The War in the Pacific

Flashcards about the War in the Pacific.

What happened to American and Filipino troops in the Philippines in 1941?

They were forced to the Bataan Peninsula and Corregidor by Japanese troops.

What was the Bataan Death March?

The forced march of 76,000 Allied prisoners by the Japanese, resulting in approximately 54,000 reaching the camp.

What was the purpose of the Doolittle Raid on Tokyo in April 1942?

To lift American spirits and show Japan was not untouchable, though it caused little damage.

What was the significance of the Battle of Midway?

The US Navy destroyed four Japanese aircraft carriers, crippling Japan's naval strength.

What strategy did the US commanders adopt in the Pacific?

Island hopping: capturing key islands to use as bases for further attacks.

Where did the US fight a major battle between August 1942 and February 1943?

Guadalcanal, in the Solomon Islands.

What was the outcome of the Battle of Leyte Gulf in October 1944?

The US Navy destroyed most of the Japanese fleet.

What were kamikazes?

Japanese suicide pilots who crashed their planes into US ships.

What did Albert Einstein warn President Roosevelt about in 1939?

That the Nazis might try to create an atomic bomb.

What was the Manhattan Project?

The top-secret American program to develop the atomic bomb.

Who made the decision to use the atomic bomb?

President Harry S. Truman.

What warning did the Allies give Japan before using the atomic bomb?

The Potsdam Declaration: Surrender or be destroyed.

Where were the atomic bombs dropped in Japan?

Hiroshima and Nagasaki.

What is V-J Day?

Victory in Japan Day, August 15, 1945, when Japan surrendered.

What were some of the costs of WWII?

Over 55 million people died, including a large number of civilians, and the rebuilding of nations would be lengthy.