The war in the Pacific started on December 7, 1941 when the Japanese launched a surprise attack on the United States naval base, Pearl Harbor. The war continued on until V-J Day on September 2, 1945, when the Japanese surrendered. One of the key factors of the Japanese surrender was the dropping of the atomic bombs on the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. If the United States did not drop the atomic bomb, the war would have lasted for much longer. The atomic bomb attacks on Hiroshima and Nagasaki quickened the ending of the war, ultimately saving more lives than if the Japanese mainland was invaded. 1. The War in the Pacific For the United States, the war in the Pacific started with the attack of Pearl Harbor. The war in the Pacific Theater would last for over three years, resulting in millions of deaths on both sides. There were battles fought on both sea and land for both strategic locations and resources. Influential battles include the Battles of Midway, Okinawa and Iwo Jima. Towards the end of the war, the United States was blockading Japan with submarines and bombing cities with B-29s to try and get the Japanese to surrender (The Defeat of Japan). This took a heavy toll on Japan’s citizens, but it was not enough to get them to surrender. 2. Ending the War Towards the end of the war, the United States had pushed the Japanese out of the non-Japanese territories, such as the Philippines, and back into their own land. The United States was looking to end the war in the Pacific and had a few options to choose from. The first option was to invade the Japanese mainland. The United states had taken key islands and “by early 1945, American forces were then in position to attack Japan itself” (UXL Encyclopedia of U.S. Histo... ... middle of paper ... ... and nationalism would have lead the Japanese to fight to the death, resulting in huge casualties for both the Americans and Japanese. Although the atomic bombings were an extremely effective tool for ending the war, they started an era of extreme tension between the United States and the Soviet Union. The Soviet Union would acquire nuclear technology through spying which would lead to over four decades of uncertainty and a never ending arms race. This era would be known as the Cold War and would strike paranoia into a generation. If you ask Katherine Philips, she would say that the atomic bomb was a great invention. If you ask someone of the Cold War era, they would tell you that it would be the cause of an unnecessary standoff between two superpowers. So was dropping the bomb really the right thing to do? Maybe it just depends on which generation you are asking.
Japan announced its new policy and invaded Manchuria and Japan. The U.S. was concerned about Japan’s behavior but did not take war actions so they stopped trading with them. President Franklin moved U.S. Navy from California to Pearl Harbor with the Congress agreement. The United States became a major threat to Japan. Many people believe the Japanese were successful in their attack. But, the result of the attack did not enable Japan to expand in the Pacific. It did not result in the acquisition of more natural resources. And, the restrictions were not lifted as a result of the
The United States entered WW II immediately following the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941. The U.S. entry was a major turning point in the war because it brought the strongest industrial strength to the Allied side. The Americans helped the Allies to win the war in Europe with the surrender of Germany on May 7, 1945. However, the war in the Pacific continued. The war with Japan at this point consisted primarily of strategic bombings. America had recently completed an atomic bomb and was considering using this weapon of mass destruction for the first time. The goal was to force the “unconditional surrender” of the Japanese. Roosevelt had used the term “unconditional surrender” in a press conference in 1943 and it had since become a central war aim. Truman and his staff (still feeling bound by FDR’s words) demanded unconditional surrender from the Japanese. Consequently on July 26, 1945 Truman issued an ultimatum to Japan. This ultimatum stated that Japan must accept “unconditional surrender” or suffer “utter devastation of the Japanese Homeland”. This surrender included abdication of the throne by their emperor. Japan was not willing to surrender their dynasty and ignored the ultimatum. On August 6th and August 9th, atomic bombs were dropped on the cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki respectively.
World War II, along with its numerous battles, brought great tension between two of the strongest countries during the 1940s: the United States and Japan. Conflict between these two countries started with Japan’s push past Chinese borders into Manchuria in search of the natural resources Japan lacks. At first, the United States avoided military action with Japan by waging economic warfare on them. This economic pressure included the passing of the Neutrality Act, which prohibited the sale of weapons to nations at war (Nash 513). Additionally, the United States placed oil embargoes on Japan hoping it would force Japan to shut down military operations in China. Japan, at a critical decision point, decided to bomb the American naval base at Pearl Harbor. On December 7th, 1941 at 6 a.m., Japan pilots bombed the naval base at Pearl Harbor, taking out the United States’ strongest battleships, killing thousands of people, and destroying hundreds of planes (Sherman). The day after Pearl Harbor, the United States declared war on Japan. Over the next few years, the United States and Japan fought fierce battles for dominance in the Pacific Ocean. One of the most important battles during the United States and Japanese war was the Battle of Midway. Japan was destroying the United States at sea, until the Battle of Midway gave the United States Pacific Fleet an edge on Japanese forces. The Battle of Midway was the most important naval engagement of World War II: it was a decisive battle that allowed the United States to be the dominant naval power in the Pacific and it marked a turning point in World War II for the United States.
The Pacific war started with striking Japanese victories. The Japanese arrived in Manila by January 1942. The American forces held out up to early May, after ...
After World War II began in 1939, President Franklin Delano Roosevelt announced the neutrality of the United States. Many people in the United States thought that their country should stay out of the war. The people wanted the Allied Forces to have the victory. President Roosevelt also wanted an Allied victory because an Axis victory might endanger democracies everywhere. The United States equipped nations fighting the Axis with ships, tanks, aircraft, and other war materials. The Axis did not like this. Japan wanted to take over China, but China refused. China was led by Chiang Kai-Shek at the time. Japan wanted the United States to stop sending China supplies, but the United States refused. The United States opposed the expansion of Japan in Asia, so they cut off important exports to Japan.
During the Second World War after the attack on Pearl Harbor Guam was also attacked and seized by the Japanese military this is when the Pacific war had begun. The United States now focused their attention on the Philippines, Iwo Jima, and the Mariana Islands. Hoping to capture Guam back from the Japanese, United States also wanted to capture the remaining islands. These islands would be in the front lines of the war in the Pacific. 1
While many thought that the decision to drop the bomb was an inhumane choice by President Truman, it is, by far, the most practical of the decisions made by the American side. The main alternative that would have been used, if the United States had not of dropped the atomic bomb, would have been a full on invasion of Japan by the American forces. An example of this can be seen in the article “Atomic Bombing of Japan,” when the author states “Furthermore, proponents note, the main alternative to use of the atomic bomb being considered at the time was a mass invasion of the Japanese home islands. They contend that such an invasion would have been very costly in terms of U.S.
Ultimately the Pacific Theater, and WWII ended on August 15th 1945 after two atomic bombs were dropped on Japan, however, The Battle of Midway, the turning point of the Theater would not have been won had it not been for the various technological advantages and desires for revenge of pearl harbor.
...or both sides; casualties were increasing. This was what mostly led to the U.S to drop the atomic bomb. The Japanese surrender did not occur until after the first bomb dropped of the atomic bombs on Hiroshima and a second on Nagasaki. The atomic bomb was the result of a top secret experiment called the Manhattan Project (The Americans. Reconstruction to the 21st Century) the war was finally over when Japan surrendered on August 14th.
With multiple chances from the United States to surrender in the war and rejecting each one, the Japanese set themselves up for disaster. On August 6, 1945 the course of history was changed. Two atomic bombs were dropped on the Japanese cities of Hiroshima, and three days later, August 9, 1945, on Nagasaki that ended World War II. Japan had already been a defeated nation from conventional bombs and World War II. Many innocent lives were lost, psychological scars were left on the lives of the bomb survivors, and thus many lives were changed forever. The atomic bombings caused many people to have genetic effects due to the radiation from the bombs. Revisionists have said the US used the bombs to blackmail the Soviet Union. The deployment of the atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki was morally justified because it ended the war quickly, ultimately saved many lives, and was a beginning for many.
In my personal opinion, after gather as much information as possible, I think that the use of the atomic bomb is impracticable and a waste of time, money, and lives. If I were President of the United States I could have made the decision to not use the Atomic bomb on Japan. Using this weapon would only open the door to more destruction. After dropping this bomb, I don’t think it would have ended the war. It probably would have ended World War II, but I think that it would have created more wars to come. People, most likely Japan, would have wanted revenge and find a way to counterattack. They would try to create a more dangerous destruction weapon that would allow them to retaliate and destroy. I, as President, would have wanted to prevent that. And in the best interest of my country I would have made the decision to keep this nuclear weapon out of war.
During months of negotiations between Tokyo and Washington, D.C., neither side would budge, making the war inevitable. Japan wanted to bring the United States into the war, so they began to plan their infamous attack. Japan’s military envisioned a grand empire that would cover most of Southeast Asia and the islands of the South Pacific. The Philippine Islands are in the middle of that domain, which was at the time American territory. Military bases with thousands of U.S. troops were stationed on these islands. The Japanese predicted it was only a matter of time before America would enter the war. Therefore, decided that a surprise was their best weapon against the United States. Japan’s attack on Pearl Harbor was a huge tragedy to the U.S., and caused the U.S. to enter into WWII, but brought more consequences to Japan than could ever be
The dropping of the bomb brought unending effects to the Japanese but also caused a quick ending to the war. In my opinion the atomic bomb was needed. The effects of the bomb did affect many people and caused unnecessary deaths but if it wasn’t dropped many more American deaths would have occurred. Not only did the bomb save lives, it helped end the war quickly and get Japan to surrender. The bomb caused fear in many other nations making the United States the strongest country. Soon after the bomb was dropped many countries feared the development of atomic bombs. This facilitated peace talks and preventing of wars. Each side had their own opinions as to why or why not the bomb should be dropped. The moral and ethical debate over the decision to drop the atomic bomb will never be resolved, however it did bring an end to the most devastating war. If an atomic bomb were to be used today, or accidentally set off, it could wipe out the entire earth whereas the destruction and radiation alone would have devastating effects. Cancer would rise dramatically and a nuclear winter where all the light is extinguished could occur (7 Crucial Pros and Cons of the Atomic Bomb,
On August 6, 1945 the United States dropped the first atomic bomb on the Japanese city of Hiroshima. This was an extremely controversial military strategy in the United States. Was the United States justified in the dropping of the atomic bomb? The U.S. feared the rise of communism and gave aid to any country against it. The U.S. also fought countries threatening the spread communism. One of these countries was Japan. We began a harsh and brutal war against Japan and against communism. This war was killing many soldiers and Japan was not backing down. President Truman decided to use the atomic bomb when things were getting worse. The decision to use the atomic bomb was a difficult one and many people wonder if it was the right choice.
As the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941 the United States officially entered World War Two. The Japanese government later learned later that this single event sets off an explosion that subsequently caused the United States to attack the Midway Islands in the Pacific Ocean. Pearl Harbor was one of the United States largest naval bases and the largest in the Pacific Ocean. This attack ceased all trade with Japan and officially added Japan as one of the US enemies. With a new world war started it created new concerns for the army. “World War II introduced a whole new set of problems in naval tactics” (Smith, 1). The main change driving these changes was the fact that aircraft carriers became more prevalent and common in every major countries naval force. Japan was able to pull off the Pearl Harbor attack as a result of aircraft carriers to launch their airplanes. As a result of the battles leading up to the Battle of Midway and conflicts with Japan this created a lot larger of an impact on WWII as a whole and to boost unity in America leading to a more prosperous period of history following the war.