1. New Entry: Pacific Theater
2. Consider: What were Japan’s goals during
WWII?
EQ: How did geography affect the conduct
of World War II?
By the end of class our objectives are to:
-evaluate Japan’s reasons for attacking
Pearl Harbor
-analyze the impact of Japan as a conqueror
-explain the impact of the Allies striking back
Like Hitler, Japan’s military
leaders also had dreams of
empire. Japan was overcrowded
and faced shortages of raw
materials. To solve these
problems – and to encourage
nationalism – the Japanese
began a program of empire
building that would lead to
war. What does this mean for
the rest of the world?
Japanese Expansion:
• 1931- took Manchuria
• 1937- invaded heartland China
– Chinese put up strong resistance
– Caused strain on Japanese economy
– Japan looked to European colonies of
Southeast Asia
U.S. and Japan Conflict:
• U.S. tried to stop Japanese expansion
– sent aid to the Chinese resistance
– Cut oil shipments after Japan invaded
French Indochina
• Japan continued conquests
– Planned massive attacks
• Southeast Asia
• the Pacific
• Japanese hoped to surprise
the U.S.
Isoroku Yamamoto:
• Japanese Admiral:
great naval strategist
• Saw U.S. fleet in Hawaii
as a threat
…a dagger pointed
at our throat
1)Read
2)Be prepared
to discuss:
Origin
Purpose
Value
Limitations
Pearl Harbor:
• December 7, 1941
– Japan attacks
– Stunned America
• Damages
– 18 ships sunk or damaged
– 2,400 Americans killed
– 1,000 more wounded
• Congress declares war the next day
– FDR: “a date which will live in infamy”
Japanese Victories:
• After bombing Pearl Harbor
– Seized Guam and Wake Island
– Attacked the Philippines
• Attacked British
– Seized Hong Kong
– Invaded Malaya
– Hard fought victory to take Singapore
– Conquered Burma
Burma
-Blocking Chinese access to supplies Road
• Conquered Dutch holdings
– East Indies (Indonesia)
Japan’s Conquest:
•
•
•
•
More than 1 million square miles of land
150 million people
From “Asia for Asians” to “Asia for the Japanese”
Japan treated natives and POWs brutally
– Bataan Death March
Allies Fight Back:
• Japan seemed unbeatable
– Americans and Australians eager to strike back
• April 1942- U.S. bombs Tokyo
– Little damage
– Proves Japan can be attacked
• Slowly Allies turn the tide of war
• Battle of Midway
– Code breaking helped U.S. to major victory
• Douglass MacArthur- U.S. General
– Island-hopping