End of WWII in the Pacific Allied War

Allied War Plan in Pacific—Island Hopping Japan had expanded all over Asia and South

Bataan Death March (1942) • 70, 000 US troops were taken as prisoners of

Battles in the Pacific (late 1944 through summer 1945) • US war production began

Iwo Jima (Feb 1945) • US destroyed Jpn radar station on top of a

Jpn’s Use of Kamikaze • Jpnese pilots were sent on suicide missions toward end

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End of WWII in the Pacific

Allied War Plan in Pacific—Island Hopping Japan had expanded all over Asia and South Pacific and US plan to stop them was brilliant war strategy • Avoid strongly defended islands—”hop”over them • Capture others to cut Jpn’s supply line and to build runways for planes as refuel bases

Bataan Death March (1942) • 70, 000 US troops were taken as prisoners of war in the Philippines and was illustration of Jpnese brutality • they were forced march 75 miles in days • No food no water • Brutally murdered • 26, 000 died en route to POW camp where thousands more died

Battles in the Pacific (late 1944 through summer 1945) • US war production began to outpace Jpn’s —US could replace ships & planes while Jpn could not • Air & sea battles around key islands got US closer to Jpn • British pushed through SE Asia, US focused on islands

Iwo Jima (Feb 1945) • US destroyed Jpn radar station on top of a volcanic hill • Seized 2 airstrips • 9, 000 US killed, 22, 000 Jpn killed (only 1000 survived) Okinawa (June 1945) • Only 350 miles from Jpn and fiercely defended by 120, 000 • 20, 000 US killed & 100, 000 Jpn killed

Jpn’s Use of Kamikaze • Jpnese pilots were sent on suicide missions toward end of war to disable US war ships • Summer 1945—US made plans for invasion of mainland Jpn • US fear was millions of lives (US & Jpnese civilians) would be lost in invasion b/c Jpn would not surrender BUT… • Was “fear” justified? • Was Jpn on the verge of surrender?