War in the Pacific

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.

Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto

Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto

Pearl Harbor from the Cockpit of a Japanese Pilot

Pearl Harbor from the Cockpit of a Japanese Pilot

Pearl Harbor - Dec. 7, 1941Pearl Harbor - Dec. 7, 1941

A date which will live in infamy!

USS Arizona, Pearl HarborUSS Arizona, Pearl Harbor

President Roosevelt Signs the US Declaration of WarPresident Roosevelt Signs the US Declaration of War

Pacific Theater of Operations

Pacific Theater of Operations

“Tokyo Rose”“Tokyo Rose”

Singapore Surrenders[February, 1942]

Singapore Surrenders[February, 1942]

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.

Bataan: British SoldiersBataan: British Soldiers

A A LiberateLiberated British d British

POWPOW

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.

“Island-Hopping”: US Troops on Kwajalien

Island

“Island-Hopping”: US Troops on Kwajalien

Island

Farthest Extent of Japanese Conquests

Farthest Extent of Japanese Conquests

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

V-J Day (September 2, 1945)

V-J Day (September 2, 1945)

V-J Day in Times Square, NYC

V-J Day in Times Square, NYC

Effects of WarEffects of War1. Death– 50 million died–More than half were civilians

2. Physical and Economic Destruction– Cities across Europe and Asia were

demolished– Economies were devastated

3.Two Super Powers– US and USSR emerge as the two World

Super Powers