World War II in the Pacific - 739 Words

Notes for Research Project (World War II in the Pacific) †¢ â€Å"Japanese expansion in East Asia began in 1931 with the invasion of Manchuria and continued in 1937 with a brutal attack on China. On September 27, 1940 Japan signed the Tripartite Pact with Germany and Italy, thus entering the military alliance known as the ‘Axis’† (Holocaust Encyclopedia 1). Also gained â€Å"from the Philippines to Burma to the Aleutians to the Solomon’s† (Pacific Theatre 1). †¢ â€Å"Seeking to curb Japanese aggression and a withdrawal of Japanese forces from Manchuria and China, the United States imposed economic sanctions on Japan. Faced with severe shortages of oil and other natural resources and driven by the ambition to displace the United States as the dominant†¦show more content†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¢ Saipan June 1944 US invades Saipan (Part of Mariana Islands). Airfields on Saipan would allow B-29’s to reach Japan. Heavy Losses on both sides out of 30,000 Japanese only around 1,000 survived, (PBS 1). This also marked the start of high rates of civilian suicides when the US conquers Japanese territory. â€Å"Loss of Saipan precipitated a political crisis in Tokyo and brought about the Tojo Cabinet† (Pacific Theatre 1). †¢ Battle of Leyte: Island off of the Philippines used to reach the Philippines, US destroyed Japanese Navy and they became very weak- Kamikaze attacks began â€Å"US sailors first witnessed the kamikaze attacks that would become commonplace five months later in the battle of Okinawa. As many as sixty-five thousand Japanese soldiers died defending Leyte. More than 15,000 Americans were killed or wounded† (PBS 1). †¢ January to March 1945-Phillippines Campaign- largest army sent by US for any single battle. 287,000 Japanese were defending the main island (Luzon), 38,000 killed or wounded,(PBS 1). Japanese were ‘defeated’ after two months but they would attack throughout the whole war in the Jungles and mountains 400,000 Japanese lives lost in the battle.(PBS 1). †¢ Iwo Jima: Important to US because if we captured the airstrips then Bombers could reach mainland Japan, 21,000 Japanese defenders (PBS 1). Took over a monthShow MoreRelatedPacific Theatre in World War II2469 Words   |  10 PagesStates’ Involvement in the Pacific Theatre during World War II On 1 September 1939 the country of Germany led by Adolf Hitler invaded Poland using blitzkrieg tactics or in other words â€Å"lightning war†. As Germany is capturing Europe one country at a time Japan is doing the same except with Asia and Japan is also preparing for the attack of the United States naval base on the island of Oahu called Pearl Harbor. The attack on Pearl Harbor caused the United States to declare war on Japan, break isolationismRead MoreThe Pacific Theater Of World War II1375 Words   |  6 PagesThe Pacific Theater of World War II ended on September 2, 1945, known as Victory over Japan Day or V-J Day, less than a month after the United States dropped an atomic bomb Hiroshima. The two atomic bombs dropped on Japan are widely seen as the events that eventually broke the enemy’s will to resist and caused Japan to surrender; however this outcome could not have taken place without numerous innovations that took place in the interwar period. Without one o f these innovations, it is likely thatRead MoreThe Pacific Campaign Of World War II1753 Words   |  8 PagesThe Pacific Campaign of World War II showed an uncommon test for the United States. The Americans were successful for some reasons including the commitment of US General Douglas MacArthur and the Australian s effect on the war. 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The battle, which took place during June of 1944, took out most of the enemy’s carrier-based planes, along with their pilotsRead More World War II: Pearl Harbor The Pacific War Essay2503 Words   |  11 Pagescontinual disorder encompassed the people across the globe in the years prior to the declaration of war between the Axis and Allied powers in 1939. The Great Depression that had struck soon after the First World War left much of the world unemployed and desperate for relief. Nationalism swept through Germany in response to the terms of the Versailles Treaty that ended World War I. China and Japan had been at war since Japanese troops invaded Manchuria in 1931. Germany, Italy, and Japan began multiple invasionsRead MoreWorld War Ii - Conflic in the Pacific and East Asia5167 Words   |  21 PagesTHE WAR IN THE PACIFIC AND EAST ASIA: JAPAN ON THE OFFENSIVE: 1941-42 When the nations of Western Europe became embroiled in World War II, Japan began to expand into the Southeast Asian colonies of the European powers. After the United States retaliated with economic sanctions, Japan planned a concerted attack on the American naval base at Pearl Harbour, Hawaii, and other Pacific and Asian targets. For a time Japan was masterRead More World War II: Pacific Theater Overview and Japanese Cruelty Essay2171 Words   |  9 PagesWorld War II: Pacific Theater Overview and Japanese Cruelty Starting in the early 1930’s, the Japanese began to display their great imperialistic dreams with ambition and aggression. Their goal was to create a Greater East Asia Co-prosperity Sphere where they controlled a vast empire in the western Pacific.1 In September of 1939, Japan signed the Rome-Berlin-Tokyo Axis Treaty, allying themselves with Germany and Italy in an effort to safeguard their interests in China from the Soviet UnionRead MoreThe Battle Of Milne Bay2224 Words   |  9 PagesDuring World War Two, Australian involvement in battles such as Milne Bay, in the Pacific theatre during 1942, contributed significantly to the course of the War. intro The Battle of Milne Bay was fought from August 25 to September 7 and was one of the most vital land battles protecting the Australian land mass from the Japanese that Australians have ever conducted. Milne Bay is located on the eastern tail of New Guinea. In May 1942, this area became of interest to senior Allied officers, when GeneralRead MoreBattle of Guadalcanal 721 Words   |  3 PagesSome of the bloodiest fight of World War II came in the Pacific. Much of that fighting came at the Battle of Guadalcanal. A remote island in the Solomons Island chain, Guadalcanal was not thought of as important, prior to 1942. For several reasons, Guadalcanal was the most significant battle of the war in the Pacific. The Battle of Guadalcanal was the first offensive the United States took in World War II. Because of its location, Guadalcanal pushed back the Japanese defensive ring, and putRead MoreThe Battle Of Midway During World War II1285 Words   |  6 PagesIntroduction The Battle of Midway was a critical turning point of the war in the Pacific during World War II. Attribution to American success is in direct relation to their ability to conduct signal collection and crypto-analysis leading to the battle. The elimination of this capability from consideration during the preparation for this battle will drastically influence the outcome. Through critical reasoning and battle analysis, this paper will determine the level of effect of the capability