D-Day

JAPAN AND ENDGAMEFoothill Technology High School

Sunday, April 17, 2016

A Marine dashes across a draw nicknamed 'Death Valley in the Battle of Okinawa

ISLAND HOPPPING

JUNGLE WARFARE:War Without Mercy

Battle of MidwayTurning Point in the Pacific

THE FINAL ATTACKS ON JAPAN

THE FINAL ATTACKS ON JAPAN

W. Eugene SmithMarine Mop-up Following Japanese Suicide ChargeSaipan, 1944

Joe RosenthalIwo Jima

Iwo Jima20,000 Japanese soldiers die, a few hundred (mostly wounded) are captured.Japanese soldiers fight to the death to almost the last man!7,000 U.S. Marines killed, and 13,000 wounded.On one alone day 5 Congressional Medals of Honor are awarded to U.S. Marines of 5th Division.

Easy Company take the flags up Mt. Suribachi; they had been fighting 4 days. They had 40% casualties to date.

The first flag raising atop Mt. Suribachi. 10AM, Feb. 23, 1945

The first flag comes down as the second flag goes up. Photo by Bob Campbell.

This is the original photograph by Joe Rosenthal

Here's Rosenthal snapping a posed shot minutes afterthe second flag raising.

Four of the Flag Raisers (Bradley, Hayes, Sousley & Strank) appear with their jubilant buddies. Strank, Sousley and many of these boys would soon be dead.

Okinawa Campaign77,000 Japanese soldiers originally on island (20,000 Okinawa militia)...Approximately 70,000 dead and 7,000 surrendered.Some 100,000 Okinawan civilians killed.36 vessels sunk, 368 damaged, 4,900 sailors killed, and 4,824 wounded. ...7,613 killed or missing, and 31,807 wounded, with 26,211 non-combat casualties.15% casualty rate!KAMIKAZE RAIDS: 36 American vessels sunk, 368 damaged, 4,900 sailors killed, and 4,824 wounded!

JAPAN AND A BOMBAtomic bomb explodes over Nagasaki on August 9, 1945.

FIREBOMBING OF JAPANBreak the Japanese desire to fight: end war

COMPLEXITY OF DECISIONUnthinkable? Immoral? Or best of bad options to end war? Can it be both?

Enola Gay B-29 bomber drops bomb code-named Little Boy on Hiroshima on August 6, 1945.

NUCLEAR WEAPONS

BOTTOM LINE:Japan surrenders after A bombTargeting of civilians from Sherman on; future use?