1. War in the Pacific
Section 4

2. Fighting the Japanese Empire
At the same time as Pearl Harbor, Japan launched attacks throughout the Pacific
Japan also pushed further into Southeast Asia
Japan attacked the Philippines and pushed Allied forces onto the Bataan Peninsula
US troops, led by General Douglas MacArthur, fought the Japanese at a standstill for months.

3. Fighting the Japanese Empire
As fighting raged in the Philippines, the Allies feared that the Japanese might invade Australia
Roosevelt ordered MacArthur to leave the Philippines and go to Australia
Shortly after he left, the Japanese launched an offensive on Bataan that forced US troops to surrender
Bataan Death March

4. Fighting the Japanese Empire
The Allies began to turn the tide of the war with daring air raids led by Lieutenant Colonel James Doolittle
Called Doolittle’s Raids
Dropped bombs on Japanese cities
Did little damage, but raised American morale
US Navy clashed with Japanese forced in the Coral Sea off of Australia
Called the Battle of the Coral Sea
For the first time in naval history, enemy ships fought a battle without once seeing each other
Americans successfully blocked Japanese advance toward Australia

5. Fighting the Japanese
The opposing navies met again off the island of Midway
US Navy destroyed 4 Japanese carriers and at least 250 planes
Japanese destroyed one American carrier and only 150 planes
Considered a victory for the Americans
Battle of Midway is known as the turning point of the War in the Pacific

6. Progress in the Pacific
Americans gained their first major land victory on the island of Guadalcanal after 6 months of bitter fighting
Key player in this battle were the Code Talkers
Allies then invaded the Philippines
First attacked the island of Leyte
Allies won and left the Japanese navy so badly damaged that it was no longer a threat
Allies then liberated Manila

7. Progress in the Pacific
Japanese began to get desperate and increased their use of kamikaze pilots
Kamikazes filled their planes with explosives and crashed into Allied warships
Japanese men volunteered for this honor
Regardless, they were unable to stop the Allied advance

8. Progress in the Pacific
With Japan’s defenses weakened, the US began to bomb Japan
They needed bases closer to the mainland
They chose the islands of Okinawa and Iwo Jima
After months of fighting, US had control of those islands

9. Atomic Bombs End the War
Allies planned to invade Japan
American military leaders were afraid that an invasion would lead to excessive loss of American lives – instead, decided the drop the Atomic Bomb

10. Atomic Bombs End the War
Shortly after entering the war, US started the Manhattan Project to develop the bomb
After a test succeeded, President Truman threated Japan: if they did not surrender, it faced destruction
Japan refused to give in
On August 6, 1945, US dropped the bomb on the industrial city of Hiroshima
Japan still refused to surrender
On August 9, 1945, US dropped a second bomb on Nagaski
On August 14, 1945, Japan leaders signed an official letter of surrender