Unit 5 Lesson 5: War in the Pacific Flashcards
(37 cards)
What was the Pacific theater in the war
The Pacific theater of the war covered lands and waters in eastern and southeastern Asia.
How was Japan doing in the begnning of the war
Japanese forces won a series of early victories against Allied forces from December 1941 to May 1942.
What terrtiotes did Japense forces seize and what were the threathing to seize
They seized Guam and Wake Island from the United States. They also streamed through Malaysia and Thailand into the Philippines and through the Dutch East Indies. By February 1942, the Japanese were threatening Australia.
Stories of the difficult defeats at Bataan and the eventual Japanese capture of the Philippines revealed Japanese mistreatment of prisoners, including Americans. During the “Bataan Death March” What was the Bataan Death March
During the “Bataan Death March” the Japanese forced defeated American and Filipino soldiers to walk more than 60 miles to prisoner of war camps. Japanese soldiers tormented and abused the prisoners as they traveled. They did not provide enough food or water, and they sometimes killed prisoners for no reason.
What did America do after their victories in the Battle of Coral Sea and the Battle of Midway
Shortly after the American victory, U.S. forces invaded Guadalcanal and New Guinea.
Importance of the Battle of Midway
The Battle of Midway was the first Japanese naval defeat in many years.
How dd some American military leaders such as General Douglas MacArthur feel about the “Europe First” strategy,
Despite the Allies’ “Europe First” strategy, American forces swung into action as quickly as they could to blunt the Japanese advance. Many high-ranking American military leaders demanded that greater attention be paid to the Pacific campaign. Officers such as General Douglas MacArthur argued that American resources should be used in the Pacific to take back territory seized by Japan.
How many died during the Bataan Death March
. As many as 650 Americans and 10,000 Filipinos died on the march. Others died later from disease or weakness.
invasion of the Bataan Peninsula in the Philippines
During the winter of 1942, U.S. and Filipino troops fought hard against a Japanese invasion of the Bataan Peninsula in the Philippines.
What battles started to trun the tide in the battle with Japan
The Allies turned the tide in May and June 1942 at the Battle of Coral Sea and the Battle of Midway.
Throughout 1943, the Allies engaged in a campaign of “island hopping.” What does that mean
Allied forces gradually moved across the Pacific to Japan. MacArthur and the Allied forces bypassed certain islands held by the Japanese that were of little or no strategic value. Instead, they focused on locations from which they could disrupt or destroy Japanese communications and transportation routes. The Allies thus advanced toward Japan without engaging the thousands of Japanese stationed on fortified islands
Battle of the Philippine Sea
In 1944, the United States won the Battle of the Philippine Sea.
What was the goal of island hopping
The goal was to advance Allied air strength close enough to Japan itself to achieve air superiority over the islands. Then the Allies could bomb Japan into submission or at least weaken it in preparation for an amphibious assault.
Progressively, Allied forces drew closer to the strategically important targets of Iwo Jima and Okinawa. When did the reach the island of Iwo Jima
By February 1945, American forces reached the island of Iwo Jima.
How would the Allies use the Iwo Jima
The Allies meant to use the island as a forward air base for fighter planes and to provide cover for long-distance bombing raids on Japan.
Two months later, an even larger engagement took place as American forces invaded Okinawa. What was this battle like
This was the hardest fought and bloodiest battle of the Pacific Theater. The conflict raged from April 1945 well into July 1945.
aftermatch of the invasion of Okinawa
The island was finally secured at the cost of 17,000 Allied soldiers killed and 36,000 wounded. Japanese forces lost more than 100,000 troops. Perhaps as many as 150,000 civilians perished as well.
What lead Roosvelt to do the Manhattan Project
Albert Einstein, who had immigrated to the United States in 1933 to escape the Nazis, persuaded President Franklin Roosevelt to launch an American atomic research project. In late 1941, the program received its code name: the Manhattan Project
the Manhattan Project
Located at Los Alamos, New Mexico, the Manhattan Project employed 150,000 people and cost about $2 billion. In July 1945, the project’s scientists successfully tested the world’s first atomic bomb.
How did officals decidd what cities to bomb
Officials suspected that the immediate bomb blast would extend over one mile and that secondary effects would include fire damage. They decided the best target would be a compact city of significant military value with densely built frame buildings.
why city did officals choose
Hiroshima to bomb
Eventually, they chose the city of Hiroshima, Japan. It was the headquarters of part of the Japanese army and the communications and supply hub for all of southern Japan.
why city did officals choose
Nagasaki to bomb
Nagasaki, an industrial center producing war goods and the largest seaport in southern Japan, was selected as a secondary target.
Why did President Truman decide to use an atomic bomb?
Truman, who had not known about the Manhattan Project until Roosevelt’s death, may not have fully realized how destructive the bomb was. Even some of the scientists who had built the bomb were surprised by its power. Japanese forces had put up fierce resistance throughout the war. This led American planners to believe that any invasion of the Japanese home islands would be exceedingly bloody. According to some estimates, as many as 250,000 Americans might have died in securing a final victory. The American people were also tired of fighting. The war had been very costly in terms of lives, money, and resources. Fighting had ended in Europe but seemed likely to continue for a long time in the Pacific. Such considerations undoubtedly influenced President Truman’s decision to use atomic weapons against Japan.
The Enola Gay, a B-29 bomber named after its pilot’s mother, dropped the first atomic bomb, nicknamed “Little Boy,” on Hiroshima. When
on Monday morning, August 6, 1945, at 8:15 a.m.
