World War IIThe Pacific Theater

Japan’s Problem

Industrial nation small in land area

Lack of raw materials to fuel industry

Similar to Britain

Britain solved this problem by obtaining an empire

Japan’s GambleTaking these territories

Meant war with these nations

Japan must take territory from other imperial powers:

Indochina-France

Malaysia and Burma-United Kingdom

Indonesia-Netherlands

Philippines-USA

When push comes to shove….

Japan was convinced the Western Powers (Europe and the United States) would not be willing to sacrifice for maintaining Asian Empires.

Phase 1 Conquest of China

By the end of the 1930s, Japan had captured the mineral rich province of Manchuria in the north and much of the Chinese coast.

The Western Powers did nothing to stop them which, was very encouraging.

Phase 2Take on the Western

PowersWhen people think of December 7, 1941, they think of Pearl Harbor.

But on the same day, the Japanese attacked the Philippines, Malaysia, and Hong Kong.

The goal was to deliver a decisive blow.

The Western Powers were preoccupied

There was a war going on in Europe and Britain was trying to survive!

The United States viewed Hitler as the most dangerous threat.

The American Fleet was devastated by the Pearl Harbor attack.

The Pacific Ocean was not the priority, Europe was!

A miraculous victory!June 4, 1942

The United States defeated the Japanese Navy at the Battle of Midway.

Just 6 months after Pearl Harbor, Japan was now on the defensive!

Island HoppingAmerican Strategy

Invade an island and defeat the Japanese

Set up an air strip and bomb the next island

Then invade it

Work your way across the Pacific and liberate the Philippines then destroy Japan

The Japanese fight to the death!

The closer the US got to Japan, the more fanatical the Japanese became.

American DecisionDrop the bomb or invade

An invasion of Japan would result in the deaths of 500,000 Americans and 1,000,000 Japanese.

Or, drop the Atomic bomb and kill 100,000 Japanese civilians.

Or drop two of them!!!

Japanese samurai fight to the death!!!

The world will never be the same!

On August 6, 1945, Hiroshima is bombed killing over 100,000.

On August 9, 1945, Nagasaki is bombed killing over 80,000.

Japan unconditionally surrenders.