Victory in the Pacific
1943-1945
With Germany and Italy defeated, the focus switched
to ending the war with Japan…
With Germany and Italy defeated, the focus switched
to ending the war with Japan…
…and bringing an…
End to the Island Hopping Campaign
Iwo Jima & Okinawa
How to Island Hop with General Douglas MacArthur:
1. Bomb
2. Invade
3. Build an
airfield to
bomb the
next island
Island Hopping on Iwo Jima
Mt. Suribachi
Island Hopping on Iwo Jima
1. Bomb:
2. Invade:
3. Build an airfield:
Island Hopping on Iwo Jima
1. Bomb: 74 days in a row
2. Invade:
3. Build an airfield:
Island Hopping on Iwo Jima
1. Bomb: 74 days in a row
2. Invade: 110,000 US
vs. 22,000 Japanese
3. Build an airfield:
Island Hopping on Iwo Jima
1. Bomb: 74 days in a row
2. Invade: 110,000 US
vs. 22,000 Japanese
3. Build an airfield: Already
there, used for bombers and
fighters to destroy Japanese
cities.
Iwo Jima Casualties
6,821 US Dead
20,000 US Wounded
Nearly all 22,000 Japanese fought
to the death.
Battle of Iwo Jima
• Summary: From February to March of 1945,
the US fought the Japanese for control of
Iwo Jima. They wanted the island so they
could bomb Japan’s cities without
resistance. They succeeded, but lost 6,821
men. The nearly 22,000 Japanese defenders
of the island fought to the death. After
taking the island, the US destroyed Japan’s
67 most populated cities from the air, but
they still refused to quit.
Iwo Jima was used to support the
bombing of Japanese cities, and
as a staging area for hopping to
the next island, Okinawa.
Okinawa was going to be the
stepping stone into Japan.
Okinawa Facts
500,000 Civilians living there before the battle
150,000 Civilians killed during the ugly battle
97,000 Japanese soldiers before the battle
7,000 Japanese soldiers survived the battle
Hundreds of Japanese “Kamikaze” pilots
trained to crash into US Navy boats
killing 5,000 Americans
US invasion force of 200,000 soldiers
US casualties, 12,513 dead, 55,000 wounded
Okinawa Facts
500,000 Civilians living there before the battle
150,000 Civilians killed during the ugly battle
97,000 Japanese soldiers before the battle
7,000 Japanese soldiers survived the battle
Hundreds of Japanese “Kamikaze” pilots
trained to crash into US Navy boats
killing 5,000 Americans
US invasion force of 200,000 soldiers
US casualties, 12,513 dead, 55,000 wounded
Okinawa Facts
500,000 Civilians living there before the battle
150,000 Civilians killed during the ugly battle
97,000 Japanese soldiers before the battle
7,000 Japanese soldiers survived the battle
Hundreds of Japanese “Kamikaze” pilots
trained to crash into US Navy boats
killing 5,000 Americans
US invasion force of 200,000 soldiers
US casualties, 12,513 dead, 55,000 wounded
Battle of Okinawa
• Summary: From April to June of 1945, the
US fought the Japanese for Okinawa. The
plan was to use it as a “stepping stone” for
the invasion of Japan’s home islands. Over
12,000 Americans were killed, and nearly all
of Japan’s soldiers fought to the death.
This showed the new US president, Harry
Truman, that an invasion of Japan would kill
millions. He decided to use the atomic bomb
to try to convince Japan to quit instead.
Iwo Jima was used to support the
bombing of Japanese cities, and
as a staging area for hopping to
the next island, Okinawa.
Okinawa was going to be the
stepping stone into Japan.
Iwo Jima was used to support the
bombing of Japanese cities, and
as a staging area for hopping to
the next island, Okinawa.
Okinawa was going to be the
stepping stone into Japan…but the
atomic bombings forced a
surrender before the invasion
began.