Battles in the PacificBattles in the Pacific

Battle of MidwayBattle of Midway• Midway is 1,300 miles from

Hawaii • Japanese General

Yamamoto’s plan was to attack Midway and draw the remaining US aircraft carriers into a battle.

• American cryptologists broke the Japanese code and informed Nimitz.

• Japanese aircraft carriers sunk with their planes.

US Losses340 Killed1 aircraft

carrier1 destroyer145 aircraft

Japanese Losses

3,057 killed

4 aircraft carriers

1 Heavy cruiser

228 planes

How might WWII have been different if the Japanese had won Midway?

• After Battle of Midway, the allies began “island hopping.”

•After each island, the allies moved closer to Japan.

What are some of the issues that the Americans may have faced using this strategy?

Iwo Jima Feb/March 1945Iwo Jima Feb/March 1945

• Iwo Jima was within airplane striking distance of mainland Japan

• There were 20,700 Japanese entrenched in tunnels vs. 110,000 marines

• The 36 day battle was fought under ground by the Japanese and above ground by the Americans

• ONLY 200 Japanese soldiers survived & 6000 marines died. More marines won the medal of honor in this battle than any other in WWII.

• Japanese strategy was no survivors

Images of Iwo JimaImages of Iwo Jima

Raising the Flag Raising the Flag

• Why do you think this became such am iconic image of WWII?

• What human qualities to you think the photograph symbolizes?

Okinawa April-June 1945Okinawa April-June 1945

• More people died in Okinawa than were killed in Nagasaki & Hiroshima• 12,000 Americans killed, 100,000 Japanese &100,000 Japanese civilians• Possession of Okinawa allowed

the U.S. to blockade Japan & cut off their sea routes• Was to be used as the base to invade Japan

Heroism in a Time of WarHeroism in a Time of WarDiscussion Questions Discussion Questions

Clips from The War & Letters from Iwo Jima Post Viewing questions:• What do the American & Japanese

soldiers consider heroic & brave behavior? How do they differ

• Do you agree with the Japanese perception of heroism? Why/Why not?

• What behavior is the more heroic in your opinion?

Invasion of JapanInvasion of Japan

• Based on what you have learned give reasons why you think America decided to drop the atomic bomb rather than invade mainland Japan?