War in the PacificMajor Events

Bombing of Pearl Harbor

O Dec 7, 1941O Planned and executed by YamamotoO Involved

O 105 high-level bombersO 135 dive bombersO 81 fighters

O In 2 hoursO 18 warships, 188 aircrafts, 2403

servicemen were killed or destroyed

Pearl Harbor continuedO“a date that will live in

infamy” – FDROBrings US into World War II

Bataan Death March• Dec 22, 1941• Retreat to Bataan

Peninsula• Blockaded (no food)• Apr 9, 1942• Forced to

surrender• 75,000 POWs• 12,000 US• 63,000 Filipino

• To be marched 55 miles over 5 days

Bataan cont.O Japanese believed disgrace in surrenderO Would torture prisoners during march

O No water (shot if attempted to drink)O Little food

O Killed citizens who tried to helpO Hot SunO Shot, bayonetted, beheaded as

examplesO 54,000 arrived at camp

Battle of Midway

O June 3, 1942O Japan needed to launch air attacks

on USOPlans were interceptedOAs Japanese planes rearmed

following initial attack US attacksO All 4 Japanese aircraft carriers

destroyedOTurning Point of War in Pacific

Guadalcanal

OAug 1942 – Feb 1943OFirst offensive of

MacArthur’s island hopping campaign

OAir baseOGround, sea, air

battlesO Jungles were “Hell”

Iwo JimaOFeb 19, 1945 – March 26, 1945OAir baseOMt. Surabachi flag raising (4th day)O Japanese fought from elaborate

network of caves, dugouts, tunnels, and underground installations

ODefended with 23,000O 210 surrendered

OkinawaO April 1, 1945 – June 21, 1945O Largest and bloodiest battle of the

PacificO Air basesO Kamikaze attacks / defensive lines /

caves, pillboxes, ancient castlesO Japanese suffered 200,000 casualties

O ½ civilianO US suffered nearly 50,000 killed or

wounded

Manhattan Project

· Oppenheimer· Atomic bomb· July 6, 1945

· first exploded as warning

· Japanese do not respond

Hiroshima· Paul Tibbets - pilot· Enola Gay - plane· Aug 6, 1945· 70,000 - 80,000 die immediately

Nagasaki·Aug 9, 1945·70,000 killed instantly·MANY more of the years from radiation poisoning

SurrenderOAug 15, 1945 Japan surrenders

OSept. 2, 1945 official surrenderOUSS MissouriOV-J Day