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Japan Strikes in the Pacific. A Surprise Attack. Japan had been conquering territory in Southeast Asia. This was a potential threat to the American owned Philippine Islands and Guam. We blocked Japan from getting oil.
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A Surprise Attack • Japan had been conquering territory in Southeast Asia. • This was a potential threat to the American owned Philippine Islands and Guam. We blocked Japan from getting oil. • Japan felt that the US naval base at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii was a “dagger pointed at the throat” of Japan and they feared a US attack. • Japan planned a secret attack on the US early in the morning on December 7, 1941.
Pearl Harbor • The US knew that the Japanese planned an attack, but they didn’t know where or when. • In just 2 hours the Japanese had sunk 18 ships (destroying most of the Pacific fleet) and killed 2,400 Americans. • The next day (Dec. 8, 1941), Congress declared war on Japan. • President Roosevelt described the attack as “a date which will live in infamy.”
The Japanese are Victorious • After the attack on Pearl Harbor, the Japanese quickly begin taking territory. • The Japanese soon controlled Guam, Wake Island, The Philippines, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Malaya, and Burma. • Japan controlled 1 million square miles and 150 million people
The Allies Strike Back • The Americans began air attacks on Japanese cities. • These were known as the famous “Doolittle Raids” • By June of 1942, another Japanese code had been broken by the US. It called for an attack at Midway Island. • The Battle of Midway turned the war in favor of the US.
“Island Hopping” • General Douglas MacArthur of the US was the leader of the Allied land forces in the Pacific. • He believed that the best way to defeat the Japanese was to “island hop” or jump around the islands of the Pacific that the Japanese did not defend well. • His first target was the island of Guadalcanal. 6 months later, the US were victorious and Japan abandoned the island.
