1 / 32

Island Hopping

Island Hopping. Less Fun Than It Sounds. Battle of Midway (June 1942). Naval Battle: US lost 1 aircraft carrier, Japan lost 4 aircraft carriers. Battle of Iwo Jima (Feb . 1945). 70,000 Marines sent to invade the island Vs. 22,000 Japanese soldiers Results: US wins (takes a month)

adlai
Download Presentation

Island Hopping

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript

  1. Island Hopping Less Fun Than It Sounds

  2. Battle of Midway(June 1942) Naval Battle: US lost 1 aircraft carrier, Japan lost 4 aircraft carriers

  3. Battle of Iwo Jima(Feb. 1945) 70,000 Marines sent to invade the island Vs. 22,000 Japanese soldiers Results: US wins (takes a month) About 7,000 US dead About 20,000 US wounded Only 212 Japanese soldiers taken prisoner Island was 4.5 Miles x 2.5 Miles

  4. Battle for Okinawa(April 1945) 180,000 US troops Vs. 120,000 Japanese troops Results: US wins About 12,000 US dead About 38,000 US wounded 36 US warships destroyed About 110,000 Japanese soldiers dead 50,000-150,000 Japanese civilians dead 60 Miles x 2-18 Miles

  5. The Firebombingof Japan “[We] were behaving as war criminals.” – Robert McNamara

  6. Firebombing • 67 Japanese cities were firebombed by the United States during WWII • Firebombs utilize napalm – a jellied gasoline • Bombs explode, fired spreads, burns everything indiscriminately • As many as 500,000 Japanese killed (mostly civilians), and as many as 5 million left homeless

  7. The Fog of War • Robert McNamara discussing the firebombing of Japan • “[General Curtis LeMay said that] if we'd lost the war, we'd all have been prosecuted as war criminals …. And I think he's right. …He, and I'd say, I, were behaving as war criminals. …LeMayrecognized that what he was doing would be thought immoral if his side had lost. But what makes it immoral if you lose and not immoral if you win?”

  8. Potsdam Declaration “The alternative for Japan is prompt and utter destruction”

  9. Potsdam Declaration • Proclamation Defining the Terms for the Japanese Surrender – July 26, 1945 • Developed at the Potsdam Conference • U.S., Britain, and U.S.S.R participated in the conference; held in Germany • Decisions were made as to how the Allies would deal with the Axis powers after Allied victory

  10. Potsdam Declaration and Japan • Elimination of Japanese authorities who led Japan to world conquest • Parts of Japanese territory are to be occupied; Allies get to pick which parts • Japanese sovereignty is limited to the 4 main islands and a few other tiny ones

  11. Potsdam Declaration and Japan • Elimination of Japanese authorities who led Japan to world conquest • Parts of Japanese territory are to be occupied; Allies get to pick which parts • Japanese sovereignty is limited to the 4 main islands and a few other tiny ones • Japanese military will be completely disarmed • All (Japanese) war criminals will receive “stern justice”

  12. Potsdam Declaration and Japan • Japan will not be enslaved or destroyed as a nation • Freedom of speech, religion, and thought, along with fundamental human rights, shall be established • Japan will have access to—but not control of—resources that they need to rebuild and sustain their economy, and will be free to maintain industries as long as they are not re-arming • Allies occupying forces will be withdrawn as soon as all of these objectives are met and Japan has established a peaceful, responsible government

  13. Potsdam Declaration and Japan • "We call upon the government of Japan to proclaim now the unconditional surrender of all Japanese armed forces, and to provide proper and adequate assurances of their good faith in such action. The alternative for Japan is prompt and utter destruction.”

  14. Potsdam Declaration and Japan • Despite a growing number of Japanese leaders who wanted to negotiate for peace, Japan’s military leadership was unwilling to accept the terms of the Potsdam Declaration. • However, it is known that Japan’s Foreign Minister, Shigenori Togo, sent a message to Russia stating: “Unconditional surrender is the only obstacle to peace….”

  15. So then, why this?

More Related