The War in the Pacific

The War in the Pacific Chapter 25 Section 3

Objective & Do Now Objective: Understand the war strategy employed in the Pacific theater of war Do Now: Should the US use Atomic weapons to defeat its enemies?

I the Allies Stem the Japanese TideA. Japanese Advances • 6 months after PH, Japanese took over much of Asian mainland along w/ many island nations • Gen. MacArthur & his troops are forced to retreat from the Philippines but proclaims “I shall return” • Japanese empire dwarfed that of Hitler’s Europe

B. US Retaliation • B-52 bombers take off from aircraft carrier for Tokyo and bomb cities, factories, oil tanks, etc. • Doolittle Raids • Amer & Aussi fleet intercept Japanese strike aimed for Australia • All fighting done by carrier based planes (opposing ships never saw each other)east. New type of naval warfare • Allies lost more ships but Japanese ran out of enough fuel

C. The Battle of Midway • Commander of US forces in Pacific learns of Japanese invasion force heading towards Midway= strategic island in the Pacific • Prepares troops on island to surprise Japanese • Orders to “inflict maximum damage on enemy • Japanese lose irreplaceable war ships • Americans “avenge Pearl harbor”

D. Island Hoping • Pacific theater was one of scattered islands across thousands of miles of ocean • MacArthur implements Island Hoping strategy • troops would attack and seize only certain strategic Japanese held islands, rather than trying to recapture all of them • Goal= go from island to island to come w/in striking distance from Japan • Attack garrisons to cut off supplies & reinforcements • Seize airstrips to help support the next Allies advancement

1st American land offensive was in Guadalcanal • Guadalcanal marks Japans 1st defeat on landUS troops continue to leapfrog towards Japan http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=maMQcutkHFw • Japanese threw their entire fleet into the battle of Leyte Gulf • Test new Kamikaze (“divine wind”)= suicide plane attacks • Significance= from then on, the Imperial army played only minor role in defense of Japan

American troops then turn their attention to the island of Iwo Jima • Iwo Jima was critical to US as a base from which heavily loaded bombers could reach Japan • However, it was the most heavily defended (tunnels and caves) • Okinawa now the only obstacle between Allies and final assault on Japan

II the Atomic Bomb ends the WarA. the battle for Okinawa • FDR dies after a stroke leaving Harry Truman as Pres. • Battle at Okinawa is Japan’s last defensive outpost • Faced even more opposition than iwo Jima110,000 American casualties • Okinawa was scary foretaste of what allies were to expect to encounter on Japanese home islands http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_uVOoqTAbNc

B. The Manhattan Project • Not long after Truman takes office he is informed that the US is months away from having an atomic bomb • Scientists led by J. Robert Oppenheuimer create the actual bomb • First tests took place in New Mexico more powerful than they had expected

C. To Bomb or not to Bomb • Scientists who creates bomb signs petition arguing it would be immoral to drop bomb w/o warning • Some suggest demonstrating bombs force to Japanese officials to convince them to surrender • Interim Committee formed to discuss use of Atomic bomb • Oppenheimer outlines prob. w/ test explosions • Nothing less than dropping on city would lead to surrender • Test might be a dud • Japanese might shoot down delivery plane or move POW’s to test area • Convinced by op.decide to drop w/o warning

III Rebuilding for PeaceA. Preparation for Peace • FDR, Churchill, & Stalin met at Yalta Conference • Create the UN based on principles of Atlantic Charter • Stalin promises to fight against Japan after defeat of Germany and hold free elections in any Soviet held territory in return for 2 islands • UN agree on charter and establish General Assembly= made up of all member nations which serves as “town meeting of the world” • 11 member security council held the real power (GB, US, SU, France, & China) given permanent seats on council • Any permanent member had the power to veto any council action • FDR, Churchill, & Stalin meet in Potsdam to decide how to eliminate the Nazi regime & decide on stern justice for all war criminals

B. Nuremburg War Trials • Potsdam ConferenceGermany divided into 4 zones (GB, US, France, &SU) • Berlin, located in SU terr., was divided into another 4 zones shared by occupying powers • Nuremburg Trials= international tribunal representing 23 nations tried 22 Nazi leaders • NUREMBERG TRIALS= THE FIRST TIME IN HISTORY THAT ANTIONS LEAFER WERE HELD LGALLY RESPONSBLE FOR THEIR ACTIONS DURING WARTIME

C. Occupying Japan • Japan occupied but US forces under MacArthur • Japanese including PM Hideki Tojo were put to trial • MacArthur reformed Japanese econ by introducing free –market practicesecon. Recovery • Also worked to transform gov’tnew constitution granting women suffrage • Until this day constitution known as MacArthur Constitution

The War in the Pacific