WW2 Lesson 2 Japan's Pacific Campaign

What were the losses of Japanese forces and what did their commander decide to do in the end?

332 Japanese planes, four aircraft carriers, one support ship, and Admiral Yamamoto ordered his forces to withdraw from the battle.

Why did Guam and Wake Island fall quickly to Japanese forces?

Guam and Wake Island fell quickly to Japanese forces because they were lightly defended.

Why did it not matter that the Allies lost more ships and lives in the Battle of the Coral Sea?

It did not matter that the Allies lost more ships and lives in the Battle of the Coral Sea because the Allies had stopped Japan's southward advance.

Why did it take 3 months for the Japanese troops to conquer the Bataan Peninsula? When did. Corregidor finally end up being conquered by the Japanese?

It took 3 months for the Japanese troops to conquer the Bataan Peninsula because they had to fight against American and Philippine resistance. Corregidor ended up being conquered by the Japanese a month later.

Why was it difficult to attack the Japanese forces in the Pacific?

It was difficult to attack the Japanese forces in the Pacific because of the vast distances, and Japanese troops had dig in on hundreds of islands across the ocean.

In the year 1931 which country did Japan take over first and which one was the next ?

Japan took over Manchuria, and China was the next.

Why did Japan turn its attention to rich European colonies of Southeast Asia?

Japan turned its attention to rich European colonies of Southeast Asia because the war with China had put a strain on Japan's colony; Japan needed money to fund their war and decided to turn to the rich European countries at the time.

When did MacArthur exhibit his qualities as a leader?

MacArthur exhibited his qualities as a leader during World War I

What message did MacArthur leave for the troops as he left Philippines shortly before it was captured by the Japanese?

MacArthur had promised his troops in the Philippines that he would return, shortly before it was captured by the Japanese.

What was MacArthur's first target ? Why ?

MacArthur's first target was a massive Japanese airfield, under-construction, on the island of Guadalcanal in the Solomon Islands because the Allies could not allow this base to become a stronghold.

Why were U.S. military leaders unable to stop the attack on Pearl Harbor ?

The U.S. military leaders were unable to stop the attack on Pearl Harbor because they did know when or where Japan would attack them.

What was the instant far reaching effect of the attack on Pearl Harbor?

The attack on Pearl Harbor had stunned many Americans, and Roosevelt spoke with the Congress about the declaration of war on Japan and its allies; Congress approved and war was declared on Japan and its allies.

How long did the attack on Pearl Harbor last? How much damage did it lead to in the end ?

The attack on Pearl Harbor lasted for 2 hours. In the end 19 ships were destroyed, 8 battleships were destroyed, more than 2,300 were killed, and over 1,100 were wounded.

When did the attack on Pearl Harbor take place ?

The attack on Pearl Harbor took place in the early morning on December 7, 1941.

What was the purpose of the bomber raid by Lieutenant Colonel Doolittle?

The purpose of the bomber raid by Lieutenant colonel Doolittle was to get revenge for Pearl Harbor.

How much damage did the Doolittle raid bring about ? What important psychological point did this raid make to both Americans and Japanese?

The raid did little damage because it revealed to the Japanese and the Americans that Japan was vulnerable.

What advantage did Admiral Chester Nimitz have at the Battle of Midway ?

Admiral Chester Nimitz knew when and where the intercepted Japanese attack would occur, and he was able to prepare American forces just in time so that they would no suffer the loss of American troops and the Island of Midway.

Who was commanding the Japanese fleet that was about to attack ? What was the significance of him commanding this mission ?

Admiral Yamamoto was commanding the Japanese fleet that was about to attack. The significance of him commanding this mission was that he commanded the successful bombing on Pearl Harbor.

What did the commander of the Japanese fleet wish to accomplish at Midway ?

Admiral Yamamoto wished to draw the whole of the U;.S. Pacific Fleet from Pearl Harbor to defend the island of Midway.

How did the Japanese change their tune once they conquered the colonies?

After victory, the Japanese revealed themselves as conquerers who used cruel methods to punish wrong-doers.

Who got the most miserable treatment from the Japanese and why?

Allied prisoners of War who surrendered, and to the Japanese surrender was dishonorable. Death was preferable to surrender according tot he Japanese.

Who was Douglas MacArthur ? What was his plan ?

Douglas MacArthur was the commander of the Allied land forces in the Pacific. His plan was storm small, lightly-defend Japanese islands in a method called "island-hoping" and then when he had taken over these small islands, he used Japanese bases on the smaller islands to attack the bigger Japanese islands.

While the attack on Pearl Harbor was underway which other places did the Japanese attack almost simultaneously?

During the attack on Pearl Harbor, Japan had simultaneously attacked the British colony Hong Kong, the American-controlled Guam and Wake island, and they formed an invasion force in Thailand.

How was the Battle of the Coral Sea different formulations previous naval battles ?

From previous naval battles, the Battle of the Coral Sea was different because the opposing ships did not fire a single shot ate each other, but airplanes taking off from huge aircraft carriers attacked the ships.

Who was Isoroku Yamamoto ?What were the words he used to describe the U.S. Naval fleet in Hawaii?

Isoroku Yamamoto, was Japan's greatest naval strategist. He described the U.S. naval fleet in Hawaii as, "a dagger pointed at [Japan's] throat".

Why was the importance of Port Moresby in New Guinea?

Port Moresby was a city in New Guinea that housed a critical allied airbase, and if the Japanese took this airbase over, they would be close enough to launch a strike on Australia.

Why did Roosevelt cut off oil shipments to Japan? Did he achieve his objective ?

Roosevelt cut off oil shipments to Japan in an effort to stop or slow down Japan's advance which had led to the conquest of French Indochina — Vietnam, Cambodia, and Laos.``

What were the British and Dutch Southeast Asia colonies important conquests for Japan?

THe British and Dutch Southeast Asia colonies were important conquests for Japan because they had oil, rubber, and other raw materials needed to defend Japan's expansion.

What did the American victory at the Battle of Midway signal? How did it affect the morale of the allied forces ?

The AMerican victory at the Battle of Midway signaled that the Americans had turned the tide of war in the Pacific. It boosted the morale of the allied forces significantly.

What did the allies manage to do prior to the Battle of the Coral Sea?

The Allies managed to intercept a Japanese strike force headed towards Port Moresby in New Guinea before the Battle of the Coral Sea.

What was the American Strategy at Midway ? Was this strategy a success?

The American strategy at Midway was to allow the Japanese fleet to begin their assault., and then American planes would attack the Japanese fleet. This strategy was a success because the Americans had destroyed 332 Japanese planes, four aircraft carriers, one support ship, and Admiral Yamamoto ordered his forces to withdraw from the battle.

Why were the Americans aware of Japan's intentions?

The Americans were aware of Japan's intentions because they had cracked one of the codes that the Japanese used in sending secret messages. They had general information, but not specific information.

How long was the Bataan Death March ? How many soldiers perished and why?

The Bataan Death March was 50 miles. 500 American and 2,500 Filipino soldiers perished during the Bataan Death March. Thousands perished at the inhuman prison camps.

What did the Doolittle raid do to American morale and confidence of some Japanese? What did some Japanese start worrying about?

The Doolittle raid boosted American morale and shook the confidence of some Japanese. The Japanese started to worry that in their conquest for an empire, they had spread their resources to thin. Some Japanese citizens after the attack start to doubt that they were invincible.

Why was the Island of Guadalcanal called " Island of Death" by the abandoning Japanese forces ?

The Island of Guadalcanal was called the "Island of Death" by the abandoning Japanese forces because the Japanese forces had lost 24,000 troops there. Getting the island was a struggle because both sides had poured in fresh troops, and this battle turned into a savage struggle.

What was the importance of the Island of Midway? How far was was it from Hawaii?

The Island of Midway was the location of a key American airfield. It was 1,500 miles west of Hawaii.

Name the colonies conquered by the Japanese after Philippines?

The Japanese conquered the Dutch East Indies, the island of Java, the island of Sumatra, the island of Borneo, and the island of Celebes.

How did the Japanese try to win the support of Asians before the conquest of the colonies ?

The Japanese tried to win the support of Asians with their anti-colonialist idea of "East Asia for the Asiatics".

Why did the U.S. Government send aid to China?

The U.S. government sent aid to China in hopes that Japan would not push through China and conquer the Philippines and Guam. Japan would get stalled in CHina.

Why did Japan not get the quick victory that they expected in China?

They did not get the quick victory that they expected in China because of the Chinese resistance