filipino forces
1942, Japan ControlledS.E. Asia
Named Greater East Asia Co-Prosperity Sphere.

3. US Strategy Vs Japanese Strategy
USA
Island hopping – capture certain key islands until Japan’s came within Bomber range
Bypass those with no strategic value to save lives and isolate Japanese defenders
left with no one to fight against and cut off from supplies
Island hopping campaign was led by General Douglas MacArthur(Army) and Admiral Chester W. Nimitz(Navy)

4. JAPAN
expansion into Asia’s mainland and securing of resources they lacked,
Japan was forced to get oil from Southeast Asia(Embargo)
deal a huge blow to the US first: Pearl Harbor
hoped the US would take a long time to rebuild and would try to bargain for peace
Japanes plan on destroying US Air Craft Carriers
They would occupy Islands around the Pacific to protect Japan
Japan would regress to a stiff defensive strategy for the next three years

5. Discuss
What are the key differences in the US and Japanese War strategy?

6. Taking of the Philippines
Just hours after the attack at Pearl Harbor, Japanese forces attacked the Philippines and other Pacific Islands.
Over the next week, the Japanese bombed the Philippines and gained air superiority. In Dec 22, Japanese landed ground forces.
By March General Mac Arthur fled the Philippines

7. Bataan Death March.
After the April 9, 1942, U.S. surrender of the Bataan Peninsula
about 75,000 Filipino and American troops on Bataan made a 65-mile march to prison camps.
from 5,000 to 18,000 Filipino deaths and 500 to 650 American deaths during the march.
Thousands more died in the POW Camp O’Donnell

8. Discuss
Why do you think the Japanese treated the POW’s with such cruelty?

9. Doolittle’s Air Raids
James Doolittle led raid was on Tokyo April 18, 1942.
3 of the 8 airmen captured were executed.
The damage to the intended military targets was modest but it boosted morale for Americans.
The Japanese planned the early destruction of America's aircraft carriers,
Battle of Midway

10. Allies Advance in Pacific
In Pacific, Battle of the Coral Sea, May, 1942 stopped Japanese advance and saved Australia from invasion.
Battle of Midway, U.S. planes destroyed four Japanese aircraft carriers (US broke Japanese secret military code.)
U.S. naval supremacy.

12. First fighting on Japanese Soil 1945
Iwo Jima
Uninhabited Island.
Make a perfect airstrip for constant bombing of Japan
US losses 6,821 JAPAN losses estimated at over 18,000
Japanese forces built miles of tunnels safe from bombardment
Refusals to surrender made this battle extremely bloody and difficult

13. Okinawa Over 2 ½ month battle on a civilian populated Island
US goal was to use as base for Air operations for possible attack on Japan
12,500 Us Troops killed Japan lost over 100,000
Many civilians jumped off cliffs or committed suicide in fear of US troops

14. Discuss
Why was Okinawa seen as a preview for an invasion of Japan.

15. Japanese Internment Camps
Japanese Americans faced even more serious discrimination.
On West Coast, 110,000 Japanese-Americans (most of whom were U.S. citizens) were removed to internment camps for “security reasons.”
Most lost all possessions
They allowed Japanese American men to enter US Army and fight in Europe.

16. White Board
List one reason Japanese Americans were targeted more so than German Americans

17. Total War Against the Japanese
Warfare that includes any and all civilian-associated resources and infrastructure as legitimate military targets, mobilizes all of the resources of society to fight the war,
Allies bombed civilian factory and cities in Germany and Japan
Tokyo Fire bombing 1942: 75k-200k fatalities

18. Japanese War Time Mentality
The Japanese fought for their Emperor “Hirohito” who was godlike
Hedeki Tojo: Was the military leader making most of the decisions.
Military Had the Bushido code
Soldiers could not surrender
Towards the end of the war Kamikaze suicide pilots were used.
Kamikaze: Divine wind
Mobilization of entire nations made a land assault difficult.
Japanse propoganda portrayed US troops as monsters
Civilians were pushed to fight to the end
US feared heavy losses in street fighting.

19. Who is being portrayed here? What is the key message?

20. Manhattan Project
US created the Atomic bomb “Manhattan Project” Los Alamos Laboratory in New Mexico
Robert Oppenheimer lead man.

21. A BOMBS
Hiroshima
Aug Air Plane “Enola Gay” drop A-bomb“Little Boy” on Hiroshima
killing 70,000 people
Nagasaki
Aug Air plane “Bockscar” drop “Fat Man” city- Nagasaki
Killing 40,000 people
many more died later of wounds and/or radiation poisoning.

22. Discuss
Was the US justified in its attack with A bombs?

24. (VJ- Day!)
After the Devastations of the 2 Bombs Emperor Hirohito forced his military generals to surrender unconditionally on August 14, 1945 (VJ- Day!)

25. After the War Allied forces occupied Japan 1945-1952
Emperor is allowed to keep his title but with no Political power
General Douglas A. MacArthur, enacted widespread military, political, economic, and social reforms.
Tokyo Trials :Trial for Japanese War Criminals
Charges were brought by various nations affected by the Japanese.
China had the highest with resulting in 504 convictions and 149 executions.