the war in the pacific section 18.4. after pearl harbor japanese forces attacked american bases on...

The War in the Pacific

Section 18.4

After Pearl Harbor• Japanese forces attacked American bases

on Wake Island on Dec.8th and Guam on Dec.10th

• Days later Japanese attacked the Philippines

• MacArthur withdrew most of his troops south to the Bataan Peninsula – hoped the navy would be able to evacuate – Faced several months of attack – had to

escape to Australia

Japanese Advance

• Hoped that the U.S. would withdraw from Asia, leaving them access to much needed natural resources

Bataan Death March• Most of Bataan’s (Philippines)

defenders surrendered in April, 1942

• 2,000 soldiers & nurses escaped to the island of Corregidor – lived in rock tunnels

• Japanese captured 76,000 prisoners

Bataan Death March• Weakened by disease, lack of food,

and tropical heat

• Captors were forced to march 63 miles– Brutally beaten, tortured, denied

water and rest

– 10,000 died on the journey

– another 15,000 die in the camps

Bataan Death March• Japanese defied the accepted

international standards of conduct toward P.O.W.’s

• Geneva Convention states, “P.O.W.’s shall at all times be humanely treated and protected, particularly against acts of violence…”

Defending Burma & China

• Dec. 9, 1941: China joined the Allies

• U.S. sent supplies and military advisors

• American Gen. Joseph Stilwell led the Chinese armies defending Burma

• “Flying Tigers:” volunteer American aviators– China’s ragtag forces fared poorly against

the well trained Japanese

Island-Hopping in the Pacific• A military strategy of selectively

attacking specific enemy-held islands and bypassing others

• Allies pushed north from Australia and west from Hawaii

• Nimitz and MacArthur

War at Sea• At Pearl Harbor, Japanese didn’t

achieve one of its main goals:–Destroy 3 aircraft carriers (all were out

at sea or being repaired in California)–Doolittle’s Secret Mission: squadron

dropped bombs on Tokyo before crashing into China• Shocked Japan and boosted Allied

morale

Turning Point-Battle of Midway• Japanese Admiral Yamamoto committed a

large part of Japan’s navy to the attack on Midway

• Yamamoto expected Nimitz (U.S.) to do the same to protect the island

• June 4, 1942: battle was fought entirely in the air– Sunk 4 Japanese carriers; lost 250 planes and

most of their skilled pilots– American victory due to breaking the Japanese

code JN-25

Yamatolargest battleship ever

built sent with only enough fuel for one-way trip

http://www.looksmart.com/r?page=/search/frames/index.html&isp=combinedfleet.com

Iwo Jima• Iwo Jima: one of the bloodiest battles of the

war–Volcanic island, steep, rocky slopes of caves

and tunnels–74 days of battling – 7,000 tons of bombs and

20,000 shells–Mid-Feb.,1945: marines stormed the beaches,

faced fierce resistance–110,000 Americans vs. 25,000 Japanese–Took 1 month to secure island

Near the End

• Battle of Okinawa was the costliest engagement of the Pacific war (50,000 casualties)

The Manhattan Project

• 1939: FDR received letter from Einstein about a new type of bomb

• Manhattan Project: top secret plan to develop an atomic bomb

• July 16,1945: 1st field test in New Mexico

Decision to Drop the Bomb• Alternative possibilities:

–A massive invasion of Japan – millions of Allied casualties

–Naval blockade to starve Japan w/conventional bombing

–Demonstration of new weapon on a deserted island

–Softening for an unconditional surrender

• FDR died in April, 1945

• President Harry S. Truman had to make the final decision – had no problem and never regretted his decision

• Aug. 6,1945: Bombed Hiroshima

• Aug. 9,1945: Bombed Nagasaki

Nagasaki – 60,000-80,000Nagasaki – 60,000-80,000Hiroshima - 90,000-160,000Hiroshima - 90,000-160,000