Significance of Battle and Leaders

Inchon

15-19 September 1950; amphibious invasion in Korean War that resulted in decisive victory and strategic reversal in favor of the United Nations; Through a surprise amphibious assault far from the Pusan Perimeter that UN and South Korean forces were desperately defending, the largely undefended city of Inchon was secured after being bombed by UN forces. The battle ended a string of victories by the invading North Korean People's Army (NKPA). The subsequent UN recapture of Seoul partially severed the NKPA's supply lines in South Korea.

Tarawa

1943-72 hours, In the Gilberts. Massive amphibious assault. Landing got stuck on coral reefs and low tide and shit. It was a shit show. Losses much like Guadalcanal, but only in 72 hours.

ADM Nimitz

24 February 1885 to 20 February 1966. He was United States Navy during WWII. Commander in Chief of the United States pacific fleet. Leading authority on US submarines ( led to first nuclear powered submarine). Class of 1905 and start at submarine. Commander of the U.S. naval forces in the Pacific and brilliant strategist of the "island hopping" campaign, a high-grade naval strategist, this man directed a smaller but more skillfully maneuvered carrier force, under Admiral Raymond A. Spruance, against the Japanese invasion force against Midway.He served as Chief of Naval Operations (CNO) from 1945 until 1947, and was a 5 star Admiral.

Surigao Strait

25 October 1944; Leyte Gulf campaign; US forces waiting for Japanese, destroyed them; Full victory, contributed to victory in Leyte Gulf

Pearl Harbor

Admiral Nagumo- Japanese leader of the Pearl Harbor attack. Bombing on Dec 7 1941 Cause for US entry into WWII; Japan gambled that if they destroy US fleet, US will not be able to constrain Japanese expansion and halt US production for 6 months to a year; Japanese surprised US forces in Pearl harbor, destroying many powerful ships and killing many

Khe Sanh

During the Vietnam war, Khe Sanh was used as the base of the U.S. The North Vietnamese besieged Khe Sanh and hit the base. The U.S. Navy and Marine Corps performed close air support and heavy bombing with the Air Force, leading to the withdrawal of North Vietnamese from Khe Sanh.

Battle of the Philippine Sea

Eliminated Japanese Navy's ability to conduct large-scale carrier actions. Largest carrier to carrier battle in history. America won big time. 19 June 1944; 9 Japanese carriers took on 15 US carriers; complete victory for US as Japan lost the bulk of its carrier strength, which eliminated the Imperial Japanese Navy's ability to conduct large-scale carrier actions. It took place during the United States' amphibious invasion of the Mariana Islands during the Pacific War. The battle was the last of five major "carrier-versus-carrier" engagements between American and Japanese naval forces

Iwo Jima

February 1945. 5-day operations takes 19 days. Japanese dug in deeply. Cave entrances and tunnels in volcanic rock. Japanese deaths were three times as much as Americans. Would have been difficult for the Americans to lose that war. No reinforcements and little supplies for the Japanese. 19 February -16 March 1945; last chance the Japanese would have to protect their mainland. The Japanese had around 20,000 men defending the position, and each one of them was ready to fight to the death, and the Marines fighting would have a hard time capturing any enemy at all because they would rather die than be captured. The Japanese were led by General Kuribayashi and he was prepared. Americans were able to cut off the Japanese in the middle and pushed them to each of the island. One end of it was Mt. Suribachi and the Japanese had an underground position where they were able to hold off the Americans for a while. But the Americans found a way to push them out by the use of flamethrowers and grenades and this finished the Japanese off. The island was taken on March 26, 1945.

ADM Halsey

Fleet admiral during WWII, commanded South Pacific area during early stages of Pacific War against Japan, later was commander of 3rd Fleet, improved morale of his men and was known as a fighting admiral, Commanded forces during Guadalcanal and Leyte Gulf; General McArthur's head naval officer.

Boxer Rebellion

In 1900, in what became known as the Boxer Rebellion (or the Boxer Uprising), a Chinese secret organization called the Society of the Righteous and Harmonious Fists led an uprising in northern China against the spread of Western and Japanese influence there. The rebels, referred to by Westerners as Boxers because they performed physical exercises they believed would make them able to withstand bullets, killed foreigners and Chinese Christians and destroyed foreign property. From June to August, the Boxers besieged the foreign district of Beijing (then called Peking), China's capital, until an international force that included American troops subdued the uprising. By the terms of the Boxer Protocol, which officially ended the rebellion in 1901, China agreed to pay more than $330 million in reparations.

Gulf of Tonkin

Incident During Johnson administration, this incident happens. Why? Because the US need a legitimate excuse fight against South Vietnamese forces. They believe that they get hit by torpedoes, which actually does not happen. 1964; In the Gulf of Tonkin incident, North Vietnamese supposedly attacked the USS Maddox in the Gulf of Tonkin, off Vietnam, in a pair of assaults on August 2 and 4 of 1964. It was the basis for the Tonkin Gulf Resolution, which committed major American forces to the war in Vietnam.

Gen "Howling Mad" Smith Gen "Chesty" Puller

Lewis Burwell "Chesty" Puller (June 26, 1898 - October 11, 1971) was a United States Marine Corps lieutenant general who fought guerrillas in Haiti and Nicaragua, and fought in World War II and the Korean War. Puller is the most decorated Marine in American history. He is one of two U.S. servicemen to be awarded five Navy Crosses and, with the Distinguished Service Cross awarded to him by the U.S. Army, he is the only person to have received six of the nation's second-highest military awards for valor.

Belleau Wood

Marines fought one of their greatest battles in history at Belleau Wood, France, during World War I. Marines helped to crush a German offensive at Belleau Wood that threatened Paris. In honor of the Marines who fought there, the French renamed the area "the Wood of the Brigade of Marines." German intelligence evaluated the Marines as "storm troops" -- the highest rating on the enemy fighting scale. In reference to the Marine's ferocious fighting ability, German troops called their new enemy "Teufelhunden" or "Devildogs," a nickname in which Marines share pride.

Battle of the Coral Sea

May 4th-8th, 1942 United States forces fought the Imperial Japanese in the first battle where aircraft carriers engaged each other. It was the major battle in the pacific theater during WWII. It was a tactical victory for the Japanese in terms of US ships sunk. But what a strategic victory for the US in terms of carriers damaged that would not be able fight later on in WWII and was a victory in the sense that it was the first time during the war that a major Japanese advance had been challenged by the Allies first aircraft carriers battle. 7-8 May 1942; first ship battle where opposing ships never saw each other; tactically, US lost 1/4 carriers in the Pacific; operationally, victory, Japanese recalled their invasion fleet and never took Port Morseby, allies retain sea control in Coral Sea; strategically, Japan lost many resources in Pacific, decreasing defense capabilities

Battle of the Atlantic

The largest continuous military campaign in World War II. Lasted from 1939-1945. The "battle" was between German U-boats (submarines), German warships, German Air Force and Royal Canadian Navy, Royal Navy and Allied merchant shipping. Great Britain relied heavily on the imports of resources because of the fact it is an island nation, therefore Germany would have U-Boats sink a lot of merchant ships. Conflict between British and American ships and German U-Boats. Germany suffered heavy losses, due to the innovations of radar and codebreaking within Allied ranks.

ADM Zumwalt

Vietnam War. Commander Naval Forces, Vietnam. Youngest CNO in history of Navy. Reformed policies to improve quality of life and ease racial tensions

ADM Moffett

Won Medal of Honor for his actions during Vera Cruz Operation, architect of naval aviation in USN. Led the Bureau of Aeronautics. Advocated for airships.

ADM Donitz

World War II. Commanded the German submarine force during the war, which sunk millions of tons of Allied shipping. Introduced the "wolfpack" tactic. Later became Commander in Chief of the German Navy during the war.

Guadalcanal

a campaign by the US Navy to destroy Japanese airstrip on Guadalcanal for the counter-offensive after the victory of Midway. After the US captured the island, Japanese tried to take it back but did not succeed because of the 1st Battalion of the 7th Marines under Chesty Puller. Finally the US won the battle and a lot of Japanese soldier died in this battle and we call this Bloody Ridge Invasion of Solomon Islands, -US Got Wrecked in Naval Battle of Savo Island, Japanese searchlights and beat us -Henderson Airfield was taken by Marines as a partially constructed Air Field -Turn of Pacific Defense to Offense, not Midway 12-15 November 1942; Japan moves in with 2 battleships, US victory at night; Tactically, US victory with 1 battleship versus Japan's 2; operationally, Japan cannot reinforce Guadalcanal; operationally, Japan loses influence and air base in Pacific

Jutland

a naval battle fought by the Royal Navy's Grand Fleet (which also included ships and individual personnel from the Royal Australian Navy and Royal Canadian Navy[1]) against the Imperial German Navy's High Seas Fleet during the First World War. The battle was fought on 31 May and 1 June 1916 in the North Sea near Jutland, Denmark. It was the largest naval battle and the only full-scale clash of battleships in the war.This battle was the last and only main battle between battleships

GEN MacArthur

an American general and Field Marshal of the Philippine Army. He was a Chief of Staff of the United States Army during the 1930s and played a prominent role in the Pacific theater during World War II. He was a highly decorated soldier of the war, receiving the Medal of Honor for his early service in the Philippines, and was Allied Commander of Forces in the Pacific. Is famous for the words " I will return". One of only 7 (5 star Generals) in U.S. History.

Okinawa

invasion of Ryuku islands. Many civilians killed. This was the first invasion of the "Japanese Homeland". Upon invasion, met with NO RESISTANCE. Largest amphibious assault in Pacific war. Island hopping.

ADM Spruance

commander of U.S. Navy during WWII, successfully commanded the naval force in the Battle of Midway and the Battle of Philippine Sea. The navy's four cruisers, under his command, successfully defeated the Jap in the Hit-and-Run raid on Gilbert Marshall, and Wake islands which later on, allowed the U.S. take the offensive position in the Pacific. led the assault on the Marshall Islands and was promoted to full admiral in February 1944

Leyte Gulf

largest naval battle in history. Japanese CV force lures Halsey north away from Leyte beachhead. Wanted to invade because they wanted to isolate japan from the countries ti occupied in Southeast Asia. Demonstrated a difference in power. 23-26 October 1944; US invaded Leyte island to isolate Japanese forces on the island; proved US air superiority; decimated Japanese fleet; last Japanese naval operation; full US victory

ADM Yamamoto

the Japanese admiral who had lived and travel in the US, but planned the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor during WWII in order to freeze the US while Japan could consolidate their conquests in the western pacific for the supply for the rest of the war. Japan's greatest naval strategist(Admiral) who argued that the U.S. fleet at Pearl Harbor had to be destroyed. Regretted not going back and destroying the whole fleet. Also attaacked the battle of midway after the Doolitle Raid by the U.S

Battle of Midway

the turning point of World War II for the US. When Japanese brought their force to capture Midway. The US led by RADM Fletcher and Spruance surprised Japanese with their carriers, Hornet, Enterprise and Yorktown. The result was the US lost one carrier, Yorktown while Japanese lost all of their carriers, Akagi, Kaga and Soryu 4-5 June 1942; Japanese plan to capture Midway and Aleutians, last 2 locations US could operate against Japan from and gain sea control by luring US carriers out to sea and destroying them; tactically, US victory, US lost 1/3 carriers, Japan lost 4/4; operationally, Japanese failed to achieve sea control in decisive sea battle; strategically, Japanese lost all large carriers, US industry making more, Japan began losing sea control and cannot match US industrial production; US takes initiative and offensive