Jamie+M+WWII

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WWII REQUIRED PROJECT The Japanese Bomb Pearl Harbor- December 7, 1941 Early on Sunday morning, Japanese General Tojo launched his attack of 427 aircraft bombers, to fly to Pearl Harbor, Hawaii and wreak havoc on the ships and planes at the naval base. Although several were missing at the time due to various expeditions, he decided to continue with the plan. At 0600 hours the first fleet of 183 fighters and torpedo bombers hit Pearl Harbor, followed an hour and fifteen minutes later by the second of 167 aircraft. By the time the attack was over, US casualties amounted to 2,403, and 1,178 wounded. Many ships were completely destroyed while others were sunk and repaired, or lightly damaged and eventually repaired. The importance of the raid was that it angered US citizens and soldiers wanted revenge. This was the final straw that sent the nation plummeting into action during WWII.

http://www.usshancockcv19.com/pearl_harbor_history.htm

The Battle of Coral Sea – May 7, 1942 The first battle between opposing aircraft force carriers occurred Southwest of the Solomon Islands, in the area of Coral Sea. Much like the battle of Midway, the US Navy knew about the Japanese plans to attack Port Moresby, due to advanced communications intelligence. Countering the attack, the US sent a fleet of carriers, cruisers, submarines, destroyers, land based bombers, and patrol seaplanes. After two days of fighting, the Americans had suffered more loss and damages. However, the battle was important because it had prevented the invasion of New Guinea, and the two major ships that suffered bomb damages were unable to participate in the upcoming Battle of Midway, where the Japanese suffered a terrible defeat. The contribution those ships could have made may have been enough to turn the tables.

http://www.history.navy.mil/photos/events/wwii-pac/coralsea/coralsea.htm

Tinian – July 24, 1944 On July 24, the 2nd and 4th American Marine Divisions landed on the island of Tinian, with bombarding artillery supporting the rear. The Japanese used nocturnal fighting methods, retreating during the day and attacking at night. The smooth terrain of the island made it easy for the US to use their tanks and equipment that could not be used on more rugged islands. The Americans took the island in about nine days, but some of the Japanese troops would hold out for months, the last of which surrendered on the day the war ended. The last holdout of a small resistance would not end until 1953! The Japanese would suffer over 8,000 casualties, while the US lost a strikingly small 300 soldiers. This battle would prove its worth when Tinian became a base and enormous airport for the time, with six runways measuring 2,600 meters in length. 50,000 troops were housed in camps there, and it provided a stable residence from which the Americans could impose attacks on the Philippines, Ryukyu Islands, and the Japanese Mainland.

http://flgrube1.tripod.com/id169.html

Stalingrad – Winter of 1942 Without having to do so, the Germans attacked the Russian city of Stalingrad, trying to obtain the oil fields in the Caucasus, and take down the city that held the name of the Russian leader, Joseph Stalin. Bloody hand to hand fighting broke out in the streets, as the Russians fought fiercely for their city. Marshal Zuhkov ordered six army regiments, of a million soldiers, to surround the city from all sides. The Germans had plenty of opportunity to retreat at the beginning of the attack, but Hitler would not allow them to back down. Trapped in the city, the German army had no food, supplies, or heat. Temperatures dropped down to below zero, and Hitler refused their pleas for surrender. Finally, on January 31, 1943, the southern sector of the German army surrendered. This battle was of extreme importance because it was the major turn around for the Allies in Europe, and the first big German defeat. With the loss of equipment and man power, the Germans did not have the supply to hold off the Russians when they furthered into the new empire. This battle would be the first break in the German fortress that would cause them to surrender, and the world celebrated VE Day, or Victory in Europe day, on May 8th, 1945.

http://www.historylearningsite.co.uk/battle_of_stalingrad.htm Very early in the morning on the ninth, the crew of the “Bockscar,” carrying the plutonium bomb, “Fat Man,” set off towards Kokura from Tinian, but ended up dropping their atomic cargo on the naval port of Nagasaki instead. Accustomed to the air raid sirens sounding false alarms, many of the Japanese people ignored their warnings and did not take cover in the many bomb shelters that equipped the area. Many lives would have been spared if the people had not been blasé about the matter. However, after the blast, people had literal sheets of skin hanging off of their bodies, and the estimated death in 1960 made by the Japanese totaled 87,000 with 87% of their industrial zones having been destroyed. Several days later, VJ Day was celebrated, standing for Victory in Japan, and the end of World War II. The Japanese Emperor declared unconditional surrender to the Allies, overruling the military leaders, in hope of saving Japanese lives. This was significant because even though it was a terrible thing to do, it ended the war sooner saving many American lives. "The Bombing of Nagasaki." History Learning Site. Web. 10 May 2010. <[]>. []

Early in the morning, while people went about their normal routines, there was an American B-29 Superfortress, the Enola Gay, circling overhead in the clouds. The timing of this attack was based primarily on the weather, because their needed to be cloudiness, so that people would not notice the plane, and the air would not be too damp. At approximately 8:15, the plane dropped an atomic bomb called “Little Boy,” on the city and base of Hiroshima. Many people died instantly, others were badly wounded, and passed over the coming seven to eight weeks from radiation poisoning. The continued effects on future generations from this bombing are still questioned today. An estimated 130,000-200,000 people died from the bomb. The bombing of Hiroshima was very important, because it showed the enemy how much power the Allies possessed, and scared them into surrendering, under threat of continued bombing on other cities. It was a deadly and horrible, yet highly effective occurrence in the war. "Atomic Bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki: Information from Answers.com." Answers.com: Wiki Q&A Combined with Free Online Dictionary, Thesaurus, and Encyclopedias. Web. 10 May 2010. <[]>. []

After several days of a constant bombing barrage by the US Marine Corps, the Ally troops finally moved onto the beaches of the tiny island of Iwo Jima. Unfortunately, the Japanese had had a lot of time to plan and use the landscape to their benefit, digging caves into the side of Mt. Sirbachi, and sniping off Ally soldiers as they came to the coast. The Allies made very slow, costly progress up the side of the mountain, but after several days and the loss of over 6,500 men, they took the island, and raised the flag on the top of the mountain. All Japanese resistance there stopped several days later. Although small, this island was significant because it had two airfields, and under Japanese control, it could act as a port for Japanese bomber planes to attack American bombers on their flights, but in American control, it could act as an emergency base for damaged planes, and could be used for planes to escort the bombers that needed smaller runways. The battle of Iwo Jima also showed the Americans how much the Japanese would do to defend their country, which furthered the decision to drop bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. "The Battle of Iwo Jima." History Learning Site. Web. 10 May 2010. <[]>. []

This land, air, and sea battle fought on and around the island of Guadalcanal in the Pacific Theatre was the first major offensive strike for the Allies against Japan. The Allies landed many troops that overcame the defending Japanese defensive force, that was shocked by the Allies’ offensive strategy. Quickly moving in and taking over Tulagi and Florida, the Allies also gained an airport that was in progress of being constructed by the Japanese, that was later named Henderson’s Field. After several months of futile attempts at regaining the base, the Japanese gave up hope at regaining the island. This was a significant battle because it was the Allies’ transition from defensive to offensive in the war, and it gave them a closer place to return to for supply, and stopped the Japanese from cutting off routes from Australia to the allied countries, thereby giving them a step up, and setting a strategically placed setting from which to attack again. "Guadalcanal Campaign, August 1942 - February 1943." Naval History and Heritage Command. Web. 10 May 2010. <[]>. []

On a cloudy night, with the moon brightly shining, the US dropped hundreds of paratroopers behind unsuspecting German lines, who were waiting for an attack from the shore, into France. The landing included 5,000 ships and 11,000 airplanes. What ensued was the largest land, air, and sea battle in all of history to date. The Nazis suffered thousands more casualties than the allies, and the five beaches that the battle occurred on were secured by the Allies by the end of the day. This battle’s importance was key to the success the Allies accomplished during WWII because it allowed them to attack Germany through France, and use France’s bases and supplies. Without this, the Germans would have had more time to conquer other countries. Russia was pushing them back from the East, and the US and Britain from the West, forcing them into their borders, and thereby causing a quicker surrender. "CNN.com - D-Day: Key Facts - Jun 1, 2004." CNN.com International - Breaking, World, Business, Sports, Entertainment and Video News. 02 June 2004. Web. 09 May 2010. <[]>. []

In this unfortunate turn for the Japanese, the Allies had cracked their communication code, and realized that there was to be a surprise attack by four Japanese carriers carrying many war planes, to attack the island of Midway. When they were close, they saw the Ally fleet, and instead of continuing on with their original plans, they went after the Allies’ ships. Improperly equipped for that form of battle, they couldn’t do anything against the ships, and one by one the Allies took down the Japanese fleet. This would be a major win for the Allies because they captured the Japanese ships, and learned the secrets to their successful bombing and setup knowledge. Using this, the F6F Hellcat was invented, which would be used against the Japanese only a year later. Also, this battle cost the Japanese over 300 experienced pilots and plains. "Battle of Midway." Willamette University. Web. 09 May 2010. <[]>. []


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