Japan’s Pacific CampaignJapan’s Pacific Campaign

December 7th, 1941

Japan attacks Pearl Harbor

“A Date Which Will Live In Infamy”

What causes the US to enter WWII?

Japan attacks the USJapan attacks the US• 1940-1941: US sends aid to KMT in China, cuts off supplies to Japan

• US is worried Japan may seize US territory in Pacific

• December 7th, 1941: In a surprise attack, Japanese warplanes bomb US Naval ships located at Pearl Harbor, Hawai'i

• The Japanese attack is planned & led by Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto

• President Roosevelt asks for a declaration of war on Japan, calling the event “A date which will live in infamy”

The Pacific WarThe Pacific War•Jan 1942: Japan attacks US possessions: Guam, Wake Island, Philippines•Feb 1942: Japan attacks British possessions: Malaya, Hong Kong, Burma

•War Crime: Japan puts the allied prisoners of war on the Bataan Death March

• 16,000 POWs murdered

• Germany then declares war on the US

US joins the Allied Powers

•US interns 110K Japanese-Americans

Map Time!

Color 8,13 & 14 Blue (Allied Powers)Red Xs in 10 + Japanese Ally on keyStripe 9 & 11 in Red

Bombing of Pearl Harbor

Stripe Red

Allies Strike BackAllies Strike Back• April 1942: US Col. James Doolittle leads bombing attack of Tokyo

• Little damage is done, but shows Japan is vulnerable to air attacks

• Battle of the Coral Sea – May 1942: Japan keeps advancing south. Both sides use aircraft carriers in battle. Allies able to stop Japan’s advances

• Battle of Midway – June 1942: Allied code breakers know Japan & Admiral Yamamoto were planning on attacking the island

• US forces led by Admiral Nimitz were hiding behind the horizon and then launched a sneak attack on the Japanese forces (turning point in war)

•Pacific War is led by Gen. Douglas MacArthur who uses a strategy called “island hopping”.

•Battle of Guadalcanal - US learns Japanese are building a huge airbase on the island of Guadalcanal•Aug 1942:Aided by Australia, US wins six-month battle killing 24,000 of the 36,000 Japanese troops

•Japanese flee calling it “death island”•Next, MacArthur liberates Philippines, keeping his promise to return

•Take less defended islands first, return later for others

Gen. Douglas MacArthur

Map Time!

Battle of the Coral Sea

Battle of Midway

Battle of Guadalcanal