Post on 20-Jul-2018
1920s – 1930s Review
USA
Wilson’s 14
Points....League of
Nations
Isolationism
Economic Depression
FDR
Japan
Emerging world power
in Pacific
Emperor with military
establishment in charge
of policy
Expansion....Manchuria
1931-32, full- scale
Chinese invasion 1937
Japanese Expansion 1931-37
With the outbreak of war in Europe, Japan saw an
opportunity to dominate Asian affairs, however, since the
Japanese invasion of Manchuria in 1931 the United States
became suspicious of the Japanese.
Japanese Expansion 1931-37
In the summer of 1937 Japan renewed their attack on
China.
In response to Japanese aggression the United States
decided to cancel their long-standing commercial treaty
with Japan.
This allowed the USA to impose trade restrictions that
seriously affected Japanese industry.
War in the Pacific
When Japan signed the Tripartite Pact in 1940
(which created the Axis Powers), the United States
began to freeze Japanese assets and cut off oil
supplies.
War in the Pacific
Despite the US pressure, Japan occupied the
Northern part of French Indochina (Vietnam,
Laos, and Cambodia.) in 1940 when France
surrendered to Nazi Germany.
War in the Pacific
The United States condemned the seizure of
French Indochina, & responded with an economic
embargo on fuel, iron and scrap metal to Japan.
In addition, Roosevelt moved the American Pacific
fleet to the naval base at Pearl Harbour in Hawaii
as a display to Japan of American military power.
War in the Pacific
July of 1941 Japan announced their plans to
eliminate Western influence in Asia and laid out a
blueprint for a Japanese empire in Southeast Asia.
Japan needed resources(oil, rubber)had
determined that war with the USA was unavoidable
and that the only way to defeat the Americans was
to hit them with a surprise attack.
War in the Pacific
American President, Franklin Roosevelt,
responded by putting a "freeze" on all Japanese
assets (property and money) in the USA
The USA also demanded that Japan withdraw from
Indochina and from China itself.
Japan was faced with a tough choice: to fight or
negotiate.
War in the Pacific
Tojo's government did send representatives to
Washington in 1941 to negotiate
The Japanese offered to withdraw their troops from
Indochina if the Americans would resume
economic relations with Japan.
Japan insisted, however that it be allowed to
occupy China—The USA rejected these proposals.
War in the Pacific
These negotiation were merely a smoke-screen for
the Japanese however, the decision to launch a
surprise attack on the USA had been made months
earlier.
The Attack on Pearl Harbour
Shortly after dawn on December 7, 1941 more that
600 Japanese aircraft were launched from six
aircraft carriers steaming across the Pacific Ocean.
Their target was the American air and naval bases
at Pearl Harbor in Hawaii
The Attack on Pearl Harbour
Bombs screamed down, torpedoes hit their targets - and almost immediately aircraft on landing strips exploded and battleships began to sink at their moorings.
Thirty minutes later a second wave of Japanese planes completed the work of destruction: there were about 3700 American casualties.
The Attack on Pearl Harbour
The most immediate impact of the Pearl Harbour attack was the entry of the United States into the war on the side of the Allies
Japanese Advance
Pearl Harbor appeared to be a huge success for
Japan.
It was followed by rapid Japanese conquests in
Hong Kong, Singapore, Burma, the Philippines,
Malaya and New Guinea.
Japanese expansion was at its greatest in June
1942
American Advances
Despite heavy losses at Pearl Hr, by May and June
1942 the USA struck back at Japan in the Battle of
the Coral Sea off eastern New Guinea & at Midway
Island in the Central Pacific
Battle of the Coral Sea, May
1942
USA stopped Japan from seeking to control the
Coral Sea with an invasion of Port Moresby in
southeast New Guinea
The first air-sea battle in history where participating
warships never sighted or fired directly at each
other
The lead role was played by aircraft launched
from ships at sea
While vital aircraft carriers were lost by both
countries, losses weakened Japanese strength for
future battles
Battle of Midway, June 1942
Hoping to capture Midway Island in the central
Pacific from the USA, Japan attacked on June 4,
1942