War in the Pacific

1
War in the Pacific
2
Japan Seeks Asian Empire

• Japan is a very resource-poor nation therefore,
  they looked to take over other places to secure
  resources for their industries
• They also wanted to replace China as the
  powerhouse of Asia
• 1931 Japan takes over Manchuria
• 1937 attack China- this drained resources and
  they looked at the European colonies
• When Japan took Indochina, U.S. cut off oil to
  Japan in retaliation

3
Bombing of Pearl HarborThe day that will live
in infamy.

• In response to the cut off supplies, Isoroku
  Yamamoto- Greatest Japanese Strategist- attacked
  the U.S. naval base at Pearl Harbor in Hawaii on
  Dec. 7, 1941
• 18 ships sunk or destroyed
• As a result, the U.S. declares war on Japan

4
Fall of Southeast Asian Colonies

• 1942 Allies get defeated in the Philippines (a
  U.S. territory)
• Japan goes on to take control of Hong Kong,
  Malaya, and Burma
• As a result, Japan had control over 1 million
  square miles of territory and 150 million people

5
Doolittles Raid on Japan

• The U.S. wants revenge, so it sends bombers to
  major Japanese cities
• While this had little impact on Japan, it was
  important because it showed that Japan could be
  attacked

6
Battle of the Coral Sea May 1942

• General MacArthur begins new strategy of Island
  hopping- attack weak islands to cut off supply of
  Japanese military and get closer to Japan
• First battle where airplanes did all the fighting
• While no one really won this battle, the Japanese
  withdrew and it was the first time the Allies
  were able to stop a Japanese advance

7
Battle of Midway June 1942

• U.S. is able to break Japanese codes
• This battle turned the tide of war against the
  Japanese

8
Battle of GuadalcanalAug. 1942-Feb. 1943

• U.S. strike island believed to be where the
  Japanese were building a new naval base and
  stronghold
• It is a long battle with high casualties
• Japan loses

9
Japanese Americans Imprisoned

• Propaganda against Japanese- Americans
• Feb. 1942 internment program
• March Japanese-Americans sent to camps (31,275
  total in five years)

10
Japanese Retreat and Surrender

• 1944 MacArthur returned to Philippines
• Kamikaze Japanese suicide pilots
• March 1945 Americans take Iwo Jima
• Truman drops the atomic bomb on Hiroshima (Aug.
  6, 1945) and Nagasaki (Aug. 9, 1945)
• Sep. 2 Japan surrenders