Japan Strikes in the Pacific
Japan's attack on US military base Pearl Harbor in Hawaii sent the two countries into war, but the tension in the Pacific had been mounting for decades. Japan, which up until recently had been considered a marginal country, was advancing quickly into a major power. To compete with Western powers and to have access to raw materials, Japan needed to expand its empire, resulting in its declaration of war on China. This upset the US, which responded with trade embargoes and economic sanctions on Japan. Japan faced shortages in oil and other natural resources and in addition had a desire to become the major Pacific power, a title currently held by the United States. Despite Hawaii and Japan being only 4,000 miles apart, no one expected Japan to respond with an attack, so Pearl Harbor was relatively unguarded. At around 8 am on December 7th, 1941, an surprise attack planned by Japanese commander Isoroku Yamamoto, was carried out on the US military base. This was the start of not only a war in the Pacific, but played a major role in the course of World War II. Japan's purpose for the attack was preventative - they wanted to destroy the United States' military fleet in the Pacific so that the US could not interfere with their colonization. The attack caused significant damage to every battleship in Pearl Harbor but the attack was not considered successful in destroying the Pacific Fleet because battleships were not a major naval vessel. In addition, 2,500 men were killed and another 1,000 were wounded. The day after the attack, the US and Britain declared war on Japan. On December 9th, China also declared war on Japan. Being that Germany and Italy were in the Axis Powers with Japan, they then declared war on the US. After Pearl Harbor, Japan had several more military and imperial successes until the Battle of Midway, a turning point in the Pacific War of World War II. This naval battle took place in June 1942 and the American navy came out victorious. Following this success, the Allied powers began to regain control over the Pacific.
Japan's attack on US military base Pearl Harbor in Hawaii sent the two countries into war, but the tension in the Pacific had been mounting for decades. Japan, which up until recently had been considered a marginal country, was advancing quickly into a major power. To compete with Western powers and to have access to raw materials, Japan needed to expand its empire, resulting in its declaration of war on China. This upset the US, which responded with trade embargoes and economic sanctions on Japan. Japan faced shortages in oil and other natural resources and in addition had a desire to become the major Pacific power, a title currently held by the United States. Despite Hawaii and Japan being only 4,000 miles apart, no one expected Japan to respond with an attack, so Pearl Harbor was relatively unguarded. At around 8 am on December 7th, 1941, an surprise attack planned by Japanese commander Isoroku Yamamoto, was carried out on the US military base. This was the start of not only a war in the Pacific, but played a major role in the course of World War II. Japan's purpose for the attack was preventative - they wanted to destroy the United States' military fleet in the Pacific so that the US could not interfere with their colonization. The attack caused significant damage to every battleship in Pearl Harbor but the attack was not considered successful in destroying the Pacific Fleet because battleships were not a major naval vessel. In addition, 2,500 men were killed and another 1,000 were wounded. The day after the attack, the US and Britain declared war on Japan. On December 9th, China also declared war on Japan. Being that Germany and Italy were in the Axis Powers with Japan, they then declared war on the US. After Pearl Harbor, Japan had several more military and imperial successes until the Battle of Midway, a turning point in the Pacific War of World War II. This naval battle took place in June 1942 and the American navy came out victorious. Following this success, the Allied powers began to regain control over the Pacific.
Ten Best Articles
1. The Pacific War: Japanese forces carried out several attacks in the Pacific on Dec. 7th/8th, 1941, all leading up to the infamous attack of US military base Pearl Harbor, with a goal of becoming the leading power in the East and Pacific. The sinking of several US battleships, however, was not worth the backlash Japan faced, as the United States' immediate response was war. Through more attacks on the Pacific, Japan also conquered the Philippines, Singapore, and sunk British battleships. "In the end, a grimly determined Allied coalition fought its way back across the Pacific, island by island, until the twin spectres of nuclear bombardment and war with the Soviet Union forced Imperial intervention and the end of war."
2. World War II in the Pacific:Japan launched a surprise attack on the US due to oil and trade sanctions roughly a year after joining the Axis powers with Germany and Italy. The attack resulted in the US's declaration of war on both Japan and Germany. Despite the declaration of war, Japan continued to have military success in the Pacific, conquering lands including Philippines, the Dutch East Indies, Hong Kong, Malaya, Singapore, and Burma. The war in the Pacific was much in Japan's favor until the Allied powers finally began to liberate Japan's colonies and attack Japan itself. "Seeking to curb Japanese aggression and force a withdrawal of Japanese forces from Manchuria and China, the United States imposed economic sanctions on Japan."
3. Battle of Midway: Six months after the bombing of Pearl Harbor, thanks to advances in decoding and technology, the United States was able to predict a Japanese attack. The United States' success in this battle put them on the offensive and was a key turning point in the Pacific War. This article tells about the battle between American and Japanese naval forces in the north-central Pacific Ocean, the significance of this battle, and the role that technology and decoding played in the United States' victory. "Some historians see Midway as the turning point in the Pacific theater of the war, after which Americans rode straight to Tokyo; others view it as a cusp in the war, after which initiative hung in the balance, to swing toward the Allies in the Guadalcanal campaign."
4. Asian Pacific American Women's Role: From Chinese to Japanese-American, women played a key role during World War II, specifically in the Pacific. They worked as everything from translators to pilots to fighters in underground armies in Japan's mandates. Particularly those serving in secret groups risked their lives and carried out some of the most risky and daring tasks of the war. " These women helped American forces in the Philippines throughout the three-year period of Japanese occupation, Bellafaire said. They smuggled food and medicine to American prisoners of war and carried information on Japanese deployments to Filipino and American forces working to sabotage the Japanese army."
5. Pearl Harbor: Japan's surprise attack on Pearl Harbor forced the US to join the war. It was a pivotal event leading up to World War II. Key statistics involving how many men were killed on both sides, how many battleships used and destroyed, and details on how this infamous attack was carried out can be found in this article. "When Admiral Yamamoto learned that his forces had not destroyed the U.S. aircraft carriers or completely destroyed the U.S. fleet, he feared that the United States, with its enormous industrial potential, would soon recover and fight back."
6. Major Pacific Battles: Covering the major battles in the Pacific during World War II, this article goes in depth about key battles following Japan's original attack on Pearl Harbor. "The final year of the war would bring bloodshed and hardship to the U.S. soldiers, sailors and Marines who liberated territory closer and closer to Japan's home island, and take a tremendous toll on Japanese soldiers and civilians as well."
7. The War Against Japan: The war against Japan in the Pacific proved that the US could be successful in fighting a war on two fronts. The war that started with Japan's bombing of Pearl Harbor on December 7th, 1941 and ended with Japan's surrender in the summer of 1945 due to intense attacks by the Allied powers involved naval battles on the Pacific, strategizing, technology, and cost a lot of lives. This article covers the entire war with Japan, going into detail about key battles, plans, people, and events. "In sum, the United States proved capable, once its resources were fully mobilized, of successfully waging offensives on two fronts simultaneously--a development the Japanese had not anticipated when they launched their attack on Pearl Harbor."
8. Battle of Guadalcanal: This battle was the first American offensive in the war and was important because the US needed to attack the island in order to prevent Japan from stationing another stronghold there. Japan needed the island to cut off the sea route between Australia and America, while America needed to island in order to protect Australia and limit Japan's territory in the Pacific. What played out after the US Marines landed on the shores of Guadalcanal on August 7th, 1942 was a fierce six month battle that the Japanese eventually lost. "Guadalcanal is part of the Solomon Islands which lie to the north-eastern approaches of Australia. Though it is a humid and jungle-covered tropical island its position made it strategically important for both sides in the Pacific War."
9. Battle of the Coral Sea: This battle was fought of the coasts of New Guinea. It was the first battle of the Pacific War that took place between air craft carriers. Japan attempted to claim the island of New Guinea in order to obtain a position of offense against Australia. This battle was also significant because the losses of equipment suffered by the Japanese, despite the US losing some as well, turned out to be a factor in the United States' success at the Battle of Midway. "A Japanese air base there would threaten northeastern Australia and support plans for further expansion into the South Pacific, possibly helping to drive Australia out of the war and certainly enhancing the strategic defenses of Japan's newly-enlarged oceanic empire."
10. Timeline of the War in the Pacific: Before Japan attacked Pearl Harbor, conditions in Asia had been warlike for a while. Japan invaded China in 1931 and set up a Japanese state there. The war in Asia and the Pacific actually lasted longer than World War II, which started in 1939 and ended in 1945 in Europe. Japan began expanding its empire during this time and over the course of the war the Japanese empire would grow and shrink and eventually the Japanese would surrender to the US after the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. "By 1938 Japan occupied much of China and had taken Nanking, longtime capital of China, where Japanese troops killed more than 42,000 civilians. For Europeans, war began in 1939, when Germany invaded Poland. The war in Europe would end in May 1945 and in the Pacific in August 1945."
1. The Pacific War: Japanese forces carried out several attacks in the Pacific on Dec. 7th/8th, 1941, all leading up to the infamous attack of US military base Pearl Harbor, with a goal of becoming the leading power in the East and Pacific. The sinking of several US battleships, however, was not worth the backlash Japan faced, as the United States' immediate response was war. Through more attacks on the Pacific, Japan also conquered the Philippines, Singapore, and sunk British battleships. "In the end, a grimly determined Allied coalition fought its way back across the Pacific, island by island, until the twin spectres of nuclear bombardment and war with the Soviet Union forced Imperial intervention and the end of war."
2. World War II in the Pacific:Japan launched a surprise attack on the US due to oil and trade sanctions roughly a year after joining the Axis powers with Germany and Italy. The attack resulted in the US's declaration of war on both Japan and Germany. Despite the declaration of war, Japan continued to have military success in the Pacific, conquering lands including Philippines, the Dutch East Indies, Hong Kong, Malaya, Singapore, and Burma. The war in the Pacific was much in Japan's favor until the Allied powers finally began to liberate Japan's colonies and attack Japan itself. "Seeking to curb Japanese aggression and force a withdrawal of Japanese forces from Manchuria and China, the United States imposed economic sanctions on Japan."
3. Battle of Midway: Six months after the bombing of Pearl Harbor, thanks to advances in decoding and technology, the United States was able to predict a Japanese attack. The United States' success in this battle put them on the offensive and was a key turning point in the Pacific War. This article tells about the battle between American and Japanese naval forces in the north-central Pacific Ocean, the significance of this battle, and the role that technology and decoding played in the United States' victory. "Some historians see Midway as the turning point in the Pacific theater of the war, after which Americans rode straight to Tokyo; others view it as a cusp in the war, after which initiative hung in the balance, to swing toward the Allies in the Guadalcanal campaign."
4. Asian Pacific American Women's Role: From Chinese to Japanese-American, women played a key role during World War II, specifically in the Pacific. They worked as everything from translators to pilots to fighters in underground armies in Japan's mandates. Particularly those serving in secret groups risked their lives and carried out some of the most risky and daring tasks of the war. " These women helped American forces in the Philippines throughout the three-year period of Japanese occupation, Bellafaire said. They smuggled food and medicine to American prisoners of war and carried information on Japanese deployments to Filipino and American forces working to sabotage the Japanese army."
5. Pearl Harbor: Japan's surprise attack on Pearl Harbor forced the US to join the war. It was a pivotal event leading up to World War II. Key statistics involving how many men were killed on both sides, how many battleships used and destroyed, and details on how this infamous attack was carried out can be found in this article. "When Admiral Yamamoto learned that his forces had not destroyed the U.S. aircraft carriers or completely destroyed the U.S. fleet, he feared that the United States, with its enormous industrial potential, would soon recover and fight back."
6. Major Pacific Battles: Covering the major battles in the Pacific during World War II, this article goes in depth about key battles following Japan's original attack on Pearl Harbor. "The final year of the war would bring bloodshed and hardship to the U.S. soldiers, sailors and Marines who liberated territory closer and closer to Japan's home island, and take a tremendous toll on Japanese soldiers and civilians as well."
7. The War Against Japan: The war against Japan in the Pacific proved that the US could be successful in fighting a war on two fronts. The war that started with Japan's bombing of Pearl Harbor on December 7th, 1941 and ended with Japan's surrender in the summer of 1945 due to intense attacks by the Allied powers involved naval battles on the Pacific, strategizing, technology, and cost a lot of lives. This article covers the entire war with Japan, going into detail about key battles, plans, people, and events. "In sum, the United States proved capable, once its resources were fully mobilized, of successfully waging offensives on two fronts simultaneously--a development the Japanese had not anticipated when they launched their attack on Pearl Harbor."
8. Battle of Guadalcanal: This battle was the first American offensive in the war and was important because the US needed to attack the island in order to prevent Japan from stationing another stronghold there. Japan needed the island to cut off the sea route between Australia and America, while America needed to island in order to protect Australia and limit Japan's territory in the Pacific. What played out after the US Marines landed on the shores of Guadalcanal on August 7th, 1942 was a fierce six month battle that the Japanese eventually lost. "Guadalcanal is part of the Solomon Islands which lie to the north-eastern approaches of Australia. Though it is a humid and jungle-covered tropical island its position made it strategically important for both sides in the Pacific War."
9. Battle of the Coral Sea: This battle was fought of the coasts of New Guinea. It was the first battle of the Pacific War that took place between air craft carriers. Japan attempted to claim the island of New Guinea in order to obtain a position of offense against Australia. This battle was also significant because the losses of equipment suffered by the Japanese, despite the US losing some as well, turned out to be a factor in the United States' success at the Battle of Midway. "A Japanese air base there would threaten northeastern Australia and support plans for further expansion into the South Pacific, possibly helping to drive Australia out of the war and certainly enhancing the strategic defenses of Japan's newly-enlarged oceanic empire."
10. Timeline of the War in the Pacific: Before Japan attacked Pearl Harbor, conditions in Asia had been warlike for a while. Japan invaded China in 1931 and set up a Japanese state there. The war in Asia and the Pacific actually lasted longer than World War II, which started in 1939 and ended in 1945 in Europe. Japan began expanding its empire during this time and over the course of the war the Japanese empire would grow and shrink and eventually the Japanese would surrender to the US after the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. "By 1938 Japan occupied much of China and had taken Nanking, longtime capital of China, where Japanese troops killed more than 42,000 civilians. For Europeans, war began in 1939, when Germany invaded Poland. The war in Europe would end in May 1945 and in the Pacific in August 1945."
3. The Pacific: Anatomy of a War (Video)
Primary Sources
1. FDR's proposed message to Congress after the attack on Pearl Harbor:
1. FDR's proposed message to Congress after the attack on Pearl Harbor:
2. NBC Radio announcement of the attack on Pearl Harbor shortly after the attack. Click here for the audio.
3. A War Ration Application from California. This is important because the war in the Pacific was what brought the US into World War II, causing the citizens of America to feel the affects of a total world war.
Maps
Map of where each battle in the Pacific took place, chronologically.
The Japanese Empire at its peak (1942)
Japan's expansion over time
The growth of Japan's mandates in the Pacific
The paths and battles of the Allied and Japanese navies in the Pacific war as well as which land was controlled by Japan and which was controlled by the Allies.