Chapter 18Chapter 18Section 4Section 4

Victory Victory

In In

AsiaAsia

Pacific OffencesPacific Offences• After the win at Guadalcanal the Allies had gone on the After the win at Guadalcanal the Allies had gone on the

offensiveoffensive• {The U.S. adopted a strategy of {The U.S. adopted a strategy of island-hoppingisland-hopping, ,

meaning that they would only attack certain strategic meaning that they would only attack certain strategic Japanese held islands}Japanese held islands} so that the other islands would so that the other islands would be cut off from supplies and troop reinforcementsbe cut off from supplies and troop reinforcements

• The island-hopping offensive began in November 1943 The island-hopping offensive began in November 1943 in the Gilbert Islandsin the Gilbert Islands

• The island of Tarawa was a hard island to take. Troops The island of Tarawa was a hard island to take. Troops had to wade up to the beach with no protection had to wade up to the beach with no protection because it was surrounded by a coral reefbecause it was surrounded by a coral reef

• Almost 1,000 marines lost their lives and over 2,000 Almost 1,000 marines lost their lives and over 2,000 were wounded before the island was securedwere wounded before the island was secured

• The island gave the U.S. control of an important airstrip The island gave the U.S. control of an important airstrip and a midpoint for forces to convene and a midpoint for forces to convene

SaipanSaipan

• The U.S. then moved on to the Marshall Islands The U.S. then moved on to the Marshall Islands and from there they began bombing the Truk and from there they began bombing the Truk Islands, where the headquarters of the Islands, where the headquarters of the Japanese force was locatedJapanese force was located

• By the summer of 1944, Allied forces advanced By the summer of 1944, Allied forces advanced to the Mariana Islands and dropped off 127,000 to the Mariana Islands and dropped off 127,000 troops in Saipan. troops in Saipan.

• The Japanese gathered their troops and went to The Japanese gathered their troops and went to stop the invasionstop the invasion

• In the air, the Japanese lost 350 aircraft and In the air, the Japanese lost 350 aircraft and suffered great losses. The U.S. lost only 30 suffered great losses. The U.S. lost only 30 aircraft, but because of lack of fuel 80 U.S. aircraft, but because of lack of fuel 80 U.S. pilots had to crash their planes into the ocean, pilots had to crash their planes into the ocean, nearly all the pilots were rescuednearly all the pilots were rescued

MeanwhileMeanwhile….….

• Saipan’s 32,000 ground troops were Saipan’s 32,000 ground troops were waging a heck of a fight against the Allied waging a heck of a fight against the Allied troops. troops.

• In the end the Allies won but they In the end the Allies won but they suffered great lossessuffered great losses

• Allied forced experienced similar troubles Allied forced experienced similar troubles while trying to take the island of Guamwhile trying to take the island of Guam

• These Allied victories were important These Allied victories were important because they provided airstrips for U.S. because they provided airstrips for U.S. bombers to begin launching missions bombers to begin launching missions against the main island of Japan against the main island of Japan

U.S. soldiers landing on the island of

Guam

Recapturing the PhilippinesRecapturing the Philippines• Despite their setbacks, the Japanese resistance was strong Despite their setbacks, the Japanese resistance was strong

when the Allies began their New Guinea-Philippines when the Allies began their New Guinea-Philippines campaign in June 1943campaign in June 1943

• General Douglas MacArthur led U.S. and Australian force General Douglas MacArthur led U.S. and Australian force along the northern coast of New Guinea gaining victory along the northern coast of New Guinea gaining victory after victoryafter victory

• By the fall of 1944 MacArthur made his way to the By the fall of 1944 MacArthur made his way to the Philippines and landed on the beaches of the island of Philippines and landed on the beaches of the island of Leyte.Leyte.

• The result was the last, largest and most vital naval battle The result was the last, largest and most vital naval battle in the Pacific, The in the Pacific, The Battle of Leyte GulfBattle of Leyte Gulf. In which the . In which the Japanese suffered great losses and were no longer seen as Japanese suffered great losses and were no longer seen as naval threat throughout the rest of the warnaval threat throughout the rest of the war

• {Aided by Filipino rebels the Allied troops overcame the {Aided by Filipino rebels the Allied troops overcame the Japanese opposition in the Japanese opposition in the Battle of LeyteBattle of Leyte Gulf and Gulf and General MacArthur took back the Philippines}General MacArthur took back the Philippines}

General MacArthur’s return to the Philippines

Iwo JimaIwo Jima• These victories gave the Allies the ability to begin air These victories gave the Allies the ability to begin air

strikes on the mainland of Japanstrikes on the mainland of Japan• At the same time MacArthur was securing the At the same time MacArthur was securing the

Philippines the U.S. marines attacked the island of Iwo Philippines the U.S. marines attacked the island of Iwo Jima, where they met a fierce resistanceJima, where they met a fierce resistance

• The The Battle of Iwo JimaBattle of Iwo Jima lasted six weeks lasted six weeks• Several thousand marines and more than 20,000 Several thousand marines and more than 20,000

Japanese soldiers were killed Japanese soldiers were killed • The marines struggled to take Mount Suribachi which The marines struggled to take Mount Suribachi which

the Japanese defended with a system of tunnels and the Japanese defended with a system of tunnels and underground bunkers. Sunderground bunkers. S

• Once the marines got to the top of the volcanic Once the marines got to the top of the volcanic structure they planted the U.S. flag in the rocky ground structure they planted the U.S. flag in the rocky ground

OkinawaOkinawa• On April 1, 1945, the largest landing force in Pacific On April 1, 1945, the largest landing force in Pacific

history landed on the small island of Okinawa. history landed on the small island of Okinawa. • The Japanese forces decided not to fight the landing The Japanese forces decided not to fight the landing

and the island was won without a single shot ever being and the island was won without a single shot ever being firedfired

• Five days later the Japanese attacked they sent 700 Five days later the Japanese attacked they sent 700 planes to the island, 350 of which were kamikaze, or planes to the island, 350 of which were kamikaze, or suicide planessuicide planes

• The The Battle of OkinawaBattle of Okinawa was probably the bloodiest of was probably the bloodiest of the Pacific battles.the Pacific battles.

• The Japanese hid in caves that dotted the islands. U.S. The Japanese hid in caves that dotted the islands. U.S. troops had to attack and secure each cave individually, troops had to attack and secure each cave individually, often with the use of flamethrowersoften with the use of flamethrowers

• About 49,000 U.S. troops were killed or wounded in the About 49,000 U.S. troops were killed or wounded in the battle and over 100,000 Japanese died in the fightingbattle and over 100,000 Japanese died in the fighting

The Death of RooseveltThe Death of Roosevelt• Unfortunately Unfortunately

President Roosevelt President Roosevelt never got to see the never got to see the end of the war. He died end of the war. He died suddenly on April 12, suddenly on April 12, 1945 of complications 1945 of complications due to his polio. He due to his polio. He was sitting for a was sitting for a portrait when he portrait when he claimed to have a claimed to have a terrible headache. terrible headache. {Shortly after being {Shortly after being helped upstairs he helped upstairs he collapsed. Roosevelt collapsed. Roosevelt suffered a massive suffered a massive cerebral hemorrhage cerebral hemorrhage His vice-president His vice-president Harry S. TrumanHarry S. Truman took took over as president.}over as president.}

The Atomic BombThe Atomic Bomb

• {A new weapon was developed in the U.S. by the top-{A new weapon was developed in the U.S. by the top-secret secret Manhattan ProjectManhattan Project}}

• In the 30’s many European Jewish scientists followed In the 30’s many European Jewish scientists followed Albert Einstein’sAlbert Einstein’s examples of atom splitting examples of atom splitting

• In August 1939, Einstein wrote to Roosevelt and warned In August 1939, Einstein wrote to Roosevelt and warned him of the capability of the research and essentially him of the capability of the research and essentially explained an atomic bombexplained an atomic bomb

• The race was on to be the first nation to build oneThe race was on to be the first nation to build one• {We tested the first atomic bomb at {We tested the first atomic bomb at Alamogordo, NMAlamogordo, NM

on July 16,1945.}on July 16,1945.}• The nest day Truman met with Allied leaders and on the The nest day Truman met with Allied leaders and on the

2626thth the Allies asked for Japan’s complete surrender the Allies asked for Japan’s complete surrender• Japan refusedJapan refused

Continued….Continued….

• {Truman gave the order to use atomic weapons on {Truman gave the order to use atomic weapons on Japan}Japan}

• {At 8:15am on August 6, 1945 a U.S. B-29 bomber named {At 8:15am on August 6, 1945 a U.S. B-29 bomber named Enola GayEnola Gay dropped the atomic bomb on Hiroshima} dropped the atomic bomb on Hiroshima}

• Following the fire and the mushroom cloud the crew was Following the fire and the mushroom cloud the crew was horrified at the scene that lay before them. Co-pilot horrified at the scene that lay before them. Co-pilot Robert Lewis later wrote in his journal “My God, what have Robert Lewis later wrote in his journal “My God, what have we done?”we done?”

• The A-bomb killed some 75,000 peopleThe A-bomb killed some 75,000 people• Three days later we dropped another bomb on Nagasaki Three days later we dropped another bomb on Nagasaki • The blast vaporized people, melted stones and ignited The blast vaporized people, melted stones and ignited

everything flammable within a mile radiuseverything flammable within a mile radius• Japan estimated the deaths at 200,000 between the two Japan estimated the deaths at 200,000 between the two

bombsbombs• Japan’s formal surrender was signed September 2, 1945. Japan’s formal surrender was signed September 2, 1945.