World War 2 Pacific Campaign

1941-1945

All Pacific Battles

Casualties of the Pacific campaign

President Franklin D. Roosevelt Declares War on Japan (Full Speech) | War Archives

Opening actions

The United States entered World War II on December 7th 1941 with the Japanese attack on the US naval base of Pearl harbor, along with the US bases in Guam, the Philippines, Wake Island, Midway island, and the British base of Hong Kong. The opening months of the war in the Pacific were a series of defeats with US and Allied forces being forced out of the Philippines and Hong Kong. These defeats continued as the US began a rapid build up of forces and materials to try and stop the Japanese advance.

War With Japan: Key Battles of The Pacific Theater | Battles Won And Lost | Timeline

Midway: The Turning Tides

The plan of battle for Midway, June 4th 1942

Midway was the decisive turning point in the war in the pacific. It crippled the Japanese fleet and ended their period of expansion. The battle focused around the US base of Midway, a tiny atoll that had already been attacked in the opening days of the war but had beaten back the assault. This time the Japanese had brought a massive fleet consisting of one of the largest battleships ever built and almost every aircraft carrier the Japanese had. However, the US had broken the Japanese codes and set a trap around Midway. This trap cost the Japanese four of their carriers and their dreams of expansion.

WWII Pacific casualties from major engagements

Allied Offensive

With the victory at Midway and Soviet victories in Europe, the US began of series of campaigns to capture strategic island chains throughout the Pacific with the end goal being the final invasion of Japan. These conflicts included the invasion of the Marshall Islands, Guadalcanal, Iwo Jima, and Okinawa which were taken to use as bases for bombing Japan and the eventual landing force.

Guadalcanal, 7 August 1942

One of the first Allied offensives of the war. The campaign recaptured the Solomon Islands which was the farthest south Japanese forces had pushed, trying to threaten mainland Australia.

Philippines, October 20, 1944

The recapture of the Philippine Islands was one of the largest areas of conflicts in the Pacific as the island were vital to Japanese control of the south Pacific.

Iwo Jima, February 19, 1945

The tiny volcanic island of Iwo Jima became the site of one of the largest battle of the Pacific as the US launched an invasion in order to use it as a base to bomb mainland Japan.

Okinawa, April 1, 1945

The largest battle of the Pacific, as the island was viewed as home territory to the Japanese who fought US marines for every inch.

The radiance of a thousand suns

The invasion of the Japanese homeland never came however. With continued Japanese resistance to requests to surrender, the newly sworn in president Truman decided to deploy the first atomic bomb, call "Little Boy" against the Japanese city of Hiroshima with catastrophic results. However, despite the massive cost of the bombing, the Japanese government continued to refuse the demands for unconditional surrender resulting in a second bomb, "Fat Man" being dropped on Nagasaki. With two cities have been decimated and no way to stop further destruction, Japan was left with few options.

Atomic Bomb dropped on Nagasaki

Pacific Victory

With the threat of further atomic destruction and a Soviet invasion imminent, the Japanese government accepted unconditional surrender to the Allies on August 15th 1945 via a nation wide radio broadcast by emperor Hirohito. This brought to an end the bloodiest conflict in human history.

Formal Japanese surrender aboard the USS Missouri

The plan of battle for Midway, June 4th 1942

Atomic Bomb dropped on Nagasaki

Formal Japanese surrender aboard the USS Missouri