Notes on War in the Pacific

Americans Enter World War 2

• The American public largely opposed involvement in foreign wars.
• Isolationism: A national policy to avoid alliances and economic commitments to other countries.

President Franklin D. Roosevelt

• F.D.R. believed war was unavoidable and aimed to assist allies.
• Political caution was paramount; re-election depended on avoiding needless conflicts.

Japanese Expansion in the Pacific

• By August 1942, the Japanese military had made significant advances across the Pacific, nearing areas such as
  • Manchuria, China, Southeast Asia, and various Pacific islands including Guam and the Philippines.

The Rape of Nanking

• Following the defeat of Chinese forces, the Japanese Imperial Army captured Nanking in December 1937.
• Approximately 300,000 civilians and soldiers were killed.
• Horrific violence included the execution of Chinese POWs and widespread sexual violence against women, with estimates of 30,000-80,000 women raped.
• Civilians faced extreme brutality, being forced to dig graves or buried alive.
• The comfort women system was established, forcing women into sexual slavery for soldiers.

The Attack on Pearl Harbor

• Date: December 7, 1941; Japan launched a surprise aerial attack on Pearl Harbor's naval base.
• Objectives included crippling the U.S. Navy and asserting dominance in the Pacific.
• Japan sought to eliminate American military support after U.S. sanctions on iron and steel exports.

Casualties and Immediate Consequences

• 360 Japanese planes attacked, resulting in 2,500 American fatalities and 1,200 injured.
• The United States declared war on Japan the following day; Germany and Italy declared war 3 days later.

Brutality of Japanese Warfare

• Japanese soldiers were known for fighting to the death, contributing to high casualty rates among American forces.
• The capture of Iwo Jima and Okinawa resulted in 60,000 American and 123,000 Japanese casualties.
• An invasion of Japan was projected to cause up to 1 million American casualties.

The Use of Atomic Bombs

• Following F.D.R.'s death, Harry Truman became President and oversaw the development of atomic bombs.
• Fat Man and Little Boy: Two bombs designed for maximum destruction.
• On August 6, 1945, "Little Boy" was dropped on Hiroshima, killing 70,000 immediately and leading to 20,000 more deaths due to radiation.
• A second bomb, Fat Man, was dropped on Nagasaki on August 9, 1945.
• Japan surrendered on August 14, 1945, effectively ending World War II.

Justifications for Using the Atomic Bomb

• The development cost to the U.S. was about $20 billion in today's economy.
• Retaliation for the Pearl Harbor attack and retribution for the mistreatment of POWs served as motives.
• A blockade of Japan would result in massive starvation and deaths among civilians.
• The atomic bomb was viewed as a means to save countless American lives from a prolonged conflict.