War in the Pacific
Japan Seeks Asian Empire
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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
Bombing of Pearl Harbor
“The day that will live in infamy.”
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In response to the cut off supplies, Isoroku
Yamamoto- Greatest Japanese Strategistattacked 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
Fall of Southeast Asian Colonies
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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
Doolittle’s Raid on Japan
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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
Battle of the Coral Sea – May 1942
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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
Battle of Midway – June 1942
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U.S. is able to break Japanese codes
This battle turned the tide of war against
the Japanese
Battle of Guadalcanal
Aug. 1942-Feb. 1943
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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
Japanese Americans Imprisoned
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Propaganda against Japanese- Americans
Feb. 1942 internment program
March Japanese-Americans sent to camps
(31,275 total in five years)
Japanese Retreat and Surrender
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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