985-989 Flashcards
The Pacific War
What date did the attack on Pearl Harbor occur?
December 7, 1941
What was the date of D-Day?
June 6, 1944
Which territories did Japan capture early in World War II?
- Hong Kong
- Burma
- Malaya
- Singapore
- Indochina
Who stated, ‘Everywhere in the Pacific we were weak and naked’?
Winston Churchill
What was the Bataan Death March?
Forced march of 12k US troops and 66k Filipinos captured by Japan in 1942
How long was the Bataan Death March and how many died?
65 miles in 6 days, 10,000 died
Name of Philippine death march
Bataan Death March
A term to describe Japan’s overconfidence leading to plans to attack Australia and Hawaii again
‘Victory disease’
What was significant about the Battle of the Coral Sea?
US sank 1 carrier and 70 planes in 1942
What was the outcome of the Battle of Midway?
Yamamoto lost ⅓ of his planes after sending 86 warships
What advantage did the US gain by breaking Japan’s radio code?
Allowed Nimitz’s fleet to strike back effectively
What was the significance of the Battle of Midway?
First loss for Japan in 350 years and a turning point in the Pacific war
Who commanded the Allies in the Southwest Pacific?
General Douglas MacArthur
What was the result of the attack on the Solomon Islands?
16,000 undersupplied Marines defeated Japan’s Army
What was the first defeat of the Japanese Army in World War II?
The battle in the Solomon Islands
What were the casualties in the battle against Japan at the Solomon Islands?
20,000 Japanese dead and 1,700 Americans
What strategy did MacArthur and Nimitz employ in the Pacific?
‘Leapfrog’ strategy, leaving Japanese forces to ‘wither on the vine’
What happened to Japan’s airfield in New Guinea?
It was destroyed, leaving 135,000 stranded
Fill in the blank: MacArthur’s strategy involved a tactic called _______.
Island hopping
Days after D-Day, which pacific areas are liberated
Tinian, Guam, Saipan
Saipan (7k suicide) used to bomb Japan (B-29 “Superfortress”)
US invades Philippines – critical for Japan
they send warships from 3 directions
Battle of Leyte Gulf (4 battles in Philippine Sea) – Biggest naval battle ever.
Worst Japanese defeat – US has 216 warships vs Japans 64 (lost 40)
