The End of the War

The End of the War

Section 5

War in the Pacific

Island Hopping U.S. tries to gain control of the Pacific Attacked islands as they closed in on Japan

Tarawa Gaudalcanal Saipan Iwo Jima Guam Okinawa Philippines

Passed over islands of no strategic importance

A Deadly Routine

American ships would shell the island with an artillery barrage

Marines would come ashore under heavy gunfire

Hand-to-Hand fighting would lead to Americans overcome the fierce Japanese resistance

Navajo Code-Talkers

Used their own language to radio messages from island to island

Japanese were unable to decode/decipher messages

Examples: besh-lo = “iron fish” – submarine Ne-as-jah = “owl” – observation plane

Japanese Military

Bushido – “Way of the Warrior” Emphasized loyalty, honor, and sacrifice Surrendering was dishonorable

Japanese fought to the death or commited suicide rather than surrender

Kamikaze – suicide missions were Japanese pilots deliberately crashed into U.S. ships

Attacking the Home Islands

April 1945 – U.S. prepared to invade Japan Operation Downfall

Bombers continually hit factories and cities Japanese people suffered terribly, yet leaders

still promised victory

Bomb or invade?

Expected casualties Between 250,000 and 1,000,000

Japanese were training civilians to fight back Japanese threatened to execute POW’s if

U.S. invaded Casualties in other parts of Asia expected to

be as high as 250,000 if U.S. waited Prevented Soviets from attacking Japan as

well

Potsdam Declaration

Issued Ultimatum Requested surrender or: Face “the inevitable and complete destruction of

the Japanese armed forces and just as inevitably the utter devastation of the Japanese homeland”

Defense Minister Fumio Kyuma

"I now have come to accept in my mind that in order to end the war, it could not be helped that an atomic bomb was dropped on Nagasaki and that countless numbers of people suffered great tragedy." Mr.Fumio Kyuma, who is from Nagasaki, said the bombing caused great suffering in the city, but he does not resent the U.S. because it prevented the Soviet Union from entering the war with Japan

Opposition

Considered to be immoral War crimes, crimes against humanity, state

terrorism Unnecessary, Japan ready to surrender Hiroshima – August 6, 1945

90,000-140,000 total deaths 1950-1990 – 9% of cancer deaths caused by

radiation

Cont.

Nagasaki – August 9th, 1945 40,000-80,000 deaths Many survivors of the bombing of Hiroshima were in

Nagasaki Approx 400,000 Hibakusha – “explosion-affected

people” Unintended casualties

Allied POWs. Korean and Chinese laborers. Students from Malaya on scholarships. Some 3,200 Japanese American citizens.

Deadliest War in History

Total loss of Human life Approx. 72 million people

http://worldwar2-database.blogspot.com/2010/10/world-war-ii-casualties.html

China – 20 m Germany – 7.2 m Japan – 2.7 m Poland – 5.6 m Soviet Union – 23 m United Kingdom – 450,000 United States – 418,500

Nuremberg Trials

12 Nazi Leaders sentenced to death.

Thousands of other Nazis imprisoned.

Japanese leaders tried and executed as well.