1. What major battles happen between Japan & the US in the Pacific?
War in the Pacific
What major battles happen between Japan & the US in the Pacific?

2. Allies Strike Back
April 1942: US Col. James Doolittle leads attack on Tokyo
Discuss: Despite little damage, why the raid significant?
Battle of the Coral Sea – May 1942: Japan advancing south, code breakers discover Japanese plans to attack Australia
Using aircraft carriers, US stops Japan for first time in the war

3. Battle of Midway
Allied code breakers find out Japan planning on attacking Midway Island
Admiral Chester Nimitz launches surpr. attack on Japanese fleet
Dive bombers & torpedo planes destroy four aircraft carriers & 250 planes, turning point in war
Discuss: Why was Midway a turning point in the Pacific War?

4. MacArthur’s Island Hopping
Island hopping strategy takes less-defended islands
Battle of Guadalcanal – Aug 1942: US Marines invade Guadalcanal to gain control of Japanese air field & port
US fleet must leave Marines alone on island, they win a tough battle killing 24K of the 36K Japanese troops (“death island”)
The Japanese Defense
After MacArthur liberates Philippines, Japan uses technique called kamikaze
Kamikazies sink 16 ships in Battle of Leyte Gulf, but Japan loses most of fleet