Chapter 17 Section 3 Notes Following Pearl Harbor

Chapter 17 Section 3 Notes

Following Pearl Harbor ► Japan gained control of much territory in SE Asia and the Pacific § More than Germany if land & sea are combined

U. S. retreats from the Philippines Occurs 4 months after Pearl Harbor § Some Americans and Filipinos left behind ► Became POW’s ► U. S. in Pacific led by Gen. Douglas Mac. Arthur ► § Says “I shall return” THE BATAAN DEATH MARCH was a tragedy of epic proportions with 76, 000 American and Filipino prisoners of war forcibly transferred, on foot, by the Imperial Japanese Army to Bataan. Even as the American and Filipino troops repelled the Japanese for several months, they were forced to retreat to wait for supplies and reinforcements. But the Japanese had cut off all routes to the Philippines, preventing a rescue by U. S. Military and the troops were forced to surrender on April 4, 1942

Status of U. S. Navy in Pacific early on ► Not good § Many ships and planes destroyed or damaged at Pearl ► Could have been worse § Japan didn’t damage U. S. submarines or aircraft carriers ► Not at Pearl during attacks ► this was important for U. S. retaliation ► Shipyards on West Coast § Start building lots of battleships In the decade prior to 1940, America's shipyards launched only 23 ships. In the five years after Pearl Harbor American shipyards launched 4, 600 ships. The Japanese knew that if they were going to control the Pacific, they needed to eliminate our ability to respond to their movements effectively by destroying our aircraft carriers. They were actually the main target of the attacks; unfortunately for the Japanese, they were not there. On the morning of December 7 th, the carriers were out at sea.

The Plan in the Pacific ► Play Defense § Prevent more land from being taken ► Recapture 1 island at a time § “island hopping” ► Use planes to bomb Japanese cities § Lower their spirits § target military related areas ► After war with Germany and Italy ends § Land invasion of Japan

1 st step = Sneak attack on Tokyo (April 1942) Led by James Doolittle ► 1 st successful air raid against Japanese – (like Pearl Harbor) § Raised our spirits, lowered theirs § U. S. didn’t drop any more bombs on Japan for more than 2 years ►

2 nd step = Protect Australia ► Battle of the Coral Sea (May 1942) § Fought entirely by planes and ships § 1 st Allied Victory against Japanese

3 rd step = Protect Hawaii ► The Battle of Midway (June 1942) § Furthest Japanese advance towards Hawaii ► map p. 580 § U. S. knew the invasion was going to happen ► Had broken Japanese radio code § U. S. forces led by Admiral Chester Nimitz ► Found Japanese fleet and launched attacks § Sunk 5 major ships and 250 planes

U. S. goes on the Offensive ► keep in mind, conditions on Pacific Islands were very bad § humid, hot, spiders, leeches, rats, bats, fire ants, scorpions

4 th step = U. S. starts “island hopping” ► Guadalcanal was 1 st (Aug. 1942 – Feb. 1943) § Took 6 months for Allies to take the island § 1 st Japanese defeat on land

It was a battle for a tiny island in the South Pacific no bigger than Delaware, but it became a turning point in the Allied fight against Japan durning WWII

5 th step = Take back the Philippines ► Battle of Leyte Gulf (Oct. 1944) § Largest naval battle of WWII (maybe ever!) § Japan used its entire Navy to protect the Philippines § Japanese eventually outnumbered ► Roughly 12, 500 killed § Less than 3, 000 for Allies ► Lost close to 30 major ships, 300 planes § Many more severely damaged § Allied losses roughly half of that § Japanese navy crippled for rest of the war § Philippines freed from Japanese control!!!

Painting of the Battle of Leyte Gulf

Kamikaze Pilots introduced at Leyte Gulf Japan started a new tactic with its air force ► Flew planes directly into Allied ships § Sunk a dozen, damaged many more ► The tradition of death instead of defeat, capture, and perceived shame was deeply entrenched in Japanese military culture. It was one of the primary traditions in the samurai life and code: loyalty and honor until death.

Painting of Kamikaze hitting U. S. Aircraft Carrier tower

6 th step = Battle of Iwo Jima (Feb. & Mar. 1945) ► U. S. wanted the island for land based, heavy bombing runs on Japan § map p. 580 ► Around 21, 000 Japanese defended the island § Only 200 survived § Commit suicide rather than be prisoner § Around 6, 000 U. S. Marines died

7 th step = Battle of Okinawa (Apr. & June 1945) ► Closest the U. S. got to a land invasion of Japan § 1, 900 Kamikaze attacks ► Sunk 30 ships, damaged 300 § Around 13, 000 U. S. deaths § Around 110, 000 Japanese deaths ► Japanese Generals committed suicide

8 th Step = Invade Japan? Predictions start to roll in of what it would take for a land invasion ► 1. 5 million deaths of Allied Forces was the estimate ► § Japan had promised to fight to the last person (100 million people!) § Truman not willing to make those types of sacrifices § Also doesn’t want Soviet Union to get involved The Plan To Invade Japan That Never Happened

The Manhattan Project Began mid 1942 ► Purpose = Create an atomic bomb ► § Originally supposed to be used against Germany Scientists led by J. Robert Oppenheimer ► involved efforts of 150, 000 civilians ► § 99% of them didn’t know what they were doing ► 1 st test in New Mexico desert (July 1945) § It worked, didn’t know of long term effects

2 Atomic Bombs dropped ► Hiroshima (Aug, 6 th, 1945) § Important Jap. military center § Enola Gay (plane) § Little Boy (atomic bomb) ► Every building in the city collapsed in 1 minute § Emperor Hirohito didn’t surrender ► Nagasaki (Aug, 9 th, 1945) § Bockscar (plane) § Fat Man (atomic bomb) ► Did less damage § half of city destroyed § due to topography

Consequences of the Bombs ► ► ► The 2 bombs instantly killed 110, 000 people The 2 bombs instantly injured 95, 000 people Within a year of their detonations, 90, 000 more had died from radiation Talks begin after 2 nd bomb and Japan Surrenders (Sept. 2 nd 1945) Should the bombs have been dropped? § You decide (p. 585)

The Yalta Conference (Feb. 1945) ► Plans for the end of WWII before it happened § Occurred in Russia ► FDR, Churchill, and Stalin (Big 3) § Russia wanted Germany split up § Churchill didn’t § FDR acts as mediator ► Wants Russia’s help against Japan § Didn’t know if bomb would work § Wants Russia in United Nations after war

The Yalta Compromise ► Germany temporarily split up into 4 zones § Controlled by U. S. , Russia, Britain, and France § Would be united in the future Stalin promised “free” elections in all Soviet occupied countries in Eastern Europe ► § Didn’t happen ► Russia would join war against Japan § Did on Asian mainland for a week in August ► Russia agreed to hear plans for UN

Nuremberg War Trials ► German political, military, and industrial leaders faced charges of “crimes against humanity” for Death Camps § § § ► 12 of 24 sentenced to death Others imprisoned Later – 200 more imprisoned Established important principle § You are responsible for your own actions § They couldn’t argue “Hitler told me to do it”

U. S. occupies Japan after WWII ► General Mac. Arthur in charge § War Trials held for leaders. ► 7 put to death, 100’s more imprisoned ► Military not allowed to exist § Introduced Capitalism & Democracy ► Freedoms, Women’s Suffrage & E quality § Constitution finalized in 1947 ► called Mac. Arthur Constitution ► Most of it still in effect § Helped rebuild, treat sick and wounded § Large occupation ends in early 1950 s ► Become Allies Gen. Mac. Arthur and Emperor Hirohito standing side by side in Japan. Hirohito becomes a figurehead. Japanese people elect a 2 house legislature called the Diet. The Diet elects a Prime Minister