2. DECEMBER 7, 1941 “A DAY THAT WILL LIVE IN INFAMY”

3. ALLIED STRATEGY 1942-1945 n GET HITLER FIRST n FIGHT A DELAYING ACTION VERSUS THE JAPANESE IN THE PACIFIC. n CONCENTRATE ALL REMAINING EFFORTS AGAINST THE JAPANESE ONCE THE GERMANS WERE DEFEATED

4. Admiral Yamamoto Believed that America was a “sleeping giant”

5. THE 5 YEAR PLAN n STRIKE AT THE ENEMIES STRENGTH, PEARL HARBOR. n FAN OUT AND CAPTURE AS MUCH TERRITORY AS POSSIBLE. n “DIG IN” AND HOLD ON FOR AS LONG AS POSSIBLE. n TRY TO EXTEND THE CONFLICT FOR MORE THAN 5 YEARS.

6. Expand and “Dig in”

7. YAMAMOTO’S REASON THE AMERICAN PUBLIC CAN ONLY SUPPORT A WAR FOR NO MORE THAN 5 YEARS.

8. Anti-war sentiment

9. PLAY FOR A TIE n BY EXTENDING THE WAR AMERICANS WILL CLAMOR FOR THE WAR TO STOP. n TOO MUCH MONEY, TIME, AND EFFORT BEING SPENT. n CASUALTY TOTALS WILL CONTINUE TO MOUNT n U.S. WILL BE FORCED TO SUE FOR PEACE ON JAPAN’S TERMS.

10. Guadalcanal 1942-43 n The first chance the Allies would get to see the level of Japanese resistance was with the invasion of Guadalcanal. n After months of hard fighting and loss of life, Allied commanders began to re- think our “comeback strategy”

11. Guadalcanal

12. “Island Hopping” n US strategy was to “shorten” the war by only taking certain islands and “by- passing” others. n This caused thousands of Japanese soldiers to be “cut off” n The war was shortened but it didn’t mean it was going to be easier combat.

13. Two paths back to Japan

14. Yamamoto’s Death n April 18, 1943 – US planes ambush Yamamoto’s plane. n Japan loses its #1 strategist. n He would not live to see his strategy fail.

15. “I shall return” n Gen. MacArthur finally keeps his promise made in early 1942, when his forces land in the Philippines in 1944. n Heavy fighting both on land and in the waters surrounding the Philippines mark the end of Japan’s control of the Philippines.

16. The US Marines “island hop” across the Central Pacific n Several key battles lead to US victory but at an ever increasing toll in lives. n Japanese resistance increases as we moved closer to the home islands of Japan. n Iwo Jima, Tinian, Saipan, Guam. n US builds airfields on Tinian to launch B-29 bombing raids on Japan.

17. Iwo Jima

18. Kamikaze Attacks and Banzai Charges n Kamikaze attacks begin with the invasion of the Philippines. n They continue in intensity with each invasion. n Japanese suicide planes crash onto US warships (Divine Wind) n Japanese troops on land resort to Suicide “banzai charges” in an effort to defeat the US.

19. Kamikaze or “Divine Wind”

20. Okinawa n Okinawa (March-June 1945) was the last battle of WWII. n US forces encounter Japanese civilians in large numbers for the first time in the war. n Soldiers and civilians refuse to surrender and choose suicide instead.

21. Suicide Cliff, Okinawa

22. “Operation Olympic” n Plans for the invasion of Japan started during the battle of Okinawa. n Estimates of US casualties started at 500,000 just to land on the beach. n Fear of Japanese civilian and military resistance raised the enemy totals to the millions…(Kamikaze’s, banzai charges)

23. The Final Invasion????

24. What were the alternatives to invasion…? n Operation Starvation – continued blockade of Japan to force starvation on the population. n Fire bomb raids on Japanese cities – continue the onslaught on Japan with our air force. n Invade….. n Or drop the Atomic Bombs on them with out warning.

25. n Warn the Japanese of the ultimate weapon and show them a test detonation… n Which option would you make if you were President Truman?????

26. V-J Day September 2, 1945