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War in the Pacific. Pearl Harbor. Japan was mad at US for interfering with expansion Dec 7, 1941—Japan bombed Pearl Harbor (Hawaii); US declared war on Japan Wanted to defeat US navy so they could create an Asian Empire .
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Pearl Harbor • Japan was mad at US for interfering with expansion • Dec 7, 1941—Japan bombed Pearl Harbor (Hawaii); US declared war on Japan • Wanted to defeat US navy so they could create an Asian Empire
Pearl Harbor • Kamikaze planes destroyed 18 battleships & 2,403 sailors in 2 hours • Pearl Harbor was not the only US naval base attacked—Japan also bombed US navy in Manila, Bataan, Corregidor, Wake Island, & Guam on its way to taking a huge empire in Pacific Ocean by June 1942 • Wanted “Asia for Asians” & hoped to stretch empire from Japan to Australia
War in the Pacific Japanese Empire, 1942
War in the Pacific • USA Pacific forces led by Douglas MacArthur fought against Japan; needed to conquer Japanese-controlled islands to get to Japan • May 1942- Battle of Midway-1st successful US defeat of Japanese navy
War in the Pacific • US & Australian troops fought Japan; Japanese refused to surrender & fought to the last man; made fighting for islands difficult • August 1942—Guadalcanal— 6-month land, air, sea battle; Japanese kamikaze (suicide) pilots bombed US ships & bases
War in the Pacific Japanese Empire, 1942
War in the Pacific • Allies could not take all Japanese-controlled islands, so US began island-hopping strategy • capture some islands, skip others; cut off supply lines & “starve” Japanese-controlled islands
War in the Pacific • By 1945, US won Iwo Jima& Okinawa in the worst fighting of Pacific War • most marine casualties at these 2 islands • Needed these islands as bases for invasion of Japan
War in the Pacific Japanese Empire, 1942
V-J • Despite their heavy losses, Japan refused to surrender to Allies • continued to fight to last man & used suicide missions to kill Allied forces • US faced with decision: invade OR use new weapon—atomic bomb
V-J • August 6,1945—new US President Harry Truman ordered drop of atomic bomb on Hiroshima; Japan issued no response; 2nd atomic bomb dropped on Nagasaki 3 days later
V-J • August 14, 1945-Japan surrendered—Victory in Japan • World War II was over