War in the Pacific

Pearl HarborJapan was mad at US for interfering

with expansionDec 7, 1941—Japan

bombed Pearl HarborPearl Harbor (Hawaii); US declared war on Japan

Wanted to defeat US navy so they could create an Asian Empire

Pearl HarborKamikaze planes destroyed 18

battleships & 2,403 sailors in 2 hoursPearl Harbor was not the only US

naval base attacked—Japan also bombed US navy in ManilaManila, BataanBataan, CorregidorCorregidor, Wake IslandWake Island, & GuamGuam on its way to taking a huge empire in Pacific Ocean by June 1942

Wanted “Asia for Asians” & hoped to stretch empire from Japan to Australia

War in the Pacific

Japanese Empire, 1942

War in the Pacific USA Pacific forces led by

Douglas MacArthur fought against Japan; needed to conquer Japanese-controlled islands to get to Japan

May 1942- Battle of Midway-1st successful US defeat of Japanese navy

War in the PacificUS & Australian troops fought

Japan; Japanese refused to surrender & fought to the last man; made fighting for islands difficult

August 1942—Guadalcanal— 6-month land, air, sea battle; Japanese kamikaze (suicide) pilots bombed US ships & bases

War in the Pacific

Japanese Empire, 1942

War in the PacificAllies could not take all Japanese-

controlled islands, so US began island-hopping strategy

capture some islands, skip others; cut off supply lines & “starve” Japanese-controlled islands

War in the PacificBy 1945, US won Iwo Jima &

Okinawa in the worst fighting of Pacific War

most marine casualties

at these 2 islands

Needed these islands as bases for invasion of Japan

War in the Pacific

Japanese Empire, 1942

V-JDespite their heavy losses, Japan

refused to surrender to Alliescontinued to fight to last man & used

suicide missions to kill Allied forcesUS faced with decision: invade OR

use new weapon—atomic bombatomic bomb

V-JAugust 6,1945—new

US President Harry Truman ordered drop of atomic bomb on Hiroshima; Japan issued no response; 2nd atomic bomb dropped on Nagasaki 3 days later

Hiroshima

Nagasaki

V-JAugust 14, 1945-Japan

surrendered—Victory in Japan World War II was over