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Table of Contents
Background
The Attack on Pearl Harbor
Battle of Guam
Battle of Wake Island
Battle of the Philippines
Battle of Bataan
Doolittle Raid
Battle of Corregidor
Burma Campaign
Battle of Makassar Strait
Battle of the Coral Sea Aleutian Islands Campaign Guadalcanal Campaign
Battle of Midway
Operation Vengeance
Gilbert Islands Campaign
Battle of Saipan
Battle of Peleliu
Battle of Iwo Jima
Battle of Okinawa
Conventional Bombings
Atomic Bombs
Little Boy
Fat Man
Japan Surrenders
Map
End
Background
There were four major theaters, or campaigns, in World War II; the Pacific,
Mediterranean, North African, and Northern European. Of the four, probably the
most significant was the Pacific Theater. This theater mainly dealt with the conflict
between the United States and the Empire of Japan. This is the campaign that
started World War II when Japan invaded Manchuria in 1931. This campaign
formally brought the United States into the war in 1941. It was also the last
campaign to be resolved, ending the war in August 1945. It also had deep impact on
the future, being the campaign in which nuclear weapons were first used in warfare.
Most of this part of the war was fought in the Pacific Ocean and the inhabited
islands located there.
At the start of the war, the Japanese were led by Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto, but
he was killed during Operation Vengeance. He was succeeded by Admiral Mineichi
Koga and Admiral Soemu Toyoda. The Allied naval forces were led by Admiral
Chester Nimitz.
End
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Attack on Pearl Harbor
December 7, 1941
On December 7, 1941, a U.S. naval base at Pearl Harbor,
Hawaii, was attacked by a Japanese air strike. Japan’s
surprise attack on the U.S. Pacific Fleet was staged
because Japan was about to wage war against Britain, the
Netherlands, and the United States. The attack wrecked
two U.S. Navy battleships, one minelayer, and two
destroyers beyond repair, and destroyed 188 aircraft.
There were 2,388 people killed and 1,178 wounded.
Damaged warships included three cruisers, a destroyer,
and six battleships. Fortunately, vital fuel storage,
shipyard, maintenance, and headquarters facilities were
not hit. Japanese losses were minimal at twenty-nine
aircraft and five midget submarines, with 65 servicemen
killed and wounded. They expected that this move would
cripple American efforts to effectively counterattack
Japanese forces for years. By that time, Japan expected
to solidify its empire across Asia and the Pacific Rim.
End
An aerial view at the beginning
of the attack on Pearl Harbor.
Battle of Guam
December 8, 1941
George McMillin, governor of the
island of Guam, was informed of the
attack on Pearl Harbor on December,
8, 1941. At about 8 a.m. that day,
Japanese aircraft from Saipan also
attacked Guam, striking the Marine
barracks, the Piti Navy Yard, Libugo
radio station, Standard Oil Company,
and the Pan American Hotel. This
was another Japanese victory.
A map of the Japanese landings on Guam.
End
Battle of Wake Island
December 8–23, 1941
A wrecked Wildcat 211-F-11 that was flown by
Henry T. Elrod during the battle.
End
The Battle of Wake Island began at the
same time as the Attack on Pearl Harbor
and ended two weeks later on December
23, 1941. It ended when American forces
surrendered to the Japanese. The battle
was fought on the Wake Island atoll and
the Wake Island inlets of Peale and
Wilkes Island by the air, land and sea.
Marines played prominent roles here.
Battle of the Philippines
December 1, 1941–May 8, 1942
The Battle of the Philippines started
when Japan invaded the Philippines.
Since the islands were American
Territory at the time, they were
defended by Filipino and United States
forces. The Japanese were victorious,
but the determination of the defenders
delayed Japanese attacks on other areas
and helped Allied counterattacks in the
South West Pacific theater. The two
major assaults in the Battle of the
Philippines were the battles of Bataan
and Corregidor.
End
Allied prisoners of war carrying wounded
fellow soldiers
Battle of Bataan
January 1–April 9, 1942
The most intense phase of the Japanese
invasion of the Philippines was the Battle of
Bataan. The Empire of Japan set out to control
the southwestern part of the Pacific Ocean,
and to do so, the Japanese needed to capture
the Philippines. According to the Japanese
strategy, they looked to capture the Dutch East
Indies and had to protect the flank of
Southeast Asia. The result of this battle ended
in Japanese victory, and the Japanese gained
control of the Bataan Peninsula. In spite of
American and Filipino liberation forces, the
Japanese held the peninsula until February
1945.
The Japanese celebrate their victory.
End
Doolittle Raid
April 18, 1942
The Doolittle Raid was the first air raid by the
United States to strike the Japanese mainland island
of Honshū. It was the only time in the U.S. military
history that United States Army Air Force bombers
were launched from a Navy aircraft carrier on a
combat mission. The Doolittle Raid demonstrated
that the Japanese home islands were vulnerable to
Allied air attack, and it provided an expedient
means for U.S. retaliation for Japan’s attack on
Pearl Harbor. It also was a great morale booster for
Americans shocked by the Pearl Harbor attack.
B-25 taking off from the USS Hornet
End
Lieutenant Colonel James Doolittle planned and led
the raid. But the raid had its roots in the mind of
Navy Captain Francis Low. Early in the war, he
surmised that under the right conditions twinengine bombers could be successfully launched
from a carrier.
Battle of Corregidor
May 5–6, 1942
The Battle of Corregidor was the final battle of
the Japanese conquest over the Philippines.
More Japanese soldiers were killed than
American and Filipinos put together, but there
were close to 11,000 American and Filipino
prisoners of war. After the American and
Filipino loss at Bataan, the U.S. Army ForcesFar East, or USAFFE, acknowledged the
defeat by ending all organized opposition to
Japanese forces in the Northern Philippines.
The island of Corregidor consisted of a
network of tunnels along the entrance of
Manila Bay. The Japanese needed the island
of Corregidor, so they would have access to
Manila Bay, which at the time was the best
natural harbor in the Far East.
End
American and Filipino prisoners of war
Burma Campaign
January 1942–July 1945
The Burma Campaign was a three-and-a-half year campaign fought in the
South-East Asian Theater of World War II.The fighting pitted Allied forces,
mainly the United States, United Kingdom, the Indian Empire of Great Britain,
and China, against the Japanese Empire, Thailand, the Burmese Army for
Independence, and the Indian Nationalist Army. During this campaign, air
transportation became a more prominent feature in the war. Air transportation
was used to transport supplies and move troops. This enabled the Allies to
keep the supply lines open in China, and give a significant advantage to Allied
troops.
End
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Battle of Makassar Strait
February 4, 1942
The USS Marblehead after being bombed at the
Battle of Makassar Strait
End
An American-British-Dutch-Australian
command fleet, led by Dutch Rear Admiral,
Karel Doorman, was discovered on the early
morning of February 3 by a squadron of thirty
30 Japanese bombers. The bombers began
circling the ships, but did not attack. The next
morning, the command fleet received word that
a Japanese invasion force had been deployed.
The first ship to be targeted was the USS
Marblehead. The Japanese bombers began to
attack the Allied cruisers at around 9:50 a.m.
The Marblehead took two direct hits, which
penetrated the deck, killing fifteen sailors.
Another U.S. cruiser, the USS Houston, took a
direct hit killing forty-eight crew members.
Without fighter plane protection, both ships
had to retreat.
Battle of the Coral Sea
May 4–8, 1942
The Battle of the Coral Sea was a major battle in
the Pacific Theater between the Imperial Japanese
Army and Allied forces, the United States and
Australia. It was the first time aircraft carriers
battled each other. It was also the first naval battle
in history in which neither side’s ships sighted or
fired directly upon the other. It is considered a
tactical victory for Japan since the United States
lost fleet carrier USS Lexington, while Japan lost
only the light carrier Shōhō. At the same time, the
battle was a strategic victory for the Allies because
the Japanese abandoned their attempt to land
troops to take Port Moresby, New Guinea. The
engagement ended with no clear victor, but the
damage suffered and experience gained by both
sides set the stage for the Battle of Midway one
month later.
End
The USS Lexington being struck by a
torpedo
Aleutian Islands Campaign
June 3, 1942–August 15, 1943
U.S. troops during the Aleutian Islands
Campaign
End
The Aleutian Island Campaign was a
conflict between Japanese and Allied
forces of the United States and Canada.
Japanese forces were occupying the Attu
and Kiska islands. Because of
conditions on the islands, including the
weather and mountainous terrain, it took
Allied forces more than a year to
remove the Japanese from these islands.
The islands held no real strategic value,
but it became imperative to remove
Japan. The United States feared that the
islands could be used to launch aerial
assaults against the West Coast. It was
also a matter of American pride to eject
Japanese forces from American soil.
Guadalcanal Campaign
August 7, 1942–February 9, 1943
This campaign, fought on the
ground, at sea, and in the air,
pitted Allied forces against
Imperial Japanese forces, and was
a decisive, strategically significant
campaign of World War II. The
fighting took place on and around
the island of Guadalcanal in the
southern Solomon Islands and
was the first major offensive
launched by Allied forces against
the Empire of Japan.
End
U.S. Marines during the Guadalcanal Campaign
Battle of Midway
June 4–7, 1942
U.S. Douglas SBD Dauntless dive bombers
End
The Battle of Midway was a decisive
victory for the Americans, and is
considered to be the most important naval
engagement of the Pacific Campaign of
the Second World War. The Imperial
Japanese Navy was weakened, after losing
four fleet carriers and more than two
hundred fighter pilots. Both sides suffered
significant losses. The Japanese were
unable to rebuild their naval forces, but the
Americans consistently provided
reinforcements and more ships. So, the
United States was at a significant
advantage and was able to go on the
offensive. The Japanese strived to win this
battle so they could try and negotiate the
United States’ departure from the Pacific.
Operation Vengeance
April 18, 1943
Operation Vengeance was a naval operation designed to kill Japanese Admiral Isoroku
Yamamoto. Many United States officials believed Yamamoto ordered the attack on Pearl
Harbor. The mission was approved by the Secretary of the Navy Frank Knox and President
Franklin D. Roosevelt.
Fleet Radio Unit Pacific Fleet intercepted a Japanese message on April 14, 1943. In it, it was
revealed that Yamamoto would be flying over Bougainville Island on an inspection tour of the
Solomon Islands. In the message, there were locations and arrival and departure times. U.S.
forces also learned the plane he would be flying on, and the number of planes that were sent to
protect him. Admiral Chester Nimitz gave the OK to shoot down the plane. He realized that
no one could replace Yamamoto’s leadership capabilities, and taking him out would seriously
damage the morale of the Japanese military. A squadron of 18 Army P-38 Lighting fighters
was deployed to shoot down the planes. The mission was set for April 18. The dogfighters
caught up to the Japanese planes and opened fire with their machine guns. Yamamoto’s plane
was easily shot down. It is believed that he was hit by machine gun fire and killed before the
plane crashed.
End
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Gilbert Islands Campaign
November 13–24, 1943
The invasion fleet, Task Force 52,
set sail from Pearl Harbor for an
invasion on the Gilbert Islands on
November 10, 1943. The force
sailed with 35,000 troops, 120,000
tons of supplies, and six thousand
vehicles. The invasion fleet was
divided into two. Rear Admiral
Richmond Turner headed up the
northern force; the southern was led
by Rear Admiral Harry Hill,
Turner’s deputy. The Navy and
Marine portion of the operation was
given the name Operation Galvanic,
involving General Holland Smith’s
marines. The Army portion was
named Operation Kourbash.
End
U.S. troops wade through the surf toward the
Gilbert Islands
Battle of Saipan
June 13–July 7, 1944
A group of Navajo codetalkers
A young George
H.W. Bush
End
The bombing of Saipan began on June 13,
1944. The American 2nd and 4th Marine
Divisions and 27th Infantry Division,
commanded by Lieutenant General Holland
Smith, defeated the 43rd Division of the
Imperial Japanese Army commanded by
Lieutenant General Yoshitsugu Saito. The
victory was the most costly to date in the
Pacific War. Almost 3,000 Americans were
killed and more than 10,000 were wounded.
Japanese losses were also high. As a result of
the Japanese defeat, Prime Minister Hideki
Tojo was removed from power, and was no
longer the head of the Japanese Army. Also,
future U.S. President, George H.W. Bush was
a pilot in the Battle of Saipan.
Battle of Peleliu
September 15–December 1, 1944
The Battle of Peleliu was code named
Operation Stalemate. U.S. bombing
missions of Peleliu before the invasion
was relatively useless. The Japanese were
well dug in, and the bombings could not
penetrate their defenses. They were able to
return fire. When the bombing ended, the
invasion began. When the U.S. Marines
landed on the island, they were attacked
with rifle and machine gun fire. U.S.
Marine commander William Rupertus,
expected this mission to be a quick and
easy operation, with a small casualty rate.
However, it did not end that way. The
battle went on for two months, and the
casualty rate was extremely high. Still, the
United States earned a decisive victory.
End
Two Marines during the Peleliu operations
Battle of Iwo Jima
February 19, 1945-March 26, 1945
The raising of the flag at Iwo Jima
End
The United States invasion of Iwo Jima was
known as Operation Detachment. The mission
was to capture two airfields, which could be
used to launch more extensive bombing of
Japan. This was believed to be the fiercest battle
of the Pacific Theater. This was the first
American invasion of a Japanese homeland.
The Japanese were heavily fortified, and the
island consisted of plenty of hidden artillery.
However, the United States had the Japanese
vastly outnumbered. The Americans invaded
Iwo Jima with 110,000 troops compared to
21,000 Japanese troops. The Japanese casualty
rate was significant, 20,703 Japanese were
killed, including many who committed suicide
rather than be captured. Only about two hundred
were captured. The United States earned a
decisive victory.
Battle of Okinawa
March 18–June 23, 1945
The Battle of Okinawa was the largest
amphibious (water-borne) attack by American
troops of the Pacific Theater in World War II. The
Allies attacked the Japanese island every way
possible. The Allies sent almost 550,000 troops
and lost more than 50,000 troops. The Japanese
troops were 100,000 strong but lost more than
90,000. The major victims of the island of
Okinawa were the civilians. Many were captured
and sent to Allied prison camps and hundreds of
thousands were killed or wounded. The purpose
of the Allies seizing this island was to gain a base
island that was relatively close to Japan, after
capturing other islands surrounding the country.
Japanese prisoner of war in Okinawa
End
Conventional Bombing
of Japanese Cities
By this time, conventional bombing of Japanese cities by the United States
was a regular occurrence. Before the dropping of nuclear weapons on
Hiroshima and Nagasaki, the United States firebombed and destroyed many of
the cities in Japan. The commander of the U.S. Army Air Corps, Gen. Curtis
LeMay, was quoted as saying that by September 1945, he would have no more
targets left to bomb. Prior to the fire bombings, American B-29s dropped
leaflets into the cities to warn the citizens to get out of town. Many Japanese
felt that this was a psychological warfare tactic, and they were not going to fall
for it. They were sorry they didn’t follow the Americans’ advice once the
bombs started falling. Nevertheless, these bombing were just a precursor of
what was to come in Hiroshima and Nagasaki.
End
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Bombings of
Hiroshima and Nagasaki
August 6–9, 1945
The atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki were nuclear attacks against
the Empire of Japan by the United States. The attacks were ordered by
President Harry Truman. More than 220,000 people were killed in Hiroshima
and Nagasaki as a result of the bombings, half of which were directly killed by
the bombings. Six days after the detonation of the Nagasaki atomic bomb, the
Japanese Empire surrendered to the Allied Powers. To this day, the atomic
bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki are the only nuclear weapons used in the
history of warfare.
End
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“Little Boy”
August 6, 1945
“Little Boy” atomic bomb
Mushroom cloud
from the bombing
End
The code name for the Hiroshima atomic
bomb was “Little Boy.” It was developed by
the Manhattan Project during World War II. It
was dropped from a B-29 Superfortress. This
was second atomic bomb built by the
Manhattan project, and first ever to be used as
a weapon. It was dropped over the Japanese
city of Hiroshima on August 6, 1945. The city
of Hiroshima was chosen as the first target
because of its large size, and its perception of
being a Japanese army depot. The initial
bombing killed approximately 70,000 people,
and by the end of 1945, due to burns,
radiation-related diseases, and lack of medical
resources, the death toll was estimated
between 90,000 to 140,000 people. Eleven
known American prisoners of war were killed
also.
“Fat Man”
August 9, 1945
Three days after the bombing in Hiroshima, the second
atomic bomb was detonated on Japanese soil by the United
States. This was dropped over the city of Nagasaki. The
damage was terrible, if less extensive then that of Hiroshima.
Like the “Little Boy,” this bomb was dropped from a B-29
bomber. Nagasaki was not the original target. The city of
Kokura was the original target, but on the morning of the air
raid, Kokura was riddled with cloud cover, and there was not
much visibility. So, the target was changed to Nagasaki. The
bomb detonated at a little over 1,500 feet above the city. The
heat of the blast reached 7,000 degrees Fahrenheit, and winds
were close to 630 miles per hour. More than 40,000 people
were killed immediately, and by the end of 1945, the death
toll had reached 80,000, due to burns and radiation illnesses.
Long-term effects of the radiation caused birth defects and
cancers among Japanese survivors for generations.
End
“Fat Man”
Mushroom over Nagasaki atomic
bomb
Japan Surrenders
August 14–September 2, 1945
The signing of the Potsdam Declaration
End
With the destruction of the Japanese
cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki,
Japanese leaders decided to accept the
uncompromising terms the Allies set
down for ending the war. On August
15, 1945, Japan announced its
surrender. The Emperor of Japan
stated that Japan’s surrender was due
in large part to the United States’
possession and use of nuclear
weapons.
End