1. WORLD WAR II INVASION OF THE SOVIET UNION AND PEARL HARBOR

2. Pearl Harbor – Dec. 7, 1941
The Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor on Dec. 7, 1941
Why the Japanese attack
1. Island nation – need resources and raw materials, so they have an expanding empire
2. Feel provoked by the U.S.
The U.S. has placed embargoes on resources, such as oil, and has frozen Japanese bank accounts
Other defensive measures due to the Japanese invasion of China
Why Pearl Harbor
Pearl Harbor was the center for the U.S. Pacific Fleet, which the Japanese wanted to destroy
Need a quick win, goal was to destroy fleet, take colonies, and sue for peace

3. The attack was a two prong attack:
Japanese planes bombed airfields and ships at Pearl Harbor
There were supposed to be three different waves of attack
The attack lasted just under two hours
200 aircraft were destroyed, all 8 battleships were either damaged or sunk in the harbor
Casualties
2,403 dead and 1,100 wounded
1,177 men die aboard the U.S.S. Arizona

4. Why the attack was a failure for Japan:
The Japanese did not launch the third wave, which means they didn’t eliminate the fuel tanks or other ships
All American aircraft carriers were not in port – they were sent out to sea a week before
Aircraft carriers are crucial to battles at sea since they are able to launch planes and planes sink ships
U.S. reaction
U.S. Congress declares war on Japan on Dec. 8
Three days later Germany and Italy declare war on the U.S.
The U.S. and the Soviet Union are now part of the Allied Powers
Revenge – Doolittle’s raiders bomb Japanese cities
Bring war home to the Japanese

5. At the same time the Japanese attack U. S
At the same time the Japanese attack U.S. colonies of Wake Island and the Philippines
The Philippines will be conquered by the Japanese and American General Douglas MacArthur leaves the Philippines with a promise to return and free them from Japanese control
Bataan Death March
70,000 prisoners march towards a distant prisoner camp
Thousands die due to lack of food, water, and violence from their Japanese captors
Many more will die at the prisoner camp
They also attack Hong Kong, Thailand, Burma, Malaya, Guam, and French Indochina

7. War in the Pacific
The Japanese start off with an advantage as the U.S. works to overcome the damage from Pearl Harbor, plus the Japanese have more aircraft carriers
Battle of Coral Sea – May 1942
Japanese and Americans meet in battle off the coast of Australia as the Japanese were getting ready to invade British-controlled New Guinea
Both sides lose an aircraft carrier, which hurt the Americans more

8. Battle of Midway Island – June 1942 – Turning Point *
The Japanese want to capture this American military base
Goal: Japan wants to lure the Americans into battle and finish what they started at Pearl Harbor by destroying their fleet
The U.S. had broken the secret Japanese code and knew of the attack – U.S. was ready and waiting
The United States uses Code Talkers throughout the war in the Pacific
Code Talkers were Navajo native Americans who used the Navajo language which the Japanese were never able to figure out or break
The U.S. destroys four Japanese aircraft carriers in five minutes, only lose one of their own
The Americans now have the advantage
Overall, the Battle of Midway was a turning point in the war in the Pacific for the United States

9. The U.S. strategy for the war in the Pacific was Island-hopping = take islands that are not as well defended and cut off supply lines to Japanese strongholds
Bypass strongholds and capture weaker targets, which are then used as bases for the next attack
Will “hop” from one island to another as they advance towards Japan
Battle of Guadalcanal – summer 1942
Japanese are building an airstrip there, which the U.S. does not want to allow
Brutal series of battles that lasts for six months
Thousands of Japanese die or kill themselves to avoid capture
women and children jump off cliffs, soldiers carry out old samurai traditions, suicide charges
Tarawa
It takes the Americans three days to capture the 8 square mile island
17 out of 5,000 Japanese survive
3,000 American casualties
From 1942 to 1944 the Allies capture the Solomon, Gilbert, Marshall, Caroline, and Mariana islands

10. Philippines
MacArthur returns to the Philippines in fall of 1944
Battle of Leyte – largest naval battle ever fought
First major use of a new Japanese weapon, the kamikaze attack
Kamikazes = Japanese pilots who load their planes with explosives and deliberately crash into Allied ships, sacrificing their own lives, trying to destroy as many American ships and lives as possible
Battle ends in victory for the U.S.
America recaptures the Philippines
Iwo Jima – Feb. 1945
Want to capture the island to make the regular bombing raids on Japan easier for U.S. pilots
The Japanese decide to make the Americans think twice about invading Japan
Takes 25 days to capture the five mile island
Approximately 7,000 Americans dead and 20,000 wounded
Out of 21,000 Japanese, only 216 surrender
Fought to the death
Raising the flag

11. Okinawa
Many casualties, war of attrition
82 days of combat
Kamikazes sank or damaged 245 ships
U.S. casualties = 75,000, with 12,000 dead
Approx. 120,000 Japanese killed, along with 150,000 Okinawan civilians
Now at Japan’s doorstep