World War II - Part 2 Notes

Pacific Theater

• Initial Japanese Advances (Dec 1941 - Feb 1942):

  • Significant US military setbacks.
  • Japan's sweep through Southeast Asia, overcoming British, American, and colonial resistance.
  • Conquest of the Philippines by Japan in February 1942.
  • Expansion into Mariana and Caroline Islands, including Guam.
  • Threat to Australia.

• Weaknesses in the Japanese War Machine:

  • Overextension: Vast perimeter stretching from Solomon Islands to Burma, Mariana Islands, and Manchuria to defend.
  • Limited Industrial Capacity: Inability to match US production of oil, rubber, steel, battleships, aircraft carriers, and aircraft.
  • Hope for negotiated settlement hinged on crippling American power in the Pacific.

• Early Battles and Turning Points:

  • Battle of the Coral Sea (May 1942): US halted Japan's southern advance toward Australia.
  • Battle of Midway (April 1942): US destroyed Japan's aircraft carrier fleet, a critical blow from which Japan couldn't recover.

• Strategic Shift After Midway:

  • Japan retreated to a strategic defensive line around the home islands, yet still extensive to defend.
  • US military adopted