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JAPAN: The Pacific Theater World War II Hirohito’s Birth Hirohito was born in 1901 His grandfather, still emperor then, was known after his death as the Meiji Emperor. He was responsible for Japan’s renewed trade and communication with the West after many years of isolation. Emperor Meiji died in 1912 and Hirohito’s father became the Taisho Emperor. Hirohito’s Youth Hirohito’s father was not strong, so Hirohito became regent (he acted as emperor but his father was still technically in charge) in 1921. Dec. 13, 1921– Japan, the United States, Britain and France signed the Four-Power Pact to respect the current state of the Pacific. None of them would try to seize colonies from each other. 1926– Emperor Taisho died and Hirohito became Emperor. Young Emperor When Hirohito took the throne, he realized he had less power than he thought– the navy and military had both grown strong enough to veto govt. decisions and act on their own. In 1927 the military attacked Manchuria– Hirohito did not authorize this invasion, nor could he stop it. In 1936, several army officers led a revolt to take over the govt., but Hirohito crushed it. Bonding with Germany In 1931, Japan fully invaded Manchuria. In 1937, Japan attacked China and began the Second Sino-Japanese War. Hirohito did not suggest these attacks– his ministers did– but he didn’t object to them either. He was more concerned about a possible attack from the Soviet Union. China and the Soviet Union were showing signs of a possible alliance, which would split China from its former alliance with Germany. So, Japan decided to make friends with Germany. Heading towards War In 1938, Japan attacked the Soviet Union, but was defeated. China also kept blocking their advances. So, they turned south, to Pacific islands held by the US and several European nations, in an attempt to expand their empire. In 1940– Hirohito signed the Tripartite Pact with Germany and Italy—Japan could “have” the Pacific as long as they did not interfere with Germany and Italy’s attempts to conquer Europe. All three countries wanted to keep the US and Great Britain out of the Pacific. European Theater vs. Pacific Theater Waking a Sleeping Giant Dec. 7, 1941– Japan bombed Pearl Harbor to destroy the United States Pacific Fleet. They were trying to prevent the US from interfering as they took over the whole Pacific region, but instead they drew the U.S. into the war. Doolittle’s Raid In response to Japan’s attack on Pearl Harbor, the U.S. sent B25 bombers to bomb Tokyo from the USS Hornet. They bombed factories and military targets inside Japan. Pacific Fortunately for Japan, FDR and the US decide to focus on defeating Hitler and Germany first, so there were fewer Allied troops fighting on that front. April, 1942: American and Filipino soldiers under General MacArthur lost control of the Philippines. The Japanese army marched 76,000 allied soldiers including 12,000 Americans more than 60 miles. Bataan Death March Bataan Death March Without food or water, more than 5,000 Americans died. Pacific Theater Leaders Admiral Chester Nimitz: Commander in Chief of the Pacific Fleet and the Pacific Ocean Areas for U.S. and Allied air, land, and sea forces. General Douglas MacArthur- American General and Field Marshall of the Philippine Army; oversaw the occupation of "I have returned" — General MacArthur returns to Japan from 1945 to 1951. the Philippines with Philippine President Sergio Osmena to his right. (1945) Admiral Nimitz General MacArthur Allied Strategy: Island Hopping- Bypass Japanese strongholds and take surrounding islands instead Battle of Coral Sea, May 1942 Japan prepares for attack despite trying to negotiate peace with the United States. U.S. and Australian forces suffer heavy losses at Coral Sea, but kept the Japanese from taking Port Moresby and ultimately Australia. Japan – 1942 Battle of Midway, June 1942 Japan and the U.S. fought over the tiny island that included a strategically important American military base. Many people think this battle changed the direction of the Pacific war. Battle of Leyte Gulf, Oct. 1944 Largest naval battle in history: within minutes 5 of 8 battleships were sunk or sinking, and many of the airfields were also destroyed U.S. and Australian forces decimate Japanese navy in the Philippines. First organized use of the Kamikaze (suicide attacks by military aviators from Japan against Allied naval vessels) occurred during the Leyte Gulf Campaign Battle of Midway, June 1942 U.S. levels the playing field through superior communications and intelligence. Admiral Nimitz was able to ambush the Japanese at Midway. Iwo Jima, Feb-Mar 1945 "No other island received as much preliminary pounding as did Iwo Jima." ~Admiral Nimitz 21,000 Japanese, burrowed in the volcanic rock of Iwo Jima, anxiously awaited the American invaders; many went underground. The US sent more Marines to Iwo Jima than to any other battle: 110,000 Marines in 880 ships. The traditional justification for Iwo Jima's strategic importance to the United States' war effort has been that it provided a landing and refueling site for American bombers on missions to and from Japan, but it was also a crucial emergency landing point for the B-29s carrying the atomic bombs destined for Japan. Mt. Suribachi Change of Leadership in America April 12, 1945 – FDR dies, Harry Truman becomes President July 25, 1945– Truman makes the decision to end the war Atomic Bomb Manhattan Project: creation of the first atomic bomb in Los Alamos, New Mexico (1942-1946) “Little Boy” (a gun-type weapon) dropped on Hiroshima “Fat Man” (implosiontype weapon) dropped on Nagasaki Enola Gay drops “Little Boy” over Hiroshima on Aug 6, 1945. Over 40,000 people are killed immediately, and 100,000 more die over the next few months. Hiroshima Poetry, Prose and Art I don't know what weapons World War III will be fought with, but World War IV will be fought with sticks and stones. ~Albert Einstein Our technology has exceeded our humanity. ~Albert Einstein Whoever fights monsters should see to it that in the process he does not become a monster. If you gaze too long into an abyss, the abyss gazes also into you. ~Friedrich Nietzsche If more politicians knew poetry, and more poets knew politics, I am convinced the world would be a little better place to live. ~John Fitzgerald Kennedy http://www.thehypertexts.com/Hiroshima%20Poetry%20Prose%20and%20Art.htm Japan does not surrender. Aug 9, 1945- “Fat Man” is dropped on Nagasaki. Another 40,000 people are killed, with 40,000 more dying over the next 4 months. USSR Steps In Between the two bombs, the Soviets, according to the Yalta agreement, invaded Japanese-held Manchuria. They quickly defeated the Kwantung Army, which was the largest Japanese fighting force. Japanese tanks attacking Soviet positions from Manchuko. V-J Day-Sept 2, 1945: Japan officially surrenders aboard the USS Missouri War is Over! Casualties of War: Military & Civilian Deaths US: 418,500 Germany:7,500,000 Great Britain: 450,000 France: 562,000 Russia: 23,000,000 Italy: 459,900 Japan: 2,600,000 TOTAL: 75 MILLION DEATHS U.S. Occupation of Japan General MacArthur oversaw the United States’ occupation of Japan. He wanted to keep Emperor Hirohito on the throne to calm the Japanese people, so the former Prime Minister Tojo Hideki was blamed for Japan’s involvement in the war. MacArthur wanted to help rebuild Japan, not punish them, so the U.S. provided relief in the form of food, money, and aid. Emperor Hirohito became a public figure and a diplomat, traveling around the world and helping Japan build new bonds with other nations. Impact of World War II Total war – nations destroyed, first use of the atomic bomb Starvation & disease Approx. 75 million dead Creation of United Nations in 1945: 50 member nations, Security Council Cold War: conflict between US & USSR