Key Victories in the Pacific: From Early Japanese Advances to Allied Counteroffensives

1. War in the Pacific

2. Japanese Victories • Guam and Wake Island fall to Japan • The Japanese turn attention to the Philippines • January 1942- Japan invades Manilia ( Philippine capital) • U.S. and Filipino take up defensive position on Bataan Peninsula • Japanese will take Peninsula • Brutal treatment was used against prisoners • Bataan Death March

3. The Allies Strike Back • U.S. wanted revenge for Pearl Harbor • The Japanese now had a string of victories and seemed unbeatable. • Under the command of Lieutenant Colonel James Doolittle, Tokyo is bombed. • The Japanese were vulnerable after all. • Battle of the Coral Sea- will be victorious in preventing Japan’s Southward advance • What was unique about this sea battle?

4. Battle of Midway- setting the stage • June 1942 • 1500 miles from Hawaii • Key American airfield • Began as an attack by the Japanese to eliminate any remaining U.S. aircraft carriers. • Hoped that the attack would draw out the entire pacific fleet. • They Japanese strategy was to disperse their ships over a wide area and have them • U.S. code breakers deciphered the Japanese plans • They knew exactly when and where the attack would take place.

5. Battle of Midway- Go time Japanese Ship- Mikuma • June 4th • American forces were hidden beyond the horizon • Allowed the Japanese to begin their attack on the island • BAM! • Surprise attack from the Americans to catch the Japanese fleet off-guard American ship- Yorktown

6. Battle of Midway- Outcome • Allied victory! • 322 Japanese planes destroyed • Sunk: • 4 Japanese air craft carriers- that had all been used in the Pearl Harbor attack • One Japanese Destroyer • Huge hit to Japanese Navy • Japan withdrew from the Battle • Morale high for the Allies

7. An Allied Offensive • General Douglas MacArthur- commander of Allied land forces • Had been forced out of the Philippines when Japan seized the islands. • Next strategy=“island hopping” to seize islands and get closer to Japan • Jump from island to island taking control of the ones that were not well defended

8. Battle of Guadalcanal • Part of the Solomon Islands • Japanese were building a huge air base. Allies wanted to attack before it was finished. • They arrived and found no Japanese troops, only workers. • Easily took over the airfield • Japan quickly sent troops and the battle became brutal. • 6 month battle- Allies win.

9. Victory in the Pacific • The Japanese in Retreat • • Allies move to retake the Philippines in late 1944 • • Battle of Leyte Gulf leaves Japanese navy badly damaged • • Kamikazes—Japanese pilots who fly suicide missions • • In March 1945, American forces capture Iwo Jima • • U.S. takes Okinawa in June 1945; Japan suffers huge casualties