War in the Pacific
Dec 25, 2015
Pearl HarborPearl Harbor
• December 7, 1941 Japan attacks the US Pacific fleet at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. The US can no longer remain neutral and we enter the war.
President Roosevelt Signs the US Declaration of WarPresident Roosevelt Signs the US Declaration of War
U.S. Surrenders at Corregidor,
the Philippines [March, 1942]
U.S. Surrenders at Corregidor,
the Philippines [March, 1942]
Bataan Death March: April, 1942
Bataan Death March: April, 1942
76,000 prisoners [12,000 Americans] Marched 60 miles in the blazing heat to
POW camps in the Philippines.
The Burma CampaignThe Burma Campaign
The “Burma The “Burma Road”Road”
General Stilwell General Stilwell Leaving Burma, Leaving Burma,
19421942
Battle of the Coral Sea:May 7-8, 1942
Battle of the Coral Sea:May 7-8, 1942
• Coral Sea – This was the first victory for the Americans against the Japanese.
Battle of Midway Island:June 4-6, 1942
Battle of Midway Island:June 4-6, 1942
• Battle of Midway – The turning point in the war in the Pacific. American aircraft carriers defeated Japanese aircraft carriers. 3 of their 4 carriers were sunk in this battle. Japan goes backward after this point.
Battle of Midway Island:June 4-6, 1942 Turning
point of the war in the Pacific
Battle of Midway Island:June 4-6, 1942 Turning
point of the war in the Pacific
Allied Counter-Offensive:“Island-Hopping”
Allied Counter-Offensive:“Island-Hopping”
• Island hoping – The allies plan to take back one island at a time. Each time getting closer to Japan for the final invasion.
Japanese Kamikaze Planes:
The Scourge of the South Pacific
Japanese Kamikaze Planes:
The Scourge of the South Pacific
Kamikaze Pilots
Suicide Bombers
Gen. MacArthur “Returns” to the
Philippines! [1944]
Gen. MacArthur “Returns” to the
Philippines! [1944]
• Navajo Code Talkers – Used in the Pacific. They spoke in Navajo and in code. Navajo is not a written language and it’s very complex. Battleship was a whale and Germany was the Iron Hat. The code was never broken.
• Iwo Jima and Okinowa – These were the last two islands before Japan. The Japanese would not surrender. Death was the only thing to stop them. Iwo Jima was where the marines raised the flag on Mount Suribachi.
US Marines on Mt. Surbachi,
Iwo Jima [Feb. 19, 1945]
US Marines on Mt. Surbachi,
Iwo Jima [Feb. 19, 1945]
Hiroshima and Nagasaki• Invasion of Japan? Z-Day– Allies believed invasion would lead to a huge
loss of life– Truman hoped to shorten the war and save
lives– US makes the decision to drop the atomic
bomb on Japan– Hiroshima: 8/6/1945, Fatman (uranium) – Japan does not surrender– Nagasaki: second bomb dropped 8/9/1945,
Little Boy (plutonium)– Japan Surrenders 9/2/1945