Download Grave Of The Fireflies - WWII Wesearch Class Notes

 Film Study – Grave Of The Fireflies World War II Wesearch Before we begin our exploration of ‘Grave Of The Fireflies’, it is essential that we understand the devastating historical event that frames the story: World War II. Using your expert research skills, briefly answer these questions (include lots of statistics, dates, locations, etc): 1. When did Japan first become a part of World War II? What did they do that contributed to the beginning of the war? Japan invaded China in 1937 because they wanted to dominate the whole of south-­‐east Asia, this was a good place to start. They invaded the Chinese town of Nanking in 1937 where they massacred 300,000 out of 600,000 of the people in the town in a 6 week rampage. This is known as The Rape of Nanking In 1940 they joined the Axis alliance with Germany and Italy because they had a common enemy; USA. In 1941 japan bombed the Pearl Harbour Navy base In Hawaii. This is when the Americans had had enough and went to war with Japan. 2. Which major countries did Japan invade during World War II? When did these invasions take place? Japan invaded Korea – 1905, Southern half Sakhalin – 1905, 1941 – South East Asia, Taiwan. Several regions in Mainland China – 1938, Portuguese Timor – 1940, Hong Kong – 1940, French Indochina – 1940, Thailand – 1941, British New Guinea – 1941, Philippines – 1942, Malaya – 1945, Andaman and Nicobar Islands (India) -­‐ 1942, Straits Settlements (Singapore) – 1942, Kingdom of Sarawak – 1942, Brunei – 1942, North Borneo – 1942, Dutch East Indies – 1945, Guam – 1941, Imphal (India) – 1942, Wake Island – 1942, Gilbert and Ellice Islands – 1943, Christmas Island – 1943, Attu and Kiska – 1943, Japan invaded most of the Southeast Asia area. 3. What action did Japan take that caused the US to join the war? Why did they do this? What effect did it have on the US? United States entered the war when the Japanese bombed the American fleet in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, on December 7, 1941. The attack on Pearl Harbor was intended to neutralize the U.S. Pacific Fleet, and hence protect Japan's advance into Malaya and the Dutch East Indies, where it sought access to natural resources such as oil and rubber. 4. When the US first bombed Japan, they used firebombs. Define firebombing and outline why it was so effective in Japanese towns. Firebombing is the strategic use of bombs to cause massive urban damage from fire. It was extremely effective in Japan because a majority of all the building were made from wood and paper. It was an extremely easy to cause massive damage. 5. What effect did the firebombing have on Japan? Include some statistics. Before the atomic bombs of Hiroshima and Nagasaki in 1945 the firebombing caused major destruction in 67 Japanese Cities. About 500,000 people were killed and the homes of about 5 million people were destroyed leaving them homeless. On top of all the deaths, physical injuries and destruction of cities, possibly millions of people would have been traumatised or made mentally unwell in one way or another. Name of Japanese
city firebombed
% Of the
city destroyed
Miyakonoio
26.5
Yokohama
58
Nobeoka
25.2
Tokyo
51
Miyazaki
26.1
Toyama
99
Hbe
20.7
Nagoya
40
Saga
44.2
63.9
Osaka
35.1
Imabari
Nishinomiya
11.9
Matsuyama
64
Siumonoseki
37.6
Fukui
86
Kure
41.9
Tokushima
85.2
Kobe
55.7
Sakai
48.2
Omuta
35.8
Hachioji
Wakayama
50
65
Kumamoto
31.2
Kawasaki
36.2
Isezaki
56.7
Okayama
68.9
Takamatsu
67.5
Yawata
21.2
Akashi
50.2
Kagoshima
63.4
Fukuyama
80.9
Amagasaki
18.9
Aomori
30
Sasebo
41.4
Okazaki
32.2
Moh
23.3
Oita
28.2
Hiratsuka
48.4
Tsu
Tokuyama
48.3
Kuwana
Yokkichi
33.6
Toyohashi
61.9
Uhyamada
41.3
Numazu
42.3
Ogaki
39.5
Chosi
44.2
Gifu
63.6
Kofu
78.6
Shizuoka
66.1
Utsunomiya
43.7
Himeji
49.4
Mito
68.9
Fukuoka
24.1
Sendai
21.9
Kochi
55.2
Tsuruga
65.1
42
Nagaoka
64.9
Shimizu
Omura
33.1
Chiba
41
Hitachi
69.3
75
72
Kumagaya
55.1
Ichinomiya
56.3
Hamamatsu
60.3
Nara
69.3
Maebashi
64.2
6. What action did the US take that caused Japan to unconditionally surrender? Why was it so effective?