Japan’s Pacific Campaign

Chapter 32, Section 2

vs.

Introduction Japan attacks Pearl Harbor in Hawaii

and brings the United States into World War II

Surprise Attack on Pearl Harbor

Japan and the United States Japan develops a plan

for attacks on European colonies and U.S. bases

In 1941 President Franklin D. Roosevelt cuts off oil shipments to Japan. Admiral Isoroku

Yamamoto plans attack on U.S. fleet in Hawaii

Route of Japanese Fleet Attacking Pearl Harbor

Waves of the Attack First wave,

182 planes Second

wave, 171 planes

USS Arizona Memorial

Day of Infamy Japan attacks Pearl Harbor—U.S.

Naval base in Hawaii—on December 7, 1941

U.S. declares war on Japan December 8, 1941.

Japan also attacks Hong Kong, Thailand, and other islands

Japanese Victories Guam and Wake Island The Philippines

Japanese attack Philippine Islands defended by U.S., Filipino troops.

Philippine islands fall to Japanese in 1942.

Bataan Death March The forcible transfer of

75,000 American and Filipino prisoners of war in the Philippines from the Bataan peninsula to prison camps

Beheadings, cut throats and casual shootings were the more common and merciful actions — compared to bayonet stabbings, rapes, disembowelments, numerous rifle butt beatings and a deliberate refusal to allow the prisoners food or water while keeping them continually marching for nearly a week in tropical heat.

Pictures of the Bataan Death March

Propaganda Poster in the U.S. after the Bataan Death March

Bataan Death March Memorial“The Battling Bastards of Bataan”

Gains in Many Places Japan captures British holdings,

including Hong Kong and Singapore. Japan conquers the Dutch East Indies

which is rich in minerals Japan captures Burma. This threatens

India, Britain’s main possession in Asia.

Japanese forces treat conquered peoples and prisoners of war brutally

Doolittle Raid U.S. bombers attack

Tokyo and other Japanese cities in April 1942. (Here Lt. Col. James H.

Doolittle wires a Japanese medal to a bomb, for "return" to its originators in the first U.S. air raid on the Japanese Home Islands.)

Raid does little damage, but shows that Japan is vulnerable.

Allies Turn the Tide Battle of the Coral Sea—Americans

stop Japanese advance, May 1942. New kind of naval warfare—ships

launch planes to fight each other (see next slide).

Bombers do not engage each other, but pass each other on the way to the enemy aircraft carrier.

The Allies Strike Back The Battle of Midway

Japanese send powerful fleet to capture Midway Island.

Battle of Midway—U.S. destroy half of Japan’s aircraft carriers causing Japan to retreat.

An Allied Offensive MacArthur’s Plan

Douglas MacArthur—American army commander in the Pacific.

He plans to “island-hop” past strongholds in order to attack weaker Japanese bases.

Guadalcanal Battle of Guadalcanal—hellish battle that

ends in Allied victory.

Guadalcanal Diary (book and film) Hollywood cooperated

with the war effort by producing films to build the morale of the American people.

Released in 1943. The film recounts the fight

of the United States Marines in the Battle of Guadalcanal, which occurred only a year before the movie's release. While the film has notable battle scenes, its primary focus is on the characters and back stories of the Marines.