Pacific Theater of
OperationsU.S. HISTORY
WORLD WAR II UNIT
DAY THREE
Japanese Expansion, American
Response
Japan feels slighted by the Western powers following
World War I
They begin to expand militarily throughout Asia and
Southeast Asia
Japan relies on American oil and steel to keep its war
machine rolling
America embargoes oil, scrap iron and steel exports to
Japan
Japan has to choose, either stop its military conquest of
Asia or attack America…
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14
Japan’s Decision
Japan believes democratic culture has made America soft
The war in the Pacific is going to be fought almost exclusively at sea and on islands
Without boats or planes America won’t be able to resupply or
reinforce existing bases in the Pacific
A quick strike against America’s Pacific fleet and Pacific air force
would give Japan months of unopposed expansion against the US
Then before America can recover, Japan can sue for peace on
there terms
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14
The Attack
Japan attacks Pearl Harbor (Pacific fleet) at 7:55 AM on
Dec. 7, 1941, a date which will live in infamy
9 hours later, and on the other side of the International
Dateline, Japan attacks the Philippines (Pacific Air
force)
3,000+ dead at Pearl Harbor
78,000 prisoners taken in the Philippines are forced to
march 65 miles; Almost 10,000 prisoners die on the way
to the prison camp (the Bataan Death March)
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14
The Turning Point
The Battle of Midway Island in 1942 turned the
tide of war in favor of the Americans
US Naval Intelligence cracked the Japanese
secret code and ambushed the Japanese fleet
as they prepared to attack Midway Island
4 Japanese Aircraft carriers were sunk in the
ambush
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14
Island Hopping and Iwo Jima
America named its strategy “Island Hopping” as they retook
important strategic islands they left other minor islands behind
Every island had to be assaulted from the sea; high casualties
became the norm. At Tarawa atoll only 1 in 3 marines made it to
the shore
The air force still needed a closer starting point to accurately bomb Japan’s home islands. Iwo Jima was chosen
6,800 marines died in the battle
“Uncommon valor was a common virtue…”
-Chester Nimitz
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14
The End
Next class we will discuss the
American decision to use Atomic
weapons on Japanese civilians, and
how that decision brought about the
end of the war against Japan.
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14
Title of Event:
Atomic Bombing of Japan
Problem or Goal:
•How should the U.S. end World War
II? Following Germany’s surrender in
May 1945, many wondered which
options the U.S. should consider to
defeat the Japanese.
•Demonstrate the bomb- show its
power to the Japanese to convince
them to surrender.
•Issues with Demonstration- What if
it didn’t work? And what if Japan
ambushed the plane?
•Truman believes- if this weapon
could end the war, then we need to
use it.
•Estimated invasion losses- Allies
could have 2-4 million casualties
invading Japan.
Page 18
Participants/Key Players:
•U.S. military- Prior to Atomic
Bombing the U.S. had 400,000
killed and 670,000 injured
soldiers.
•Robert Oppenheimer- lead
scientist in the development of
the atomic bomb.
•Harry Truman- U.S. President
whose decision was to bomb
Japan instead of invasion.
•Soviet Union- Allied nation that
agreed to join the war against
Japan on 8/15/1945.
Problem or Goal:
•How should the U.S. end World War
II? Following Germany’s surrender in
May 1945, many wondered which
options the U.S. should consider to
defeat the Japanese.
•Demonstrate the bomb- show its
power to the Japanese to convince
them to surrender.
•Issues with Demonstration- What if
it didn’t work? And what if Japan
ambushed the plane?
•Truman believes- if this weapon
could end the war, then we need to
use it.
•Estimated invasion losses- Allies
could have 2-4 million casualties
invading Japan.
Page 18
Title of Event:
Atomic Bombing of Japan
Key Episodes or Events
•June 1942- Battle of Midway
(turning point in Pacific) U.S. breaks
secret code and Japan’s fleet is
ambushed.
•July 1942-February 1945- Island
Hopping used to cut off Japan’s
supply chains and U.S. creeps
toward Japan.
•Febrary/March 1945- Battle of Iwo
Jima- U.S. secures island close
enough to launch daily air raids on
the island of Japan.
•May/June 1945- After Hitler’s
defeat, Soviets occupy much of
eastern and central Europe
(frustrates US and Great Britain).
•July 16, 1945- Successful test of
atomic bomb by scientists in New
Mexico desert.
Participants/Key Players:
•U.S. military- Prior to Atomic
Bombing the U.S. had 400,000
killed and 670,000 injured
soldiers.
•Robert Oppenheimer- lead
scientist in the development of
the atomic bomb.
•Harry Truman- U.S. President
whose decision was to bomb
Japan instead of invasion.
•Soviet Union- Allied nation that
agreed to join the war against
Japan on 8/15/1945.
Page 18
Where: Hiroshima and Nagasaki (Japan)
When: August 6, 1945 and August 9, 1945
Title of Event:
Atomic Bombing of Japan
Participants/Key Players:
•U.S. military
•Robert Oppenheimer
•Harry Truman
•Soviet Union
Theme/Lessons/So What?
• Soviets shut out of territory in Japan.
• U.S. supports internationalist foreign
policy and feels betrayed by Soviets.
• Soviets want to catch up with U.S.
starts rivalry (Cold War)
Resolution or Outcome:
Japan surrenders to Allies on V-J Day
(August 15, 1945)
Key Episodes or Events
•June 1942- Battle of Midway
(turning point in Pacific) U.S. breaks
secret code and Japan’s fleet is
ambushed.
•July 1942-February 1945- Island
Hopping used to cut off Japan’s
supply chains and U.S. creeps
toward Japan.
•Febrary/March 1945- Battle of Iwo
Jima- U.S. secures island close
enough to launch daily air raids on
the island of Japan.
•May/June 1945- After Hitler’s
defeat, Soviets occupy much of
eastern and central Europe
(frustrates US and Great Britain).
•July 16, 1945- Successful test of
atomic bomb by scientists in New
Mexico desert.
Page 18
World War II Packet ChecklistHomework (30 pts. possible)
Classwork (130 pts. possible)
Pages 7, 10, 19 Pages 2, 5, 6*, 8, 9*, 11, 13, 15, 16, 17, 20 (completing in class next time)
Today’s Assignment- Truman’s Dilemma (page 17) and Casualties of the Major Combatants of World War II (page 19)
World War II Unit Test/Packets due:
Next Class Period
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