Chapter 26 - Section 4: War in the Pacific
A. READ: Pgs. 826 – 831 and answer the following questions. (17 points)
1. Why did the Japanese want to expand their empire?
1 point
Japan is a small island nation that lacks natural resources. They wanted to
expand to gain land and natural resources.
2. What happened on December 7, 1941? 1 point
Japan launched surprise attacks throughout the Pacific, including the Philippines.
3. Explain this quote: “I shall return”?
2 points
Gen. Douglas MacArthur was ordered to leave the Philippines to help defend Australia. This
was his promise to return to the Philippines to help defend her from the Japanese.
4. What was the Bataan Death March?
1 point
In the Philippine Islands U.S. troops surrendered & endured brutal march over 65 miles to a
prison camp; about 10,000 died along the way
5. What was the effect of the air raids on Tokyo and other Japanese cities? 1 point
There was little damage done, but it shocked Japan’s leaders and boosted the Allies’ morale.
6. What was significant about the Battle of Coral Sea? 1 point
It was the first naval battle where the ships never saw each other. It was not a clear victory, but
the U.S. stopped the Japanese advance toward Australia.
7. What happened at the Battle of Midway? 1 point
The U.S Navy destroyed 4 Japanese carriers and 250 planes. This was the turning point of the
Pacific War. Midway was important for the U.S. to control because of its close location to
Hawaii and the U.S. mainland.
8. What is “island hopping”. 1point
The strategy of U.S. to invade islands less defended by Japanese –could then use captured islands
as base to stage further attacks and invasions to get close enough to Japan to launch an invasion.
9. What was important about the battle of Guadalcanal? 1 point
U.S. gained first major land victory- with the help of the Navajo Code Talkers
10. Who were the Navajo Code Talkers? Why was an effective strategy?
2 points
2
They were Navajos serving U.S. military transmitting messages to keep Japanese from breaking
American codes.
Very few people spoke Navajo and it was a complex language – difficult to “decode”
* this code was never broken
11. What were kamikazes? 1 point
Japanese suicide pilots
12. Why did we need Iwo Jima and Okinawa? 1 point
We needed bases close enough to Japan to be successful in bombing raids and a possible
invasion.
13. What was the Manhattan Project? 1 point
U.S. top-secret program to build atomic bomb
14. What was V-J Day? What was the date? 2 points
“Victory over Japan” – Japan formally surrendered on September 2, 1945
B. Fill it out with the information that will compare/contrast the United States and Japan
during WWII.
7 points
3
Japan
United States
Pacific
Europe and Pacific
attacked countries
for conquest; met
little resistance
used island hopping to
establish bases in the Pacific
Pearl Harbor, but no American
cities or other non-military
targets
Tokyo and other Japanese
cities
lost four carriers at the Battle of
Midway and lost the battle
lost one carrier at the
Battle of Midway and
Won the battle
kamikaze pilots
Navajo Code Talkers
lost 120,000 soldiers
lost 18,000 soldiers
surrendered after the
atomic attacks on
Hiroshima and Nagasaki
defeated Japan with the atomic
attacks on Hiroshima and
Nagasaki
C. Read each of the document excerpts and then answer the questions that follow.
4
Document 5
If . . . the statement by Mr. Truman . . . that he felt no compunction [regret] after directing the atomic bombing
of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, and that the hydrogen bombs would be put to use in future in case of emergency be
true, it is a gross defilement [act of disgrace] committed on the people of Hiroshima and their fallen victims.
We, the City Council, do hereby protest against it in deep indignation shared by our citizens and declare that in
the name of humanity and peace we appeal to the wisdom of the United States and her citizens and to their inner
voice for peace that said statement be retracted [taken back] and that they fulfill their obligations for the cause
of world peace.
—Resolution by the City Council of Hiroshima, 1958
5a. What is the purpose of this resolution?
Sample Answer: The purpose of the resolution is to ask for the United States to cease with future threats of atomic bombing
and focus instead on world peace.
5b. Why did the City Council of Hiroshima issue this resolution?
Sample Answer: The City Council issued the resolution because it was a site of the atomic bomb where many died.
Document 6
After a long conference with the Cabinet, the military commanders and Prime Minister Churchill, it was decided
to drop the atomic bomb on two Japanese cities devoted to war and work for Japan. The two cities selected were
Hiroshima and Nagasaki.
When Japan surrendered a few days after the bomb was ordered dropped . . . the military estimated that at least
a quarter of a million of the invasion forces against Japan and a quarter million Japanese had been spared
complete destruction and that twice that many on the other side would, otherwise, have been maimed for life . . .
The need for such a fateful decision, of course, never would have arisen, had we not been shot in the back by
Japan at Pearl Harbor in December, 1941.
—Harry S. Truman, 1958
6a. What reason does President Truman give to support his decision to use the atomic bomb on
Hiroshima and Nagasaki?
Sample Answer: Truman gives support for dropping bombs on the two cities because they are centers devoted to war and
work for Japan.
6b. According to President Truman, who was actually responsible for the use of the atomic bomb?
Why does he say this?
Sample Answer: Japan. Truman says that the bomb would never have been used if Japan hadn’t attacked the U.S. at
Pearl Harbor.