US History - WW2 Japan and US

*USSR set to join the war days after the droppings of the atomic bombs

*Japan surrendered on the USS Missouri

*easy for Japan to expand after Pearl Harbor because there was no European/US influence over the Pacific Islands

*Mt. Suribachi was where they raised the flag in Iwo Jima


Key Battles

  • Pearl Harbor

    • Start of the war against Japan

    • December 7, 1941


  • Battle of Bataan

    • Bataan Death March 

    • Began on January 1, 1942

    • Americans stranded in the Philippines attempted to resist the Japanese.

    • The force on Bataan (78,000 Filipino and American troops) is the largest army under American command ever to surrender.


  • Battle of the Coral Sea

    • Occurred from May 4, 1942 - May 8, 1942

    • Japan hoped to attack a port in New Guinea and cut Australia off from the allies, making it possible for it to be invaded.

    • Both sides suffered heavy losses but the Japanese were forced to call off their amphibious attack on Port Moresby.

    • Moral Victory for the USA

    • Stopped Japanese expansion in the South Pacific

    • The naval battle where the ships never saw each other.


  • Battle of Midway

    • Occurred on June 4, 1942 - June 7, 1942

    • Japan planned a diversionary attack on the Aleutian Islands (Alaska) while the main force attacked Midway to destroy the American fleet.

    • Japan was hoping to capture Midway to use it as a base to launch attacks in Hawaii, Alaska, or even the west coast of America.

    • Thanks to MAGIC Intercepts, the US didn’t fall for the Alaska feint and reinforced Midway

    • It was an upset naval victory that stopped Japan from expanding east.


  • Battle of Guadalcanal 

    • American Marines begin Island Hopping Campaign


  • Battle of Iwo Jima

    • Occurred from February 19, 1945 - March 26, 1945

    • The Japanese concentrated its forces in the northern part of the island

    • One of the bloodiest battles in Marine Corps history.

    • 27 Medals of Honor were awarded for action on Iwo Jima - more than any other battle in US history

    • “Among the men who fought on Iwo Jima, uncommon valor was a common virtue.” – Admiral Chester W. Nimitz

  • Battle of Okinawa

    • Occurred from April 1 - June 22, 1945

    • The largest amphibious landing in the Pacific theater of WW2, but the landing didn’t meet resistance.

    • Japan’s army waited to draw the Americans into Okinawa’s series of ridges (Hacksaw Ridge)

    • A lot of the fighting was bloody hand-to-hand combat. So many casualties they couldn’t bury all the bodies.

    • Last major battle of WW2


  • Operation Downfall

    • Planned invasion of Japan

      • Didn’t happen


Key People

Douglas MacArthur: The Allied Supreme Commander of the War in the Pacific, promised to return to the Phillipines, returned to Australia when he was forced to retreat

Admiral Yamamoto: The Admiral responsible for Pearl Harbor who had his plane shot down by the Americans

Emperor Hirohito: The Emperor of Japan during WW2, looked up to by Japanese civilians, kept his position but had no power


Key Topics

Japanese Expansion at the start of the war


American Vs Japanese Strategy

  • US: 

    • First, stop Japanese expansion

      • Must clear the Pacific of Japan’s superior navy

    • Reclaim the Pacific

      • Island Hopping

  • Japan:

    • Make the war horrible for the US-fight from island to island not give an inch

    • Japan would have underground bunkers to attack from

    • Heavy Artillery/suicide attacks-kamikazes

    • Refuse to surrender - “Death before Dishonor”

    • Climate doesn’t help Americans

      • Jungles

      • Heat

      • Disease

Use of codes during the war

  • The US was able to intercept Japanese radio traffic in an operation called “MAGIC”

  • Coral Sea: MAGIC intercepts allowed Admiral Nimitz to position two carriers off the eastern tip of New Guinea

  • Midway: Thanks to MAGIC, the US didn’t fall for the Alaska feint and reinforced Midway

Atomic Bomb locations/names

  • Little Boy: Was dropped on Hiroshima by the USA (became the first use of an atomic bomb)

  • Fat Man: Was dropped on Nagasaki after Japan refused to surrender from the first bomb

  • Truman decides to drop the atomic bomb.

  • Enola Gay was the name of the plane that dropped the bomb.


American occupation of Japan: 

  • Douglas MacArthur was sent as Supreme Commander of the Allied Forces to oversee rebuilding, MacArthur's Constitution

  • Japan becomes a constitutional monarchy

  • (Political) new constitution, constitutional monarchy, emperor stripped of power, women’s suffrage, prevented Japan from becoming communist

  • (Economic) improve infrastructure, market economy, invest in human and capital resources

  • (Social) English as 2nd language, Japan adopts US culture