Japan’s defeat in WWII

How far do you agree that the defeat of Japan

could only have ben brought about by the dropping

of the atomic bomb

Context

Japan’s invasion and occupation of Southeast Asia

Japan achieved excellent progress in the early stages of World War II—it rapidly took control of the entire region.

Allied forces in Asia Pacific region were ill-equipped and unprepared for battle.

Hence, they were unable to response effectively against the Japanese.

Although the British reinforced their military strength with troops from Australia and India, these forces were not trained to fight in tropical Southeast Asia and were poorly equipped.

The US also needed time to recover its naval strength and shift its economy and industries towards supporting the war effort.

Context

Japan’s rapid advance and eventual defeat

Japan had launched simultaneous invasions of

several countries in Southeast Asia and the

attack on Pearl Harbor.

With the US Pacific fleet crippled, it could not

challenge these Japanese invasions.

Japan planned to seize control of the resources

necessary to its war effort, as well as to set up

a perimeter defence around this zone to protect

its conquests.

However, despite its early dominance, Japan

was eventually defeated in World War II.

Key Reasons for Japan’s Defeat in WWII

Strengths of the USA

1. Economic

2. Military

Overextended Japanese

Empire

Desire of Allies to

achieve quick victory

Allied victory in Europe

Dropping of the atomic

bomb

How did the United States government

respond to the bombing of Pearl Harbour?

Strengths of the US

Economic strength

Largest industrial producer in

the world at the time

The USA also had many

previously unemployed people

(because?). They proved to be

better workers than the forced

labour used by the Axis

powers.

Strengths of the US

In contrast, Japan did not have such a strong

industrial foundation or capabilities to support

their war effort.

Japan was also unable to protect their merchant

fleet from attacks by American submarines.

This weakened the Japanese economy and the

people suffered shortages.

The Allies also bombed many of the Japanese

factories, while the American factories remained out

of range from Japanese attacks.

Strengths of the US

Contribution of women to the war effort

Allied countries actively encouraged women to contribute to the war efforts.

USA: Woman Ordnance Workers (WOWs) worked in factories to contribute to the war effort. Others even joined in the armed forces, serving as nurses or soldiers.

Japan & Germany: emphasised the role of women as mothers and child-bearers who should stay home.

This meant that after entering WWII, it was able to quickly switch over from producing consumption goods to military equipment. (link)

Strengths of the US

Military and naval

strengths

Pearl Harbor did not

cripple US Navy

3 aircraft carriers of the

Pacific Fleet was

unharmed

3 key battles that

showed US resolve /

military strength

TB pg 196 - 197Doolittle Raid on

Tokyo

• Japan assumed that US would not be bombed as it was out of range.

• However, the US Doolittle Raid saw 16 bombers attacking Japanese cities in April 1942, in retaliation to the Pearl Harbor attack.

• The USA planned to fly over Japan and land the bombers in China.

Battle of the Coral Sea

• Japan planned to control Port Moresby and use it to launch an attack on Australia.

• The Americans anticipated the attack and brought in two aircraft carriers against the Japanese carriers.

• Result: attack on Port Moresby was cancelled. Japan’s southward advance was halted.

Battle of Midway

• Midway islands were significant for their airfields and location on the route to Pearl Harbor.

• Japan planned to bomb the island defences and use the Midway Islands as a base for Japanese naval and air forces.

• The USA held the element of surprise in the battle.

• Result: Japan lost four air craft carriers and almost three-quarters of their experienced pilots.

• This weakened their naval and air capabilities for the rest of the war.

Continued bombings on

mainland JapanLater years of the war: the USA continued aerial bombings of mainland Japan.

They also captured strategic island bases such as Philippines and Iwo Jima.

9 March 1945: bombing campaign saw a quarter of Tokyo destroyed.

Japanese factories suffered further shortages

Workers fled the cities for the countryside

As a result, the Japanese economy was at the brink of collapse. (link)

Fire-bombing of Japan

Ineffective defence of

overextended Japanese

Empire

Key military defeats

experienced by JapanIsland hopping strategy

A military tactic involving a series of battles

whereby the military forces attack strategically

important islands one by one establishing a

stronghold there and then moving on to the next

island

These defeats inflicted heavy damage to the

Japanese military and weakened its ability to

defend its empire

Desire of the Allies to secure

a quick victory in the Asia

PacificLiberation of Allied Prisoners-of-war

Japanese used forced labour to solve its manpower shortage.

Forced labourers faced harsh conditions, malnutrition and basic health facilities.

Prisoners-of-war (POWs) were also used as forced labourers.

The Japanese secret police units (Kempeitai) also tortured the prisoners.

Japanese hostility towards Allied POWs were highlighted in Allied propaganda.

This strengthened the determination of the Allied powers to end the war. (link)

Minimise Allied losses from kamikaze attacks

Kamikaze—suicide missions by Japanese pilots against Allied ships with the intention to inflict maximum damage.

Kamikaze attacks were increasingly used by the Japanese to attack the Allies as they tried to gain control of Japanese islands.

The Allied leaders were worried that continued kamikaze attacks would lead to extremely high number of casualties.

Thus, they were determined to secure a quick victory to minimiselosses. (link)

Desire of the Allies to secure

a quick victory in the Asia

Pacific

Japanese Kamikaze Squad

Tokkotai

Allied victory in Europe

Japan’s success in the war in the

Asia Pacific was partly dependent

on the fact that the Allies were

distracted by Hitler’s armies in

Europe.

When the USA formally entered

the war, Roosevelt and Churchill

agreed that the Allies should

concentrate on defeating Germany

first.

Even before Germany’s defeat in

the war in May 1945, it was clear

that Japan could not hope to win

the war.

Demand for unconditional

surrenderThe Allies demanded an unconditional surrender from Japan:

It desired a complete victory

It wanted to avoid a repeat of the situation in World War I in Europe

Allies were outraged at Japanese atrocities and wanted to see them totally defeated.

However, the Japanese were determined not to surrender.

Japanese leaders could not bring themselves to reveal their weakness to the Allies, let alone surrender.

Little Boy

Hiroshima (6 Aug 1945)

Fat Man

Nagasaki (9 Aug 1945)

J Robert Oppenheimer, the scientist who oversaw the building of the bomb, famously said after the first test

detonation: “Now I am become death, the destroyer of worlds.”

The co-pilot, Captain Robert Lewis,

commented, "My God, what have we

done?"

Video

Dropping of Atomic Bomb

Allied scientists began

working on the atomic

bomb since 1942 under

the Manhattan Project.

American leaders

considered using the

atomic bomb when

The Asia Pacific war

became increasingly

violent

Japan showed it would

not accept unconditional

surrender.

Dropping the Atomic Bomb

The Allies also wanted to impress the Soviet Union, and to defeat Japan without the Soviet Union’s help.

Although the Soviet Union had worked with Britain and USA to defeat Germany, they were divided by ideology.

Dropping of Atomic Bomb

Hiroshima (Little Boy)

6 Aug 1945, the 1st atomic bomb was dropped

1/3 of the population died instantly and many

more died soon

USA repeated its demand for ‘unconditional

surrender’

Soviet Union declared war on Japan on 7 Aug

1945

Japan refused to surrender

Nagasaki (Fat Man)

9 Aug 1945, 2nd atomic bomb dropped on

Nagasaki

Another 40,000 people died instantly

15 Aug 1945, Emperor Hirohito announced

Japan’s unconditional surrender to the Allies

WWII came to an end

Key Reasons for Japan’s Defeat in WWII

Strengths of the USA

1. Economic

2. Military

Overextended Japanese

Empire

Desire of Allies to

achieve quick victory

Allied victory in Europe

Dropping of the atomic

bomb