History Test

Frank "Jack" Fletcher

Commanded the Pacific fleet's cruisers during the battle of Midway.

Harry S. Truman

became the President of the United States after Franklin D. Roosevelt died on April 12, 1945. Was formerly the Vice-President (line of succession)

Emperor Hirohito -

 Let free by the Americans who did not want the Japanese civilians to retaliate against the American occupation. 

Enrico Fermi -

One of the 3 men who were told to create the atomic bombs. He also had the 1st controlled chain reaction in Los Alamos, New Mexico.

Franklin D. Roosevelt -

President during World War II, had a cerebral hemorrhage and died, Harry Truman took over after, Japanese broadcast news of FDR's death in hopes to lower US morale

Joseph Stilwell -

leads Amrican, Indian, and Chinese forces, defends India and plans to recapture Burma

Frank Merrill -

leader of the Merrill's Marauders, used guerilla tactics in Burma to combat the Japanese

Chester Nimitz -

Chief of the Bureau of Navigation, commander and chief of the US Pacific Fleet, command of all allied units in Pacific; air, land, and sea

Joseph Rochefort -

cracked Jap code, discovered that AF was Midway by sending out a message saying that the water purifiers are broken

Leslie R. Groves -

General in charge of the Manhattan project

J. Robert Oppenheimer -

Dude who lead the atomic bomb creating team in Los Alamos, mission is to create a bomb that could store all the raw materials & trigger a chain reaction on demand

Hideki Tojo -

resigns from Prime Minister of Japan after the loss of Saipan and the Battle of the Philippine Sea, attempted to kill himself by shooting himself in the chest but the Allies nursed him back to health in order to hang him

William "Bull" Halsey

replaced at the Battle of Midway due to shingles, Admiral of the U.S. Navy. WW2: (USS Enterprise & Doolittle's Raid), in Battle of Leyte Gulf Japs draw _____ & fleet away from landing, _____ can't help it and heads north leaving the invasion fleet by itself

Ray Spruance -

led the aircraft carriers Hornet and Enterprise in the Battle of Midway

Douglas MacArthur

born in 1880, One of the most important generals. Army chief of staff, FDR’s military advisor to the philippines, commander of the U.S army forces in the forest.  Promises his men he’ll be back.

Leo Szilard

Jewish physicist who was friends with Albert Einstein, believed the Nazi's were working on an atomic bomb, asks Einstein to send a letter to FDR (more credible person)

Claire Chennault

forced to retire from the US Air Force, became commander of the Chinese Air Force, worked out a deal with FDR to allow American pilots to fly in China as mercenaries

Operation Downfall -

invasion of Japan, estimates of 1.7 to 4 million American casualties due to invasion, talk of troops in Europe going to Pacific to finish, costly & not expected to be an easy fight, never happens because of atomic bombs

Operation Vengeance -

Essentially just to kill Admiral Yamamoto. Broke Japanese code, 16 P-38 Lightnings would ambush flight, dead with no American loses

Battle of Saipan -

The U.S. invaded ______ on June 15, 1944, and won the battle by Late July. Once found out by the emperor. He ordered the civilians to do suicide as they would reach the same afterlife award as the Japanese soldiers who died doing the Banzai charges.

Battle of Guadalcanal -

The Japanese had built airstrips on this island. It was a treat to allied bases and communication lines in Australia therefore, the Americans wanted the Island. Japanese retreat to the Jungle, and the U.S. builds the airstrip and names it Henderson. Fighting occurs for 6 months. The U.S. controlled the waters and then the Japanese surrendered. 1st gained Japanese territory by the U.S.

Battle of Midway -

code name "AF," Yamamoto plans to ambush the US fleet arriving to defend but his plan is revealed by Americans who have cracked code

Battle of Iwo Jima -

considered a home island of Japan, Marines pack onto the beach and are bombarded by enemy fire, the Marines slowly push to Mt. Suribachi, the Japs see that the island is falling into U.S. hands so they launch Banzai charges, 27 medals of honor are awarded

Battle of Guam -

U.S. territory that was stolen by Japan. Took about 15 days to get the Island back fron the Japanese. The Island had elaborate defensive fortifications.

Battle of Leyte Gulf -

a series of 5 naval battles; largest naval battle of the war

Battle of Coral Sea -

the fall of the Dutch East Indies opened the way to Australia for Japan (last stronghold for the allies), USS Yorktown and USS Lexington sent to help, Japs plan to take Port Moresby, Americans broke code, both sides are hunting one another, USS Yorktown suffers a lot of damage but is saved, lots of damage for both countries, Japs leave and disengage, strategic victory for the Allies (stopped the invasion of Port Moresby)

Battle of the Philippine Sea -

Known as the "The great marianas turkey shoot". The U.S. controls waters and skies and the ground on the Mariannas.

Battle of Manila -

harsh, firecrest fighting, first urban fighting in the Pacific, Admiral Iwabuchi Sanji orders to defend the city to the last man even though he was told to back away from fighting (wanted to redeem himself), the US decides to bring in tanks so that no more men are lost, the Japanese raped & murdered citizens, Japs refuse to surrender and continue fighting until the end of the war

Battle of Tarawa -

in Gilbert Islands, U.S. fleets attacked but but got stuck on coral reefs surrounding the island, island is captured in 3 days, used "alligators"(Amphtrac- a boat that uses tank-like materials to pass the atoll. ) to reach the beach.

Battle of Tinian -

July 24 - U.S Marines land on ____, Colonel Kiyochi Ogata tricked into thinking that the fight was happening on the opposite side, same tactics used by Japs as Saipan, napalm used for first time (jelly/gasoline bombs), _____ secured Aug 2

Battle of Okinawa -

the last obstacle before invading Japan, in an attempt to save the island super-battleship Yamato and cruiser Yahagi are sent to crash into the beach but are sunk before reaching the island, 2nd largest battle to Operation Overlord

Marshall Islands -

was bombed by U.S. planes in Tarawa, contains 3 separate islands that were invaded Kwajalein, Eniwetok, and Truck Atoll

Nagasaki -

where the second atomic bomb was dropped, not original plan, weather had been bad at other location, Nagasaki had ideal weather

Truk Atoll -

A Island on the Caroline islands. Japanese equivalent to pearl harbor. Big win for the Americans.

Los Alamos -

Where the first controlled nuclear chain reaction occurred.

Hiroshima -

location where the first atomic bomb was dropped

Mt. Suribachi -

mountain on Iwo Jima, captured by U.S. forces where a large flag is raised

Fat Man -

Plutonium based bomb dropped on Nagasaki (Aug 9, 1945)

Enola Gay -

dropped 1st atomic bomb(Little Boy) in history on Hiromshima

USS Missouri -

ship where Japan signed an unconditional surrender on September 2, 1945

Bockscar -

name of the plane that dropped the second atomic bomb(Fat Man) on Nagasaki

Flying Tigers -

a force of Chinese and American pilots, was known for making decisive blows against much more powerful Jap planes, also known as American Volunteer Group

Little Boy -

Uranium based bomb dropped on Hiroshima

Doolittle's Raid -

Led by Lieutenant Colonel James Doolittle. Launch B-25s out of aircraft carriers. Goal- Sail close to Japan and launch bombers out of USS Hornet to get targets in Japan. They can't land back on aircraft carriers. Solution: Fly to allied China and wait.

Merrill's Marauders-

1st American men who fought on the western front. Their goal was to blow-up, destroy, and deceit the Japanese militants.

Manhattan Project -

top secret project to beat Germany with the development of an atomic bomb, presented to Roosevelt by physicist Leo Szilard and Albert Einstein

Bataan Death March -

American soldiers were captured by the Japanese army and were forced to march 60 miles then put on trains and sent to slave labor camps, about 10,000 died during the journey

Seabees -

 U.S. naval construction battalions, 15,000 military men turn Tinian into the busiest airfield in the war. 

Island Hopping -

a military strategy of selectively attacking enemy-held islands & passing others, helped the US cut off some of Japan's crucial supplies and reinforcements, islands became useless to Japan

Kamikaze -

suicide mission - 1 way trip; filled up planes with tons of gas and explosives; Japanese pilots would crash into US boats in hopes to sink them; Japanese pilots were trained to hit the boats right on the waterline - causes most damage