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Meanwhile…..In the Pacific Theater. Battle of Leyte Gulf. Japan tries to destroy entire American Fleet Backfired – lost their entire fleet instead US forces land on Philippines First use of Kamikazes. Kamikaze. Means “Divine Wind ” Suicide attacks
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Battle of Leyte Gulf • Japan tries to destroy entire American Fleet • Backfired – lost their entire fleet instead • US forces land on Philippines • First use of Kamikazes
Kamikaze • Means “Divine Wind” • Suicide attacks • Over 40 ships sunk by Kamikazes at Battle of Leyte Gulf • Psychological attack
Battle Of Iwo Jima • Key island – provide airbases to bomb Japan • Feb. – March – 1945 • 18,000 Japanese soldiers present at battle • Only 216 taken prisoner • Americans killed – (6800) • Greater than total on D-Day
Battle Of Okinawa • Largest amphibious assault – Pacific Theater • April – June 1945 • 110,000 Japanese soldiers killed • 34 U.S. ships destroyed by Kamikazes • U.S. • 12,000 dead • 36,000 wounded • Last major campaign of Pacific War.
Firebombing of Tokyo • March 9-10, 1945 • 300 American planes • ½ million incendiary bombs dropped • 100,000 die in ONE night • Goal: destroy Japanese morale
Manhattan Project • Atomic bomb project – U.S. • Robert Oppenheimer • Trinity Test – first ever successful atomic bomb • Birth of the Atomic Age • 2 bombs • Fat Man - Nagasaki • Little Boy - Hiroshima
Hiroshima • August 6, 1945 • B-29 “Superfortres” Enola Gay drops 1st atomic bomb in history • Destroyed about 70% of the city • 80,000 people killed • Japanese = no surrender
Nagasaki • August 9, 1945 • B-29 Super fortress Bockscar • 75,000 killed • Hundreds of thousands dies from after effects • Japanese agree to surrender
Japanese Surrender • September 2, 1945 • Tokyo Bay, Japan • USS Missouri • Japanese surrender to Gen MacArthur • End of WWII • VJ Day – Victory in Japan