WORLD WAR II

WORLD WAR IIPearl Harbor and Pacific Campaigns

Let’s Review! Germany started the war by

invading Poland. France fell leaving Britain as the

only ally until Germany invades the Soviet Union

Why was Japan spreading its empire? What did they need?

Where did they take over?

Japan Seeks a Pacific Empire The U.S. was aware of

Japan’s plans for S.E. Asia They were in desperate

need of oil – WHY?????? Admiral Yamamoto

regarded the U.S. fleet at Pearl Harbor as a “dagger pointed at our throat”

Pearl Harbor “a date that will live in infamy” – FDR December 7, 1941 – Japan attacked

the naval base and took the entire nation by surprise

18 ships sunk/damaged – including 8 battleships!

Demolished the U.S. Pacific fleet ≈ 2,400 Americans killed >1,000 Americans wounded

Japanese Internment Wave of prejudice against 127,000 Japanese-

Americans following Pearl Harbor Fear encouraged by government – viewed as

the “enemy” February 19, 1942 – internment camps March – rounding up Japanese-Americans and

relocated them 2/3 of those interned were native-born

American citizens 1941-1946 ≈ 31,000 were imprisoned

Tide of Japanese Victories Next, the Japanese focused on

expanding their empire Acquired Hong Kong, Dutch East

Indies, Burma Bataan Death March – Japanese

subjected prisoners to terrible crueltiesAmerican solider witnessed six Scouts

buried alive

The Allies Strike Back U.S. quickly declared war on Japan Began campaigns in the Pacific May 1942 - Battle of the Coral Sea –

new kind of naval warfareNo shots firedAirplanes that took off from huge aircraft

carriers did all the fightingJapan claimed victory since the Allies lost

more shipsSignificance – Allies stopped Japanese

expansion for the first time

Pacific Campaigns Battle of Midway – June 1942

After intercepting a code, U.S. able to plan a strategy to attack the Japanese

Japanese fleet = largest naval force assembled

Americans outnumbered 4:1 in ships/planesAllowed Japanese to strike first then

Americans attacked Japanese ships○ 332 planes destroyed as well as 4 aircraft

carriersSignificance – turning point

Pacific Campaigns Douglas MacArthur

General - commander of the Allied land forces in the Pacific

“island-hop” – seize lands closer to Japan that were not well defended

Battle of Guadalcanal – August 1943○ American victory

Pacific Campaigns (End of War) Okinawa (April-July

1945) Iwo Jima (February-

March 1945)Bloodiest land battlesJapanese – 110,000 killedAmericans – 12,500 killedSignificance – impact

Truman’s decision to drop bombs on Hiroshima & Nagasaki