Island Hopping Less Fun Than It Sounds Battle

Island Hopping Less Fun Than It Sounds

Battle of Midway (June 1942) Naval Battle: US lost 1 aircraft carrier, Japan lost 4 aircraft carriers

Battle of Iwo Jima (Feb. 1945) 70, 000 Marines sent to invade the island Vs. 22, 000 Japanese soldiers Results: US wins (takes a month) About 7, 000 US dead About 20, 000 US wounded Only 212 Japanese soldiers taken prisoner Island was 4. 5 Miles x 2. 5 Miles

Battle for Okinawa (April 1945) 180, 000 US troops Vs. 120, 000 Japanese troops Results: US wins About 12, 000 US dead About 38, 000 US wounded 36 US warships destroyed About 110, 000 Japanese soldiers dead 50, 000 -150, 000 Japanese civilians dead 60 Miles x 2 -18 Miles

The Firebombing of Japan “[We] were behaving as war criminals. ” – Robert Mc. Namara

Firebombing • 67 Japanese cities were firebombed by the United States during WWII • Firebombs utilize napalm – a jellied gasoline – Bombs explode, fired spreads, burns everything indiscriminately • As many as 500, 000 Japanese killed (mostly civilians), and as many as 5 million left homeless

Name of Japanese City Firebombed Percentage of City Destroyed Equivalent American City Yokohama 58 Cleveland Tokyo 51 New York City Toyama 99 Chattanooga Nagoya 40 Los Angeles Osaka 35. 1 Chicago Nishinomiya 11. 9 Cambridge Siumonoseki 37. 6 San Diego Kure 41. 9 Toledo Kobe 55. 7 Baltimore Omuta 35. 8 Miami

Name of Japanese City Firebombed Percentage of City Destroyed Equivalent American City Wakayama 50 Salt Lake City Kawasaki 36. 2 Portland Okayama 68. 9 Long Beach Yawata 21. 2 San Antonio Kagoshima 63. 4 Richmond Amagasaki 18. 9 Jacksonville Sasebo 41. 4 Nashville Moh 23. 3 Spokane Miyakonoio 26. 5 Greensboro Nobeoka 25. 2 Augusta

Name of Japanese City Firebombed Percentage of City Destroyed Equivalent American City Miyazaki 26. 1 Davenport Hbe 20. 7 Utica Saga 44. 2 Waterloo Imabari 63. 9 Stockton Matsuyama 64 Duluth Fukui 86 Evansville Tokushima 85. 2 Ft. Wayne Sakai 48. 2 Forth Worth Hachioji 65 Galveston Kumamoto 31. 2 Grand Rapids

Name of Japanese City Firebombed Percentage of City Destroyed Equivalent American City Isezaki 56. 7 Sioux Falls Takamatsu 67. 5 Knoxville Akashi 50. 2 Lexington Fukuyama 80. 9 Macon Aomori 30 Montgomery Okazaki 32. 2 Lincoln Oita 28. 2 Saint Joseph Hiratsuka 48. 4 Battle Creek Tokuyama 48. 3 Butte Yokkichi 33. 6 Charlotte

Name of Japanese City Firebombed Percentage of City Destroyed Equivalent American City Uhyamada 41. 3 Columbus Ogaki 39. 5 Corpus Christi Gifu 63. 6 Des Moines Shizuoka 66. 1 Oklahoma City Himeji 49. 4 Peoria Fukuoka 24. 1 Rochester Kochi 55. 2 Sacramento Shimizu 42 San Jose Omura 33. 1 Sante Fe Chiba 41 Savannah

Name of Japanese City Firebombed Percentage of City Destroyed Equivalent American City Ichinomiya 56. 3 Sprinfield Nara 69. 3 Boston Tsu 69. 3 Topeka Kuwana 75 Tucson Toyohashi 61. 9 Tulsa Numazu 42. 3 Waco Chosi 44. 2 Wheeling Kofu 78. 6 South Bend Utsunomiya 43. 7 Sioux City Mito 68. 9 Pontiac

Name of Japanese City Firebombed Percentage of City Destroyed Equivalent American City Sendai 21. 9 Omaha Tsuruga 65. 1 Middleton Nagaoka 64. 9 Madison Hitachi 72 Little Rock Kumagaya 55. 1 Kenosha Hamamatsu 60. 3 Hartford Maebashi 64. 2 Wheeling

The Fog of War • Robert Mc. Namara discussing the firebombing of Japan – “[General Curtis Le. May said that] if we'd lost the war, we'd all have been prosecuted as war criminals …. And I think he's right. …He, and I'd say, I, were behaving as war criminals. …Le. May recognized that what he was doing would be thought immoral if his side had lost. But what makes it immoral if you lose and not immoral if you win? ”

Potsdam Declaration “The alternative for Japan is prompt and utter destruction”

Potsdam Declaration • Proclamation Defining the Terms for the Japanese Surrender – July 26, 1945 • Developed at the Potsdam Conference – U. S. , Britain, and U. S. S. R participated in the conference; held in Germany – Decisions were made as to how the Allies would deal with the Axis powers after Allied victory

Potsdam Declaration and Japan • Elimination of Japanese authorities who led Japan to world conquest • Parts of Japanese territory are to be occupied; Allies get to pick which parts • Japanese sovereignty is limited to the 4 main islands and a few other tiny ones

Potsdam Declaration and Japan • Elimination of Japanese authorities who led Japan to world conquest • Parts of Japanese territory are to be occupied; Allies get to pick which parts • Japanese sovereignty is limited to the 4 main islands and a few other tiny ones • Japanese military will be completely disarmed • All (Japanese) war criminals will receive “stern justice”

Potsdam Declaration and Japan • Japan will not be enslaved or destroyed as a nation • Freedom of speech, religion, and thought, along with fundamental human rights, shall be established • Japan will have access to—but not control of— resources that they need to rebuild and sustain their economy, and will be free to maintain industries as long as they are not re-arming • Allies occupying forces will be withdrawn as soon as all of these objectives are met and Japan has established a peaceful, responsible government

Potsdam Declaration and Japan • "We call upon the government of Japan to proclaim now the unconditional surrender of all Japanese armed forces, and to provide proper and adequate assurances of their good faith in such action. The alternative for Japan is prompt and utter destruction. ”

Potsdam Declaration and Japan • Despite a growing number of Japanese leaders who wanted to negotiate for peace, Japan’s military leadership was unwilling to accept the terms of the Potsdam Declaration. • However, it is known that Japan’s Foreign Minister, Shigenori Togo, sent a message to Russia stating: “Unconditional surrender is the only obstacle to peace…. ”

So then, why this?