Map by Rebekah Landois - SRM Student

Iwo Jima, Iōjima, Ogasawara, Tokyo, Japan

jbuc125593_1 — 2025-02-10 18:00:51 UTC

This battle lasted about a month, spanning from February 19th to March 26th. It was one of the most heavily defended Japanese territories, thousands of enemies entrenched in tunnels and caves. This was one of the roughest battles in the Pacific for the U.S, losing around 6k marine soldiers. Yet while the battle was harsh, only 200 Japanese were left and America was able to secure the island.

Hiroshima, Japan August 6th, 1945

rlan2535471 — 2025-02-10 18:01:18 UTC

On AUgust 6th, we dropped the "Little Boy", the most power bomb America has ever created. It was dropped on a Japanese military base in Hiroshima, Japan and immediately turned any upright buildings into ash. A few days later we dropped another one of our bombs nicknames the, "Fat Man" on Nagasaki. Many enemies to America have died and Emperor Hirohito has surrendered.

200,000 people passed away from the injuries sustained by the blast and many others died due to radiation. Surviving witnesses said it was a horrifying sight to see and the people didn't even look human. Emperor Hirohito didn't want to see his people suffer anymore this way and surrendered shortly after the second blast. America, and every other powerful military power has developed stronger nukes over the years, however, none have been fired since the attack on Nagasaki. This shows how dangerous those weapons where and how nukes have become absolute last resort in conflict.

Nagasaki, Japan

rlan2535471 — 2025-02-10 18:03:12 UTC

Midway Atoll, United States Minor Outlying Islands

jbuc125593_1 — 2025-02-10 18:03:44 UTC

From June fourth to the seventh, the battle of Midway occured in 1942 on the island of Midway Atoll. This was an attack of the Japanese by the Americans to regain islands they lost to the Axis powers. In this attack, the U.S. sent torpedo planes and dive bombers, taking out four aircraft carriers, a cruiser, and 250 planes. About 3k Japanese soldiers died compared to the U.S.'s 362. Additionally, 35 Japanese were taken as prisoners of war to which one of the sailors cooperated and gave intel on Japan. This left Japan devastated, an official stating that this was America "avenging" Pearl Harbor. This was all achievable by Navajo decoders, who interpreted Japanese radios and finding out midway was the next target.

This impact was also known as "the turning point of the Pacific," as it was the Allies first major naval victory against the Axis powers.

Guadalcanal, Solomon Islands

2025-02-10 18:06:09 UTC

In August 1942, 19,000 troops stormed Guadalcanal in the Solomon Islands. Six months after the initial invasion, the Japanese were defeated and fully abandoned Guadalcanal. Thus, the Islands were known as the Island of Death and the Japanese had earned their first defeat on land.

Personal Reflection:

This battle was significant because it was the first defeat of Japan on land. This was a great progression in the war, as it was followed by many more Japanese land defeats. After the full abandonment of the Solomon Islands, Americans could see a hopefully future, reclaiming land Japan had taken over. This influenced the war by earning new strategies to defeat Japan, offering proof that the Allies could win the war.

Leyte Gulf, Philippines

2025-02-10 18:06:22 UTC

From the twenty-third to the twenty-sixth of October, 1944, 178,000 Allied troops and 738 ships converged on Leyte Island. The Japanese attempted to defend their control over the Philippines by utilizing suicide planes to attack Allied ships. While the outcome was devastating, America defeated the Japanese and sparked disaster in the Japanese Imperial Navy.

Personal Reflection:

This battle was significant because after the Allies won, the Japanese no longer used much of their navy. This offered a great advantage, as Japan had been relying on its navy. While devastating news spread across America of lost lives, the progression of the war offered hope for worried Americans. Many Americans, while saddened by the loss of loved ones, continued offering support for the war effort, providing food and weapons for Allied soldiers.

Okinawa, Japan

2025-02-10 18:10:31 UTC

On May 4th 1945, U.S. Marines, Japanese fighters, and British Allies fought at the battle of Okinawa, the U.S. Marines and British Allies approached from all sides of the island, by the time the fighting stopped on June 21st 1945, Japan had lost 110,000 lives, the U.S. 7,600, and Britain half the amount of the U.S. The battle did not end in surrender nor victory, two generals committed ritual suicide rather than have the shame of surrender. 30 ships were sank, 200 were damaged, and 5,000 seamen were killed by more than 1900 kamikaze (these were a part of the Japanese Special Attack Units of military aviators who flew suicide attacks for the Empire of Japan against Allied naval vessels) attacks.

While Okinawa won the US and japan nothing but extreme losses of man and machine power, it did allow the allies and the U.S the ability to get closer to japan and their forces which became beneficial and useful in the long run. But this battle wasnt only significant because of the advantage we gained, but also form just the bloodshed of the amount of loss of lives. The battle of Okinawa changed the course of WWII and how views changed forever.

Gulf Province, Papua New Guinea - Battle of Coral Sea

2025-02-11 16:42:09 UTC

In May 1942, the Americans and Australians succeeded in stopping the Japanese drive toward Australia. The battle was five days long, the battle was based on. Aircraft carriers and an air based attack, for the first time since Pearl Harbor, the Japanese surrendered and turned back.

DO SIGNIFICANCE!!!!

Pearl Harbor, Hawaii

rlan2535471 — 2025-02-11 16:51:30 UTC

Pearl Harbor was the attack on the Hawaiian military base on December 7th 1941. America believed there ships and aircraft were safe due to the advantage of being surrounded by water, however, it was soon realized American ships were not safe at all. A coordinated attack carried out by Japan was slowly closing in on Pearl Harbor, on the Sunday morning of the attack, a radar test showed that a group of aircraft was coming for pearl harbor, it was not reported as anything unusual. Over 2400 Americans died that day. Japanese aircraft bombed the ships and aircraft on the ground, and torpedos tore through american ships.

Pearl Harbor was the start of the Japan v. American war, which prompted many Americans to volunteer for the war and defend their country. Because of the attack on Pearl Harbor, many economic positives happened. Jobs were given to women and African Americans, and technically it paved the way to equal rights.