1. WWII – The War in the Pacific

2. Japan controls the Pacific
Japan attacks various Pacific locations – late 1941
Japan controlled Hong Kong, Thailand, Guam, Wake, Burma, Malaya
Japan attacks Philippines – pushes U.S./Filipino troops from Manila to Bataan Peninsula – Gen. Douglas MacArthur fights to standstill

3. Bataan Death March -FDR order MacArthur to Australia
-The Philippines fall
-American/Filipino
POW’s forced to
march 60 miles
without food or
water
-Thousands die

4. Doolittle’s Raid on Tokyo
Lt. Col. Jimmy Doolittle led 16 bombers in an attack on Tokyo and other cities – April 1942
Attack did little damage, but boosted America’s morale by showing Japan we would fight back
Doolittle

5. Battle of Coral Sea Off the coast of Australia
Completely an aerial battle between planes launched from carriers (first time in history)
No clear winner in the battle – but the U.S. did block the invasion of Australia – our ally
Plane-to-plane combat at the Battle of Coral Sea. This was the first ‘completely aerial’ battle ever

6. American Dive Bomber in action at the Battle of Midway – June 1942
Naval battle around Midway Island in the Central Pacific
U.S. destroyed 4 Japanese carriers and 250 planes
Turning point in the war
American Dive Bomber in action at the Battle of Midway – June 1942

7. New Strategy = Island Hopping
The Americans used Island Hopping – They would capture lightly-defended islands throughout the Pacific, one by one, until they had “HOPPED” their way towards Japan
The Pacific Ocean was so BIG – the U.S. needed a way to get closer
This would get the U.S. within striking distance of Japan & allow the U.S. to set up bases at all of the conquered islands along the way

8. A Navajo “Code-Talker” in action
Battle of Guadalcanal
August 1942 – Americans win first major LAND victory on the island of Guadalcanal
U.S. used Navajo Indians as “Code-talkers”
Helped the U.S. communicate safely without the Japanese translating our messages
A Navajo “Code-Talker” in action

9. The Navajo Language
Only about 25 non-Navajo people in the entire world could speak the language
Made up words for terms that didn’t exist in their language (names of birds meant “airplanes” and the word “egg” actually meant “bomb”)

10. Americans re-take the Philippines
October 1944 – American returned to the Philippines after “Island Hopping” our way there
General MacArthur made good on his promise “I shall return” to the Philippines
Gen. MacArthur “returning” to the Philippines

11. Kamikaze attack on a U.S. aircraft carrier
Japanese “Kamikazes”
Japanese suicide pilots
Filled planes full of explosives and crashed them into Allied warships
Often were inexperienced pilots with outdated equipment
Kamikaze attack on a U.S. aircraft carrier

12. The Battles of Iwo Jima and Okinawa
The Allies started to bomb Japan to weaken their defenses
In order to get close enough, the Allies would have to establish bases on islands near Japan
Japanese forces would defend these islands fiercely

13. Marines raising the flag on Mt. Suribachi at the Battle of Iwo Jima
23,000 U.S. troops killed or wounded in order to take Iwo Jima
Victory marked by the raising of the U.S. flag atop Mt. Suribachi
Marines raising the flag on Mt. Suribachi at the Battle of Iwo Jima

14. Battle of Okinawa Japanese defend island fiercely
Last hurdle before U.S. would invade Japan
Mass-suicide by Japanese started to make the U.S. wonder – “will they ever surrender?”

15. The Manhattan Project
U.S. feared that an invasion of Japan would result in 200,000 American casualties – and perhaps 1-2 million Japanese casualties
U.S. considers using an “Atomic Bomb” to end the war quickly
Bomb had been developed as part of the “Manhattan Project” since 1942

16. Japan Will Fight Until the End
Imperial Conference in Tokyo – June 8th 1945.
“Fundamental Policy”
Japan is willing to fight to the bitter end as an underdog.
Surrender is not an option for Japan.
On June 8th, 1945 the Japanese held an Imperial Conference in Tokyo. In this meeting, top Japanese officials decided that their soldiers would “fight to the death.” The "Fundamental Policy" of Suzuki's government was to fight on, and to choose "honorable death of the hundred million" over surrender. For 2,000 years Japan had never been defeated. There was no word for "surrender" in the Japanese dictionary. Therefore, losing was not an option.
Japan did not believe it could defeat the United States, it did intend to negotiate an end to the war on favorable terms. Japan attacked Pearl Harbor on 12/7/1941 hoping it could delay American intervention, gaining time to solidify its Asian empire. Japan planned to fight a decisive battle that would bloody American forces, forcing the U.S. to negotiate a peace and leave Japan as it was; the emperor and the military government, in power.

17. Saving Lives by Using the Bomb
Non-combatants were dying throughout Asia at the rate of 200,000 per month.
The complete naval blockade of Japan would have resulted in hundreds of thousands of deaths due to malnutrition, dehydration, and famine.
The atomic bomb saved thousands of American soldier’s lives
Hundreds of thousands of soldiers and civilians alike were dying every month throughout the Japanese Empire. Most Japanese soldiers only knew the Samurai style of fighting which consisted of fighting to the last man. This mentality would have yielded ten times the amount of casualties than the dropping of the atom bombs. Operation Starvation was the complete blockade of Japan, which completely cut off its imports.

18. Japanese Support
Some Japanese historians supported the dropping of the atomic bombs.
Salvation in the atomic bombing.
Koichi Kido – “We of the peace party were assisted by the atomic bomb in our endeavor to end the war.”
Hisatsune Sakomizu – “Golden opportunity given by heaven to end the war.”
It is very interesting that a Japanese citizen would be in support of the atomic bombings. Some Japanese historians believed that the atomic bomb ended the war and actually brought peace. Koichi Kido was one of Emperor Hirohito’s closest advisors and believed the bomb ended the war. Hisatsune Sakomizu agrees. Many historians believe the sole influence to peace was the atomic bomb. The peace faction of Emperor Hirohito’s cabinet supported the bomb.

19. The Enola Gay
On August 6, 1945, the B-29 Enola Gay, under colonel Paul Tibbits left Tinian airbase in the West Pacific.
The six hour flight went exactly as expected.
The bomb was armed midway and clear weather permitted for accuracy.
The Enola Gay dropped “The Little Boy” bomb over Hiroshima, Japan. Its crew trained at Wendover Army Air Field in Wendover, UT. as part of Project Alberta during the Manhattan project. The Hiroshima mission has been described as “tactically flawless”, and the crew returned safely to its base on Tinian to great celebration.
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20. Hiroshima Before The Atomic Bomb
The picture above is a model of Hiroshima pre-atomic bomb. Before the bombing, Hiroshima was a city of industrial and military significance. There were even some military camps located nearby. It was one of the few cities in Japan, nearly untouched by American bombing. Hiroshima was picked as a target location because there was a large population, no POW camps, and the hills nearby would be “spectacular” when bombed.
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21. Hiroshima After The Atomic Bomb
The model above shows the great destruction at Hiroshima. The entire city was decimated within seconds. It is estimated that 70,000 – 90,000 instantly perished. However, there are also unaccounted deaths due to the massive radiation from the bomb. About 90 percent of the buildings in the city were damaged or completely destroyed.
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22. Bockscar Sometimes called Bock’s car.
B-29 bomber Superfortress, flown by Major Charles W. Sweeney dropped the “Fat Man” on August 9, 1945.
The Bockscar did didn't have enough fuel to return to Tinian or Iwo Jima, so Major Sweeney flew the aircraft to Okinawa
for an emergency landing with practically dry fuel tanks.
When the “Fat Man” was dropped on Nagasaki, it is believed that a mushroom cloud of over 60,000 arose. Almost instantly, 40,000 of Nagasaki’s 240,000 residents died. Over 25,000 – 60,000 were severely injured. It is believed that died in the following months due to immense radiation.
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23. U.S. uses the atomic bombs
- President Truman warned Japan to either surrender or else face “complete destruction”
-Japan refused
-U.S. drops bombs on Hiroshima (70,000 killed) and Nagasaki (40,000 killed)
-Japan surrenders five days later
When the “Fat Man” was dropped on Nagasaki, it is believed that a mushroom cloud of over 60,000 arose. Almost instantly, 40,000 of Nagasaki’s 240,000 residents died. Over 25,000 – 60,000 were severely injured. It is believed that died in the following months due to immense radiation.
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