1

War in the PacificWar in the Pacific

Japan in ControlJapan in Control

ReminderReminder

• December 7, 1941– Pearl Harbor bombed– Guam and Wake Attacked– Hong Kong Falls by Christmas– Singapore falls on February 15– Burma falls by March 6

• Japanese seek to create a Greater Asian Co-Prosperity Sphere

Two Major TargetsTwo Major Targets

• India– “Crown Jewel of British Empire”

• Philippines– Led by General Douglas MacArthur

2

General Douglas MacArthurGeneral Douglas MacArthur

•• Well respected Well respected American GeneralAmerican General

•• Held many jobsHeld many jobs–– Chief of Staff of the Chief of Staff of the

Army (1930Army (1930--35)35)

–– Advisor to Filipino Advisor to Filipino Government (1935Government (1935--41)41)

–– Commander of U.S. Commander of U.S. Forces in Pacific (1941)Forces in Pacific (1941)

Battle of the PhilippinesBattle of the Philippines

•• December 1941December 1941–– Japanese destroy Clark Japanese destroy Clark

Field and force U.S. Navy Field and force U.S. Navy to evacuate to Australiato evacuate to Australia

•• MacArthurMacArthur’’s Strategys Strategy–– ““Halt them at the beach.Halt them at the beach.””

•• Fighting retreat back to Fighting retreat back to Bataan Peninsula.Bataan Peninsula.

•• MacArthur becomes a MacArthur becomes a national hero.national hero.

Fall of the PhilippinesFall of the Philippines•• MacArthurMacArthur’’s troops fight s troops fight

valiantly.valiantly.

•• He is ordered to leave the He is ordered to leave the Philippines.Philippines.

•• General Wainwright takes over.General Wainwright takes over.

•• Bataan falls in April 1942.Bataan falls in April 1942.

•• Wainwright holds out on small Wainwright holds out on small island of island of CorregidorCorregidor until May until May 5.5.

“I shall return!”

3

Bataan Death MarchBataan Death March

•• American garrison forced American garrison forced to march 55 miles in to march 55 miles in awful weather.awful weather.

•• Cruelty/TortureCruelty/Torture

•• 7,000 Men Die7,000 Men Die–– 4,000 Filipinos4,000 Filipinos

•• Philippines are now Philippines are now under Japanese controlunder Japanese control

4

Spring 1942Spring 1942 �������� Height of Axis Height of Axis PowerPower

What Should The Japanese Do?What Should The Japanese Do?

•• Western AdvanceWestern Advance–– Thrust into Indian Ocean toward IndiaThrust into Indian Ocean toward India

•• Southern AdvanceSouthern Advance–– Attack Australia or New GuineaAttack Australia or New Guinea

•• Eastern AdvanceEastern Advance–– Attack U.S. at Midway and Pearl HarborAttack U.S. at Midway and Pearl Harbor

5

Doolittle RaidsDoolittle Raids

•• YamamotoYamamoto’’s mind s mind was made up by was made up by Jimmy DoolittleJimmy Doolittle ..

•• April 18, 1942April 18, 1942–– 16 B16 B--25 Bombers 25 Bombers

attack Tokyo from 700 attack Tokyo from 700 miles awaymiles away

YamamotoYamamoto ’’s Reactions Reaction

•• Invade Hawaii and Invade Hawaii and AustraliaAustralia

•• Create a Create a ““ribbon of ribbon of defensedefense””

•• Focus Focus �� Midway IslandMidway Island

•• Destroy supply lines in Destroy supply lines in Australia and Solomon Australia and Solomon IslandsIslands

We must attack the United

States now.

Battle of the Coral SeaBattle of the Coral Sea

•• May 7May 7--8, 19428, 1942

•• First Naval Battle fought solely First Naval Battle fought solely in the Airin the Air

•• Japanese LossesJapanese Losses–– One heavy, one light carrierOne heavy, one light carrier

•• American LossesAmerican Losses–– One heavy (One heavy (LexingtonLexington), one ), one

light damaged (light damaged (YorktownYorktown))

•• Ends in a Draw (Japanese Ends in a Draw (Japanese cannot take Port Moresby)cannot take Port Moresby)

6

What Next?What Next?

•• The Japanese The Japanese decide to take on decide to take on the American the American Pacific Fleet on Pacific Fleet on Midway Island.Midway Island.

•• This would be a This would be a decisive battle in decisive battle in the Pacific.the Pacific.

MidwayMidway

•• June 1942June 1942

•• Japanese RationaleJapanese Rationale

•• JapanJapan–– 162 Warships162 Warships

–– 6 Aircraft Carriers6 Aircraft Carriers

–– 272 Aircraft272 Aircraft

•• U.S. Pacific FleetU.S. Pacific Fleet–– 76 Warships76 Warships

–– 3 Aircraft Carriers3 Aircraft Carriers

–– 180 Aircraft180 Aircraft

MagicMagic

•• The Americans find a way to break the The Americans find a way to break the Japanese code.Japanese code.

•• The Americans know the Japanese plans The Americans know the Japanese plans will attack Midway.will attack Midway.

•• This would prove a tremendous This would prove a tremendous advantage.advantage.

7

The BattleThe Battle•• Japan has a successful 1Japan has a successful 1stst

wave attack.wave attack.

•• Admiral Admiral NagumoNagumo launches a launches a 22ndnd wave (unlike Pearl wave (unlike Pearl Harbor).Harbor).

•• Five minutes change the Five minutes change the warwar——The The ““Miracle at Miracle at MidwayMidway””

•• American VictoryAmerican Victory

Admiral Raymond A. SpruanceAdmiral Raymond A. Spruance

American Admiral at MidwayAmerican Admiral at Midway

The OutcomeThe Outcome

•• Battle of Midway is the turning point of the Battle of Midway is the turning point of the war in the Pacific.war in the Pacific.–– Japanese lose four heavy carriers and 253 Japanese lose four heavy carriers and 253

aircraft and their pilots.aircraft and their pilots.

–– Small force of Americans defeat a well Small force of Americans defeat a well equipped Japanese naval fleet.equipped Japanese naval fleet.

–– Japan will now be on the defensive.Japan will now be on the defensive.

8

GuadalcanalGuadalcanal

•• August 1942August 1942--February February 19431943

•• First land engagement First land engagement between American and between American and Japanese troops.Japanese troops.

•• ““A war without rules.A war without rules.””

The BattleThe Battle

•• Struggle over what would later be known as Henderson Struggle over what would later be known as Henderson AirfieldAirfield

•• Epic struggle on par with El Alamein and Stalingrad.Epic struggle on par with El Alamein and Stalingrad.

•• Longest battle in the Pacific Conflict.Longest battle in the Pacific Conflict.

•• Brutality is evident.Brutality is evident.–– Bonsai charges, chanting in the darkness, Japanese refuse to Bonsai charges, chanting in the darkness, Japanese refuse to

surrendersurrender

•• Constant shelling from the Constant shelling from the ““slotslot””

Significance of the BattleSignificance of the Battle

•• This proves how difficult the battles would be in This proves how difficult the battles would be in the Pacific.the Pacific.–– Americans find piles of Japanese bodies every Americans find piles of Japanese bodies every

morning.morning.

•• The Americans secure a key airstrip.The Americans secure a key airstrip.

•• ““Iron Bottom SoundIron Bottom Sound””

•• February 9, 1943 February 9, 1943 �� Guadalcanal is in American Guadalcanal is in American handshands

9

Midway� Chapter 11 Guadalcanal� Chapter 12