The Pacific Theater, 1939-1945 The Rising Sun Reasons For Japanese Aggression Pearl Harbor The Island Hopping Campaign
Dec 25, 2015
The Pacific Theater, 1939-1945
The Rising Sun
Reasons For Japanese Aggression
Pearl Harbor
The Island Hopping Campaign
The Rising Sun
• By turn of 20th century Russia and Japan were competing for influence in China which leads to war
• Japanese defeat Russian navy during Russo-Japanese War 1904-1905 easily
• Japan is now a world power in Pacific and like the west seek to have a sphere of influence in the Pacific
The Rising Sun
• Japan had developed a pattern of attacking China for indiscretions in 1931 and 1936
• Emperor Hirohito and a military dominated cabinet sought to expand their country’s empire
• To counter Russia, Japan enters into the Tripartite Pact with Italy and Germany in 1940
Reasons for Japanese Aggression
• They believe that they are destined to dominate other nations considered corrupt
• Japan desired more natural resources for it businesses and growing population
• Wanted to be commanding presence in the Pacific as opposed to the United States, China or Russia
Reasons for Japanese Aggression
• President Franklin Delano Roosevelt sensing that Japan has expansionist policies places an embargo on strategic items needed by the Japanese for their military in 1940
• 1941 Japan occupies Indochina, this cause FDR to freeze Japan’s assets in the U.S. and stops the selling of oil to Japan
• Japan is convinced that war is necessary between the two countries
Day of Infamy: Pearl Harbor
• Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto planned attack at Pearl Harbor
• Purpose of attack was to neutralize U.S. navy fleet in Pacific (aircraft carriers primary targets)
• Japanese sent 6 carriers, 450 planes and various ships and submarines
Day of Infamy: Pearl Harbor
• December 7, 1941, 94 naval ships are at Pearl Harbor but the carriers are on duties elsewhere
• A Japanese sub is attacked by U.S. forces and mobile radar had picked up a large group of planes approaching the base
• The first strike destroys aircraft and airfields to eliminate air defenses
Day of Infamy: Pearl Harbor
• The second strike concentrated on the naval ships through high level bombing
• The final strike consisted of low level dive bombing
• In two hours 2,400 are killed, 18 warships were sunk or seriously damaged and 188 planes destroyed
• Oil reserves and naval facilities were not attacked because Japanese feared an attack themselves
Day of Infamy: Pearl Harbor
Day of Infamy: Pearl Harbor
• The Fall of the Philippine Islands lead to the surrender of American and Filipino forces to the Japanese
• 11,000 men will die from war atrocities by the Japanese in the infamous “Bataan Death March” in 1942
• After taking the Philippines the Japanese eyed Australia and New Guinea
The Battle Of The Coral Sea
• May7-8, 1942, Battle of Coral Sea showed that planes would be a dominate force in naval battles
• USS Lexington’s planes will sink a Japanese carrier and shoot down 21 planes
• The next day the Lexington will be sunk and mislead the Japanese into thinking that they have crippled the US fleet
• It is a Japanese victory but Australia is saved because the Japanese now seek to destroy the US fleet
Battle Of Midway, June 4-7, 1942
• Yamamoto desired the Midway Islands as a launching pad to attack Hawaii
• The Japanese will send 4 carriers with support ships to Midway unaware that the US still has carriers in region
• The US will decipher Japanese transmissions and be prepared for the assault
Battle Of Midway, June 4-7, 1942
Battle Of Midway, June 4-7, 1942
Battle Of Midway, June 4-7, 1942
• Midway is a decisive American victory
• Japanese losses will be• 4 carriers sunk• 1 cruiser sunk• 2,500 experienced seaman KIA• 322 planes shot down
• The US lost the carrier Yorktown and 147 planes
• Japan will no longer be able to threaten the US fleet effectively
Island Hopping Campaign