The Pacific Theater, 1939-1945

The Rising Sun

Reasons For Japanese Aggression

Pearl Harbor

The Island Hopping Campaign

The Rising Sun

• By turn of 20th century Russia and Japan were competing for influence in China which leads to war

• Japanese defeat Russian navy during Russo-Japanese War 1904-1905 easily

• Japan is now a world power in Pacific and like the west seek to have a sphere of influence in the Pacific

The Rising Sun

• Japan had developed a pattern of attacking China for indiscretions in 1931 and 1936

• Emperor Hirohito and a military dominated cabinet sought to expand their country’s empire

• To counter Russia, Japan enters into the Tripartite Pact with Italy and Germany in 1940

Reasons for Japanese Aggression

• They believe that they are destined to dominate other nations considered corrupt

• Japan desired more natural resources for it businesses and growing population

• Wanted to be commanding presence in the Pacific as opposed to the United States, China or Russia

Reasons for Japanese Aggression

• President Franklin Delano Roosevelt sensing that Japan has expansionist policies places an embargo on strategic items needed by the Japanese for their military in 1940

• 1941 Japan occupies Indochina, this cause FDR to freeze Japan’s assets in the U.S. and stops the selling of oil to Japan

• Japan is convinced that war is necessary between the two countries

Day of Infamy: Pearl Harbor

• Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto planned attack at Pearl Harbor

• Purpose of attack was to neutralize U.S. navy fleet in Pacific (aircraft carriers primary targets)

• Japanese sent 6 carriers, 450 planes and various ships and submarines

Day of Infamy: Pearl Harbor

• December 7, 1941, 94 naval ships are at Pearl Harbor but the carriers are on duties elsewhere

• A Japanese sub is attacked by U.S. forces and mobile radar had picked up a large group of planes approaching the base

• The first strike destroys aircraft and airfields to eliminate air defenses

Day of Infamy: Pearl Harbor

• The second strike concentrated on the naval ships through high level bombing

• The final strike consisted of low level dive bombing

• In two hours 2,400 are killed, 18 warships were sunk or seriously damaged and 188 planes destroyed

• Oil reserves and naval facilities were not attacked because Japanese feared an attack themselves

Day of Infamy: Pearl Harbor

Day of Infamy: Pearl Harbor

• The Fall of the Philippine Islands lead to the surrender of American and Filipino forces to the Japanese

• 11,000 men will die from war atrocities by the Japanese in the infamous “Bataan Death March” in 1942

• After taking the Philippines the Japanese eyed Australia and New Guinea

The Battle Of The Coral Sea

• May7-8, 1942, Battle of Coral Sea showed that planes would be a dominate force in naval battles

• USS Lexington’s planes will sink a Japanese carrier and shoot down 21 planes

• The next day the Lexington will be sunk and mislead the Japanese into thinking that they have crippled the US fleet

• It is a Japanese victory but Australia is saved because the Japanese now seek to destroy the US fleet

Battle Of Midway, June 4-7, 1942

• Yamamoto desired the Midway Islands as a launching pad to attack Hawaii

• The Japanese will send 4 carriers with support ships to Midway unaware that the US still has carriers in region

• The US will decipher Japanese transmissions and be prepared for the assault

Battle Of Midway, June 4-7, 1942

Battle Of Midway, June 4-7, 1942

Battle Of Midway, June 4-7, 1942

• Midway is a decisive American victory

• Japanese losses will be• 4 carriers sunk• 1 cruiser sunk• 2,500 experienced seaman KIA• 322 planes shot down

• The US lost the carrier Yorktown and 147 planes

• Japan will no longer be able to threaten the US fleet effectively

Island Hopping Campaign