3.3 War in the Pacific

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3.3 War in the Pacific

Goals for this lesson

At the end of this lesson you can...

• explain how Japan came to be in a position to take over East Asia.
• give an overview of the (military) events leading up to the war and during the war. 

Main question: How did the Second World War develop in Asia-Pacific 1937-1945?

Japan

• 17th century: Japan is closed off from the rest of the world.
• 1853: US forces Japan to open up.
• 1868:  Meiji restoration: Shogun overthrown -> power to the emperor.
• Rapid modernisation and industrialisation.

Japan as an industrial power

Japanese 

early conquest

• Japan needs resources for the industry.
  
• 1894/5: 1st Sino-Japanese War over Korea.
• 1904/5: Russo-Japanese War.
• = 1st non-western victory over a western power.
• WW1 Japan joins allies.

Asia for Asians

• Japan wanted to unite all Asians under their rule and get rid of all western influence (colonies).

Conquest of Manchuria (Northern China) 1931-1937

Invasion of the Chinese mainland (1937)

• The Japanese invade the rest of China.
• This event is often seen as the start of WW2.
• The Japanese commit terrible war crimes in China.
• Most infamous = Rape of Nanking (+/- 300.000 dead). 

Why was the USA not involved in the war?

After WW1 the US decided to isolate itself from the rest of the world. The Americans were very anti war during this period. What changed that?

Pearl Harbor

• Japan wanted to knock the US out of the first to conquer East Asia uncontested.
• 7 December 1941: Surprise attack on the American naval base in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. 

Was the Pearl Harbor attack a success for the Japanse

1. No
2. Yes

On a short term: Yes

Battle of the Java sea (1942) Allied defeat

Abraham Crijssen (1942)

The monster is awake!

Battle of Midway

• June '42: The US destroys a key part of the Japanse fleet.
•  Four Japanese aircraft carriers are lost in one day.

Islandhopping + bombing

• For the Japanese surrender was ultimate dishonor -> they fought the US for every bit of land.
• After getting close enough the US started huge (fire)bombing campaigns over Japanese cities.

Japan surrenders

• What made Japan surrender in August '45?
• 1. The US dropped two atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki (cities).
• 2. The Soviet Union invaded Manchuria. 

Nuclear weapons

• Developed by the US during WWII.
  
• President Truman decided to use nuclear weapons to avoid a bloody invasion of Japan
  
• August 6th and August 9th Hiroshima and Nagasaki were targeted by nuclear bombs.

The end

• August 15th: Emperor Hirohito announces surrender.
• Japan occupied by US.
• End of WW2.