WWII in the Pacific

Long term causes of WWII in the Pacific?

1. WWI

2. Washington Naval Conference of 1921

3. Japanese Ultra-Nationalism

Washington Naval Conference (1921)

meeting held in Washington involving 9 nations in which the purpose was to avert a naval arms race between the U.S., Britain, and Japan

What was the ratio agreed upon at the Washington Naval Conference?

5:5:3

How many warships were agreed to be destroyed at the Washington Naval Conference?

60

Why was WWI a cause of WWII in the Pacific?

Japan's competition increased after the global market got back on its feet and they didn't acquire all of the German possessions they wished to keep after WWI.

China's response to Japan's 21 Demands

Tariff barriers and boycotts of Japanese goods

Japanese Ultra-Nationalism

-Japan saw itself as the natural leader of Asia

-People wanted to return to the old days of the samurai and pre Meiji

-powerful/rich families and the military had much of the power in Japan

-anti western sentiment grew as they thought Americans were racist (league of nations)

What caused civilian influence to disappear in the Japanese Government?

The Wall Street Crash (1929)

Japanese government prior to WWII

A liberal democracy overseen by a divine emperor

Greater East Asia Co-Prosperity Sphere

A imperialistic system founded by Japan consisting of other Asian countries during the early 20th century. Japan reduced its members to puppet nations, taking their raw materials and using them as new markets.

Short Term Causes

The Great Depression, Mukden Incident (Japanese Expansion), Sino-Japanese War & U.S Reaction, War Planes, Pearl Harbor

Great Depression as a cause

motivated Japan to start deficit spending in order to build the economy and the military

Prime Minister Takahashi

Japanese prime minister that tried to discourage deficit spending and was then assassinated prior to WWII

how much of Japanese government spending on weapons/armaments?

2/3

Mukden Incident (1931)

A "Chinese" attack on a Japanese railway near the city of Mukden (had actually been carried out by Japanese soldiers disguised as Chinese); used by Japan as an excuse to seize Manchuria

Manchuko

puppet state in Manchuria under Japanese control, Puyi is appointed ruler but he has no power, only a few countries recognize it as a legit nation

Why did Japan withdraw from the League of Nations?

league condemned japan's invasion of manchuria and found them in violation of the Nine Power Treaty

Nine Power Treaty

Agreement coming out of the Washington "Disarmament" Conference of 1921-1922 that pledged Britain, France, Italy, Japan, the United States, China, the Netherlands, Portugal, and Belgium to abide by the Open Door Policy in China. The Five-Power Naval Treaty on ship ratios and the Four-Power Treaty to preserve the status quo in the Pacific also came out of the conference.

Amau Doctrine (1934)

Japan's foreign policy stating its right to act to preserve "order" in East Asia

-declared China to be within Japan's sphere of influence

-demanded that other countries remove themselves from the economic and political affairs in China (created friction with the U.S.)

U.S. Stimson Doctrine

claimed it would not recognize any treaty that infringed on US commercial rights in the region of China

What happened in February, 1936?

A coup to overthrow the civilian government and assassinate Japan's Prime Minister failed and the military began to tighten its control of the country

Marco Polo Bridge Incident (1937)

A clash between Japanese and Chinese troops in the outskirts of Beijing on July 7, 1937. The Japanese government used this as an excuse to occupy Beijing. When Chiang Kai Shek refused to give way, full-scale war broke out between China and Japan.

Effects of Sino-Japanese War

-cost Japan $5 million a day

-directly threatened American interests in China

-Japan was dependent on American steel and oil which made them a liability

Japanese North Program

attack the USSR on the Mongolian border ARMY'S PLAN (didn't work)

Japanese South Program

seek resources in Indo-China (NAVY)

-France fell to Germany and allowed Japan to take control of French colonies in Asia

-Tripartite Pact w/Italy and Germany ensured mutual aid if any of them were attacked

-Russia had a non-aggression pact w/Russia

Which plan did Japanese go with?

South Program (NAVY)

Pearl Harbor

United States military base on Hawaii that was bombed by Japan, bringing the United States into World War II. Pearl Harbor was attacked on December 7, 1941. (prompted US to get involved in WWII)

who placed an embargo on Japan? (cut off oil and steel)

President Roosevelt

Admiral Yamamoto

Japanese admiral who planned the attack on Pearl Harbor; said that Japan could be successful against the U.S. for only 6 months to 1 year

Japan's strategy for U.S. attack

-seize U.S. outposts of Guam, Wake Islands, and the Philippines

-Launch surprise attack at Pearl Harbor

-use torpedo and dive bomber launched from aircraft carriers

goal of Japan

damage U.S. fleet severely to prevent their ability to operate in the Pacific Ocean

How successful was Pearl Harbor?

it completely surprised the U.S. Fleet

-sunk 4 battleships, heavily damaged 3, and damaged 12 other vessels

-200 aircrafts destroyed

-over 2000 people dead

-very successful except Japan MISSED AIRCRAFT CARRIERS AND OIL RESERVES WHICH WERE CRUCIAL TO US VICTORY

Hollywood Machine

celebrities that helped the U.S. raise funds through war bonds to help during WWII (marilyn monroe, charlie chaplin, athletes, etc.)

who were the allied forces in the pacific?

Australia, Britain, China, and the United States,

Japanese Strategy

1. initiate offensive operation (pearl harbor)

2. push east into the pacific to create a perimeter

3.push south to acquire resources

4. reinforce bases (fortification)

5. force a war of attrition to wear out the U.S.

Island Hopping

A military strategy used during World War II that involved selectively attacking specific enemy-held islands and bypassing others

Turning Point of WWII in the Pacific

Battle of Midway; allowed U.S. to transition from defense to offense

2 Pacific Theaters of War

Central Pacific Theater (NAVY) and South-West Pacific Theater (ARMY)

Admiral Chester Nimitz

Commander of the central Pacific Theater, who led troops to victory in the Battle of the Philippine Sea. (NAVY)

General MacArthur

Commander of the South-West Pacific Theater (ARMY)

Strategy for bombing mainland Japan

B-29 Superfortress armed to drop incendiary bombs over urban areas that were mainly composed of wood and paper

What city allowed the U.S. to be close enough to bomb the mainland of Japan from a distance?

Saipan

who had control of Hong Kong before the Japanese seized it?

Britain

Who controlled the Philippines before Japanese seized it?

The United States

Why was fighting in the Pacific difficult?

landing troops was difficult as supply ships and transport were easily exposed to attack

Guadalcanal

United States wanted to reconquer it to lay down and airstrip; vital for operations; allies won but Japanese dug in very well (10:1 casualty ratio favoring the U.S)

The Philippines

U.S. wanted to recapture the Philippines, they landed on Leyte and eventually took the capital of Manila back despite it being guarded by 250k Japanese soldiers

magic program

Operation Magic was the cryptonym given to United States efforts to break Japanese military and diplomatic codes during World War II.

What happened at Midway?

Americans deciphered the Japanese secret code and the Japanese lost 4 carriers/could no longer aggressively pursue the war. (turning point)

Iwo Jima

One of the Bloodiest battles in the war, Japanese soldiers were dug in a rocky terrain, a fight to the death for Japanese soldiers, as the Americans were coming closer to Japan. US reached Mount Suribachi in 4 days but took another month to finish the campaign. (Japan is now running out of resources)

Okinawa

Site of important battle near Japanese mainland; kamikaze attacks sank over 30 U.S. ships, last battle before and influenced use of atomic bombs; Allies won

Battle at Coral Sea

first naval battle where surface fleets didn't see each other as they were 180 miles apart; ended in 4 days and was a draw, but strategic for the U.S. because it prevented Japan from landing in New Guinea

The Manhattan Project

A secret U.S. project for the construction of the atomic bomb by Robert Oppenheimer; President Truman decides to bomb Japan without warning them first

August 6, 1945

Atomic bomb dropped on Hiroshima (80k die instantly, 50k later)

August 9, 1945

Atomic bomb dropped on Nagasaki (30k die instantly, 50k later)

what were the names of the bombs?

Fat Man and Little Boy

Why were Tokyo and Kyoto spared?

needed government offices for surrender and already firebombed (Tokyo) and not very strategic and beautiful city (Kyoto)

Who was appointed the governor of Japan after its surrender?

General MacArthur

American Terms of Occupation

-war criminals punished

--military disbanding and disarming

--ban former military personnel from holding political office

--EMPEROR HAD TO RENOUNCE HIS DIVINITY and accept a figurehead role in the government

-land from broke up large holding and gave to small tenants

--U.S. kept military bases on Okinawa and in Japan

Cold War- Japan's holdings

-China received Taiwan

--Russia took control of the North half of Korea

--United States took south half of Korea

--cold war escalated rehabilitation of Japan and W. Germany

Decolonization

The collapse of colonial empires. Between 1947 and 1962, practically all former colonies in Asia and Africa gained independence.

-China reignited their civil war

--France tried to regain control of Vietnam