WWII – The War in the WWII – The War in the PacificPacific

Japan controls the PacificJapan controls the Pacific

• Japan attacks various Pacific locations – Japan attacks various Pacific locations – late 1941late 1941

• Japan controlled Hong Kong, Thailand, Japan controlled Hong Kong, Thailand, Guam, Wake, Burma, MalayaGuam, Wake, Burma, Malaya

• Japan attacks Philippines – pushes Japan attacks Philippines – pushes U.S./Filipino troops from Manila to U.S./Filipino troops from Manila to Bataan Peninsula – Gen. Douglas Bataan Peninsula – Gen. Douglas MacArthur fights to standstill MacArthur fights to standstill

Bataan Death MarchBataan Death March

FDR orders FDR orders MacArthur to MacArthur to AustraliaAustralia

The Philippines fallThe Philippines fall American/Filipino American/Filipino

POW’s forced to POW’s forced to march 60 miles march 60 miles without food or waterwithout food or water

Thousands die Thousands die

Doolittle’s Raid on TokyoDoolittle’s Raid on Tokyo

Lt. Col. Jimmy Doolittle Lt. Col. Jimmy Doolittle led 16 bombers in an led 16 bombers in an attack on Tokyo and attack on Tokyo and other cities – April other cities – April 19421942

Attack did little Attack did little damage, but boosted damage, but boosted America’s morale by America’s morale by showing Japan we showing Japan we would fight backwould fight back

Lt. Col. Jimmy Doolittle

Battle of Coral SeaBattle of Coral Sea

Off the coast of Off the coast of AustraliaAustralia

Completely an aerial Completely an aerial battle between planes battle between planes launched from carriers launched from carriers (first time in history)(first time in history)

No clear winner in the No clear winner in the battle – but the U.S. battle – but the U.S. did block the invasion did block the invasion of Australia – our allyof Australia – our ally

Plane-to-plane combat at the Battle of Coral Sea. This was the first ‘completely aerial’

battle ever

Battle of MidwayBattle of Midway

Naval battle Naval battle around Midway around Midway Island in the Island in the Central PacificCentral Pacific

U.S. destroyed 4 U.S. destroyed 4 Japanese carriers Japanese carriers and 250 planesand 250 planes

Turning point in Turning point in the warthe warAmerican Dive Bomber in action at the

Battle of Midway – June 1942

America now on the Offensive: America now on the Offensive: New Strategy – Island HoppingNew Strategy – Island Hopping

The Americans used The Americans used Island HoppingIsland Hopping – They – They would capture lightly-defended islands would capture lightly-defended islands throughout the Pacific, one by one, until throughout the Pacific, one by one, until they had “HOPPED” their way towards they had “HOPPED” their way towards JapanJapan

The Pacific Ocean was so BIG – the U.S. The Pacific Ocean was so BIG – the U.S. needed a way to get closerneeded a way to get closer

This would get the U.S. within striking This would get the U.S. within striking distance of Japan & allow the U.S. to set up distance of Japan & allow the U.S. to set up bases at all of the conquered islands along bases at all of the conquered islands along the waythe way

Battle of GuadalcanalBattle of Guadalcanal August 1942 – August 1942 –

Americans win first Americans win first major LAND victory on major LAND victory on the island of the island of GuadalcanalGuadalcanal

U.S. used Navajo U.S. used Navajo Indians as “Code-Indians as “Code-talkers”talkers”

Helped the U.S. Helped the U.S. communicate safely communicate safely without the Japanese without the Japanese translating our translating our messagesmessages A Navajo “Code-Talker” in action

The Navajo LanguageThe Navajo Language

Only about 25 non-Navajo people in Only about 25 non-Navajo people in the entire world could speak the the entire world could speak the languagelanguage

Made up words for terms that didn’t Made up words for terms that didn’t exist in their language (names of exist in their language (names of birds meant “airplanes” and the word birds meant “airplanes” and the word “egg” actually meant “bomb”)“egg” actually meant “bomb”)

Americans re-take the PhilippinesAmericans re-take the Philippines

October 1944 – October 1944 – American returned American returned to the Philippines to the Philippines after “Island after “Island Hopping” our way Hopping” our way therethere

General MacArthur General MacArthur made good on his made good on his promise to “return” promise to “return” to the Philippinesto the Philippines Gen. MacArthur “returning”

to the Philippines

Japanese “Kamikazes”Japanese “Kamikazes”

Japanese suicide Japanese suicide pilotspilots

Filled planes full of Filled planes full of explosives and explosives and crashed them into crashed them into Allied warshipsAllied warships

Often were Often were inexperienced inexperienced pilots with pilots with outdated outdated equipmentequipment

Kamikaze attack on a U.S. aircraft carrier

The Battles of Iwo Jima andThe Battles of Iwo Jima andOkinawaOkinawa

The Allies started to bomb Japan to The Allies started to bomb Japan to weaken their defensesweaken their defenses

In order to get close enough, the In order to get close enough, the Allies would have to establish bases Allies would have to establish bases on islands near Japanon islands near Japan

Japanese forces would defend these Japanese forces would defend these islands fiercelyislands fiercely

Iwo JimaIwo Jima

23,000 U.S. troops 23,000 U.S. troops killed or wounded killed or wounded in order to take Iwo in order to take Iwo JimaJima

Victory marked by Victory marked by the raising of the the raising of the U.S. flag atop Mt. U.S. flag atop Mt. SuribachiSuribachi

Marines raising the flag on Mt. Suribachi at the Battle of Iwo

Jima

Battle of OkinawaBattle of Okinawa

Japanese defend Japanese defend island fiercelyisland fiercely

Last hurdle before Last hurdle before U.S. would invade U.S. would invade JapanJapan

Mass-suicide by Mass-suicide by Japanese started to Japanese started to make the U.S. make the U.S. wonder – “will they wonder – “will they ever surrender?”ever surrender?”

The Manhattan ProjectThe Manhattan Project

U.S. feared that an invasion of Japan U.S. feared that an invasion of Japan would result in 200,000 American would result in 200,000 American casualties – and perhaps 1-2 million casualties – and perhaps 1-2 million Japanese casualtiesJapanese casualties

U.S. considers using an “Atomic U.S. considers using an “Atomic Bomb” to end the war quicklyBomb” to end the war quickly

Bomb had been developed as part of Bomb had been developed as part of the “Manhattan Project” since 1942the “Manhattan Project” since 1942

U.S. uses the atomic bombsU.S. uses the atomic bombs President Truman President Truman

warned Japan to either warned Japan to either surrender or else face surrender or else face “complete “complete destruction”destruction”

Japan refusedJapan refused U.S. drops bombs on U.S. drops bombs on

Hiroshima (70,000 Hiroshima (70,000 killed) and Nagasaki killed) and Nagasaki (40,000 killed)(40,000 killed)

Japan surrenders five Japan surrenders five days laterdays later

Early WWII Battles in the PacificEarly WWII Battles in the Pacific

Pearl HarborPearl Harbor (Dec. 7, 1941) Japanese win (Dec. 7, 1941) Japanese win Battle of the PhilippinesBattle of the Philippines (Dec. 41) (Dec. 41)

Japanese winJapanese win Doolittle’s Raid on TokyoDoolittle’s Raid on Tokyo (Apr. 42) Little (Apr. 42) Little

damage inflicted – but a morale booster damage inflicted – but a morale booster for the USAfor the USA

Battle of the Coral SeaBattle of the Coral Sea (May 42) No (May 42) No winner, but stopped Japan from invading winner, but stopped Japan from invading AustraliaAustralia

Battle of MidwayBattle of Midway (June 42) Big US win (June 42) Big US win Battle of GuadalcanalBattle of Guadalcanal (Aug. 42) US win – (Aug. 42) US win –

land victory using Navajo code-talkersland victory using Navajo code-talkers