1. The War in the Pacific The Defeat of Japan 18.4

2. Why did Japan attack Pearl Harbor? Historical: Opening of Japan to trade in 1853 Period of Westernization Current: Oil Embargo Freezing of Japanese assets in U.S.

3. First Action: Bombing of Pearl Harbor on 12/7/41 Part of a coordinated attack on U.S. possessions in the Pacific Heavy damage to the Pacific naval fleet www.aerospaceweb.org

4. www.dkimages.com

5. The Philippines - 1942 Japan captured 76,000 Filipinos and Americans POWs 60 mile march w/o food or water in tropical heat Brutal treatment At least 10,000 died Violated the GENEVA CONVENTIONS www.hinsonfilms.com BATAAN DEATH MARCH

6. The War at Sea... First years of the war were primarily naval New fighting techniques: 1. Aircraft carriers 2. Opponents not within visual distance 3. Long range bombing from sea based craft homepages.rootsweb.com

7. BATTLE of CORAL SEA - 1942 1 st naval air battle 50% equipment losses on both sides Technically a DRAW Blocked the invasion of Australia

8. BATTLE of MIDWAY - 1942 JP commits most of navy to this battle US attack while JP is refueling 4 JP carriers destroyed TURNING POINT in the PACIFIC JP now on the Defensive US on the Offensive

9. BATTLE of GUADALCANAL - 1942 1 ST US Offensive Capture the island where Japan building an airfield Huge land battle in the jungle Guerrilla style by the Japanese snipers Hint of the difficulties to come with defeating the Japanese www.historyofwar.org

10. ISLANDHOPPING – 1943 (Leapfrogging) Military strategy of selectively attacking specific enemy-led islands and bypassing others Too many islands to take back Look for strategic importance GOAL: Get into land-based bomber range of Japan for carpet bombing Continues into 1944

11. Retaking the Philippines... General Douglas MacArthur... “I shall return...” Persuaded FDR to retake them “... I have returned.” www.new-enlightenment.com

12. BATTLE OF LEYTE GULF - 1944 Greatest naval battle in World History 280 warships in 3 day battle First use of JP Kamikaze pilots JP navy destroyed Land control took another year as JP soldiers resisted www.battleship.org

13. Importance of the Philippines www.battle-of-leyte-gulf.comwww.solarnavigator.net

14. BATTLE of IWO JIMA - 1945 Island hopping... Bloody battle to secure small island Vastly outnumbered the JP fought to the last man (216 POWs) 25,000 US casualties patriotpost.us

15. BATTLE of OKINAWA - 1945 Equally bloody 2000 kamikazes Banzai charges Last obstacle to a land invasion of Japan Bloodiest battle daraho.wordpress.com

16. INVADING JAPAN... US ponders the cost of a land invasion Major decision in terms of troops and money WHAT TO DO?  FDR had died in April 1945  Iwo Jima and Okinawa in June 1945  Decision lies with Harry Truman