WWII in the Pacific

• Japan wins early victories following Pearl Harbor –MacArthur and American forces

retreat from Philippines to Australia.

–Doolittle’s raid on Tokyo raises morale but is insignificant.

• Allies go on Offensive

–Battle of the Coral Sea

•Japan’s advance on Australia halted

–Battle of Midway • last offensive battle of war for Japan

“Island Hopping” towards Japan

• Battle of Guadalcanal (1942)– lengthy, bitter battle which provides starting

point for drive towards Japan

– extreme conditions (heat, humidity, disease)

• Battle of Leyte Gulf (1944)– MacArthur retakes the Philippines

“Island Hopping” towards Japan

• Iwo Jima and Okinawa– fierce fighting by Japanese

– reality of assault on Japanese mainland is staggering

• American bombers begin bombing mainland Japan– civilian population targeted

– tons of TNT dropped

Atomic Bombs dropped on Japan • Harry Truman succeeds FDR as President of

the United States– FDR & Yalta– FDR dies in spring of 1945

• Manhattan Project– headed by J. Robert Oppenheimer– Truman informed of project and decision is made

to use on Japan• For?• Against?

Atomic Bombs dropped on Japan

• Hiroshima bombed on August 6, 1945– “Little Boy” kills 66,000 in 9 seconds

– 100,000 total

– effects of radiation revealed and studied

• Nagasaki bombed on August 9, 1945

Japan surrenders

August 14, 1945– V-J Day– end of WWII