WWII Pacific Theater Before the war Japan seeks

WWII Pacific Theater

Before the war… Japan seeks to expand territory: Why? • Volcanic Island • Running out of room • Imperialist • Better than everyone?

Japanese Expansion • Korea • Manchuria • Renamed Manchukuo • Japanese push southward into China • Natural resources • Raw materials • Slave labor

Japanese Expansion (cont’d) • Threats to colonial British, French, US • US response: • Cut off sales of scrap iron and oil • Japanese response: Stop any further actions by United States

Pearl Harbor, Hawaii • December 7, 1941 • Combined Japanese attacks: • Hawaii • Philippines • British Malaysia • Japanese aircraft carrier group • Attack US fleet at Pearl Harbor

Pearl Harbor, Hawaii (cont’d) • Failed to destroy US fleet • Yamamoto feared conflict with US • Over 2, 000 dead • 1, 100 + wounded, including civilians • US aircraft carriers out to sea • USS Arizona

Pearl Harbor, Hawaii (cont’d) Results of attack: • Huge success for Japan • Damage to US Navy’s Pacific Fleet • took time to overcome • limited American ability to strike back

Doolittle’s Raid • Roosevelt wanted way to get back at Japanese • Colonel Doolittle • Launched 16 modified B-25 s from aircraft carrier • No return trip • Bombed targets in Japan: Tokyo, Osaka, & more • Some pilots killed or captured in China & Russia • Aftermath: Not much damage, but