1. Video

3. The Early Pacific Battles
April-June 1942

4. Japan & U.S. battling it out….
The Fall of the Philippines: Japan attacked the American airfields hours after Pearl Harbor
American and Filipino forces retreated to the Bataan Peninsula
Were only able to hold their position for three months
Lacked supplies and suffered from diseases (malaria, scurvy, and dysentery)

6. Bataan Death March
April 9, 1942: Defenders on Bataan Peninsula surrendered to the Japanese
Almost 78,000 prisoners of war were forced to march to Japanese prison camp
They were sick, exhausted, and starving
Thousands died on the 65 mile march

7. The Doolittle Raid (April 1942)
Lt. Colonel James Doolittle led the mission to help raise morale of the American people
B-25 bombers were used to travel from the aircraft carriers to Japan
April 18, 1942: American bombs fell on Japan for the first time
Convinced Japanese to change their strategy
Moved Indian Ocean aircraft carrier force to protect homeland
Japan instead planned two different attacks to cripple the United States (Battle of Coral Sea and Midway Island)

8. Battle of Coral Sea (May 1942)
Japan wanted to cut off American supply lines to Australia by capturing New Guinea
American team of code breakers already knew what was coming
Japanese were intercepted by Yorktown and Lexington air craft carriers
Carriers were sunk and badly damaged but supply line was kept open

10. Battle of Midway (June 1942)
Japanese headed into an ambush
Four of Japan’s largest carriers were destroyed
Battle was a turning point in the war
The U.S. stopped the Japanese advance in the Pacific

11. Late Battles in the Pacific
February- June 1945

12. Iwo Jima (Feb./Mar. 1945) Reasons for invasion Difficulties
3 airstrips that were being used for Kamikaze attacks
Would provide emergency runway
Airstrips could provide base for escort planes
Location could assist with bombing raids
Difficulties
Volcanic ash
Underground tunnels
Japanese used landforms to their advantage

14. Outcomes 23,000 casualties out of 70,000
Over a 1/3rd of the total Marines were killed, wounded or suffered from battle fatigue

17. Battle of Okinawa (Apr./Jun. 1945)
Largest amphibious & last major campaign of the Pacific
More died in this battle than in the bombing of Nagasaki and Hiroshima
38,000 Americans wounded; 12,000 killed or missing
107,000 Okinawan and Japanese killed
82 day campaign

18. America wanted to cut Japanese supply and communication lines
Okinawa had harbors & airfields that can be used to prepare for an assault
Japan had been using the sugarcane to convert into commercial alcohol for torpedoes and engines
Monsoons led to WWI style fighting; garbage dump and dead bodies piling up on the rain sodden field