L14 island hopping

Question 1

significance of guadacanal

Answer 1

j= 24,000 men killed, including 9k from hunger and disease
a= 1,600 killed, 4200 wounded, several thousand dead from malaria/ tropical diseases
us positions in southern solomans = never again threatened, helped secure supply routes to australia
naval battles —> cost each side 24 war ships and j= 600+ planes

Question 2

reasons for island hopping strategy

Answer 2

cut off j supply routes to other islands —> isolated —> increase likelihood of starvation and disease
get within bombing range of j’s mainland
minimise allied casualties

Question 3

japanese tactics in defending islands

Answer 3

trying to inflict as much damage as possible and kill as many us soldiers as possible before losing territory
EG 19th feb 1945: iwo jima island —> network of tunnels / heavily fortified beaches with pillboxes and foxholes —> waited until all us gather on beach —> attack —> increase number of us casualties (brutal fighting)—> ‘success’= 26,000 us casualties (6k dead) vs j= 21,000 involved, 20,700 dead

Question 4

consequences of battle of okinawa

Answer 4

90% of buildings destroyed
j= 84,166-117,000 japanese casualties/ most= suicide rather than surrender, 149,425 civilians=killed, died by suicide or went missing
a= 82,000 casualties
brutal nature = made it clear invasion of japanese mainland would lead to many casualties