Notes for Research Project (World War II in the Pacific) • “Japanese expansion in East Asia began in 1931 with the invasion of Manchuria and continued in 1937 with a brutal attack on China. On September 27, 1940 Japan signed the Tripartite Pact with Germany and Italy, thus entering the military alliance known as the ‘Axis’” (Holocaust Encyclopedia 1). Also gained “from the Philippines to Burma to the Aleutians to the Solomon’s” (Pacific Theatre 1). • “Seeking to curb Japanese aggression and a withdrawal of Japanese forces from Manchuria and China, the United States imposed economic sanctions on Japan. Faced with severe shortages of oil and other natural resources and driven by the ambition to displace the United States as the dominant Pacific power, Japan decided to attack the United States and British forces in Asia and seize the resources of Southeast Asia” (Holocaust Encyclopedia 1). • Pearl Harbor: Japanese led surprise attack against US on December 7, 1941 this damaged the US Navy Fleet, US declared war on Japan and Germany declared War on US and US declared war on Germany subsequently. • After Pearl Harbor Japan had a very successful military campaign they acquired Guam and Wake Island in December 1941, Hong Kong, Burma Malaya, Singapore, and the Dutch East Indies in 1942. • “Only in mid-1942 were Australian and New Zealander forces in New Guinea and British forces in India able to halt the Japanese advance” (Holocaust Encyclopedia 1). • Turning Point of War- Naval Victory in Battle of Midway (June 1942) the Japanese Fleet started to head back due to the heavy losses that they received at the Battle of Midway. Japanese had to large of a territory to protect well with their military. Also MacArthur at same time along ... ... middle of paper ... ...ds of people died in the initial explosion, and many more died later from radiation exposure. Three days later, the United States dropped a bomb on the Japanese city of Nagasaki. Approximately 120,000 civilians died as a result of the two blasts. On August 8, the Soviet Union declared war on Japan and invaded Japanese-occupied Manchuria. After Japan agreed to surrender on August 14, 1945, American forces began to occupy Japan. Japan formally surrendered to the United States, Great Britain, and the Soviet Union on September 2, 1945.” (Holocaust Encyclopedia 1). Bibliography "Major Pacific Battles." PBS. PBS, n.d. Web. 04 Dec. 2013. "The Pacific Theatre." Pacific Theatre. Intresting.com, n.d. Web. 04 Dec. 2013. "World War II in the Pacific." Holocaust Encyclopedia. Washington DC: Holocaust Memorial Museum, 2013. Print.
Okihiro, Gary Y. Whispered Silences: Japanese Americans and World War II. Seattle: University of Washington Press, 1996.
In 1937, Japan started a war against China, in search of more resources to expand its empire. In 1941, during World War II, Japan attacked America. This is when the Allies (Australia, Britain etc.) then declared war on Japan. Before long the Japanese started extending their territory closer and closer to Australia and started taking surrendering troops into concentration camps where they were starved, diseased and beaten.
Japan figured if it wanted to survive, it would have to expand to get more materials. o neal 410-413. Japan started trying to take over Asia. They landed on the east coast of China in Manchuria and stationed troops there in order to try to take over northeastern China. ("Japan Launches A Surprise Attack on Pearl Harbor: December 7, 1941").
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 into the Pacific. It did not result in the acquisition of more natural resources.
Townsend, Susan. "Japan's Quest for Empire 1931-1945." BBC News. BBC, 30 Mar. 2011. Web. 19 Dec. 2013.
The Significance of The Battle of Midway On June 4th, a legendary battle took place over the Pacific Sea. The battle of Midway was the turning point for America in World War 2. The air attacks on Japan and America would continue for many days. America won the battle and took out half of Japan's carriers. The battle was a great victory for America, considering the fact that Japan had much greater forces.
The United States was engaged in a naval battle with Japan from June 4-7 1942, 6 months after Pearl Harbor (Carson) (Interview). This engagement was The Battle of Midway and the most important naval battle of WWII. The United States was able to take control of the Pacific after the victory. This battle not only determined naval superiority in the Pacific but also was a turning point for the entire World War. (Interview)
In conclusion the Japanese Empire bombed Pearl Harbor, the main military base, on December 7, 1941. Japan attacked the United States because America was the only country making a serious effort to stop Japan from conquering parts of Asia. The Japanese assumed that if the United States had no warships to block Japan’s progress in defeating Asia, they would succeed in the conquering. The U.S. responded in the opposite way Japan had expected and declared war on Japan which involved them in World War II. The war ended when America dropped two atomic bombs on Japan.
Leckie, Robert. Okinawa: The Last Battle of World War II. New York: Penguin Group, 1995. Print.
Battle of Midway, 4th June -- 7th June, 1942." » Maintenance Mode. N.p., n.d. Web. 17
Japan surrendered in several places from September 7th to September 16th. Works Cited O’Neill, William L. World War II Student Companion. 1 ed. of the book. William H. Chafe, b. 1875.
Japan had always been an ally of the United States. Japan tried to collect their share of treasure from Versailles. Japan ran into some troubles, Woodrow Wilson. Wilson rejected Japan’s claim to German concessions in Shantung. Duan Qirui, a Chinese warlord and politician had borrowed money from Japan to make China’s army stronger. Japan used that loan and wanted it to be repaid by getting the concessions in Shantung. In 1921, at the Naval Conference the US pressured the Britain’s to end their 20 year alliance with the Japanese. Japan was now isolated, Stalin’s unhappy empire to the north, t...
The Battle of Singapore took place during World War II from January 31 to February 15, 1942. The two opposing forces were the British and Japanese. Lieutenant General Author Percival led 85, 000 men to defend the war while Lieutenant General Tomoyuki Yamashita commanded the invasion with 36, 000 men. The onslaught to invade British Malaya commenced in December 8, 1941. During this period, General Yamashita started invading this British colony from Indochina and subsequently from Thailand. The Japanese forces that invaded Malaya were obviously outnumbered by the British forces, but they intelligently concentrated their forces and applied combined army skills learned and acquired in earlier campaigns to drive back and flank their enemies frequently. The Japanese forces rapidly acquired air superiority over the Britons, and they exacted a demoralizing blow on the British forces, when a Japanese aircraft sank two integral British battleships. The Japanese also used bicycles and light tanks to swiftly maneuver through the peninsula’s jungles, in order to attack the British armies. Although General Percival was reinforced, his forces were unable to halt the Japanese invasion and in the end, they withdrew from the peninsula and took refuge in the island of Singapore to prepare for the final fight with the anticipated Japanese forces. In the end, the British army lost the war because the Japanese forces expertly combined speed, savagery, and surprise without permitting the British forces to re-group and strategize. The Japanese were able to invade Singapore because of their dominance on the unprepared British forces. They efficiently applied the principles of mass, surprise, objective and unity of command by focusing on ...
The Second World War years saw Japan engaged in military operations throughout Asia with many significant victories. The dropping of Atomic bomb on Hiroshima and Nagasaki however brought Japan to its knees. The once feared and dreaded Japanese armies were defeated. In the years since, both Western and Asian historians have been able to compile detailed records gained from interviews with survivors and from analysis of Japanese documents themselves giving shocking evidence of the scope of atrocities committed by the Japanese armies and government officials. Regardless of their admirable achievements in industry and technology in the 21st century, the Japanese are must still come to ...
The Manchurian incident was a turning point in Japanese history in which it abandoned its somewhat general policy of cooperation and peace and instead chose to pursue their personal interests in Asia (S,191). The Japanese interest in China was evident even before its invasion in 1931. In both the Sino Japanese war from 1894 to 1905 as well as the Russo-Japanese War from 1904 to 1905 Japan secured specific locations in Manchuria and other areas in China (U,351). Overall, the consensus for the extensive needs of the empire ultimately drove its policy making until the end of World War 2. To take control of what they believed to be the most mineral rich section of China in which they controlled expansive holdings in such as the South Manchurian Railroad, officers part of the Kwantung Army that were stationed there hatched a plan that would become to be known as the Manchurian Crisis. On September 18th 1931, Japanese soldiers located at the South Manchurian Railroad set off an explosive that they blamed on China (launching both nations into hostile relations for years to come.?? (P,115)) The Japanese invaded Japanese Invaded Chinese controlled Manchuria in 1931 because they wanted to accommodate the rising of the Japanese population, obtain more natural resources, and to stimulate their nearly collapsed economy.