PACIFIC ESSAY PLANS

Question 1

Invasion of China as a growth of Pacific tensions.

Answer 1

Kwantung Army - Chinese Railway blown up.
Chinese blamed - excuse to take over all of Manchuria.
Last Emperor of China - puppet Emperor of the new nation Manchukuo.

Question 2

Invasion of China as a growth of Pacific tensions: examples/evidence/impact.

Answer 2

Further living space + resources - low quality. LoN condemned Jap + withdrew - anti-West feeling.
Rape of Nanking - killing of 300,000 Chinese.
Jap pride - earlier withdrawal would be an embarrassment.

Question 3

Outbreak of war in Europe as a growth of Pacific tensions.

Answer 3

Hitler’s victory captured attention of Jap militarists - inspired expansion.
Jap blamed effects of GD on the West.
During GD, US withdrew from silk market - life hard for Jap farmers.

Question 4

Outbreak of war in Europe as a growth of Pacific tensions: examples/evidence/impact.

Answer 4

Tripartite Pact: Tokyo signed w Ger + Italy - obligated to “assist one another w all political, economic + military means…”
Ger + Italy Jap’s only friends - dangerous to abandon Pact.
Farmers sold their daughters to men travelling the countryside looking for women to work in cafes + brothels.

Question 5

Rise of militarism as a growth of Pacific tensions.

Answer 5

Greater East Asia Co-Prosperity Sphere - create a self sufficient Asian bloc led by Jap + free of Western influence.
Growth of Jap population + of IJA
(Imperial Japanese Army) - shift of power to military.

Question 6

Rise of militarism as a growth of Pacific tensions: examples/evidence/impact.

Answer 6

GEACPS a failure - ensured Jap imperialist ambitions over unity.
IJA grew from 17 divisions - 41 w 2 million reserves.
Military took precedence over diplomacy - Prince Fuminmaro replaced by General Tojo.
“Bushido (way of the warrior)” - form of discipline + conduct in war.

Question 7

Foreign policy as a growth of Pacific tensions.

Answer 7

Achieve unity based on a “live-and-let” - tolerate opinions of others so they will tolerate Jap’s.
Eliminate Soviet Union - communist.
Correction of Chinese attitude towards Japan - turn North China into an area where Manchuko, Jap + China will join mutually.

Question 8

Foreign policy as a growth of Pacific tensions: examples/evidence/impact.

Answer 8

FDR ‘tightened the noose’ in response to Jap in China - ‘39: US cancelled the US-Jap trade treaty + ‘41: Jap assets frozen + oil embargoes, ending 75% of trade.

Question 9

Japan had little choice to bomb Pearl Harbour - 6 months of glory.

Answer 9

Couldn’t fight war w China - no resources.
Jap given two choices - withdraw or look into SEA to find resources.
They would look to Malaya for Rubber + DEI for oil - only threat from US (British not -occupied by Nazis).
Jap knew they couldn’t knock out US from war entirely - wanted to delay them (2 years).

Question 10

Japan had little choice to bomb Pearl Harbour - 6 months of glory: examples/evidence/impact.

Answer 10

PH reaffirmed racial pride + demonstrate vulnerability of the West.
Destruction of 188 US planes - 2400 killed, 18 ships sunk.
Attack did not delay US that long: rejuvenated navy in 6 months - didn’t give Jap time to achieve foreign policy aims.
FDR: “a date which will live in infamy”.
Warner: Japan achieved a tactical success, not a strategic one.

Question 11

Japan had little choice to bomb Pearl Harbour - Philippines.

Answer 11

Barrier for Jap - US bases in Philippines.
Large scale, hand-to-hand fighting - jungle warfare.
FDR ordered MacArthur to leave Bataan + retreat to Aus.
Soldiers undersupplied - suffered from scurvy + malaria.
Handed Japanese with 70,000 captives + a base in the Pacific for further expansions in the South.

Question 12

Japan had little choice to bomb Pearl Harbour - Malaya & Singapore.

Answer 12

Japanese destroyed British navy - battleships Prince of Wales + Repulse.
British had no air support + tanks - surrendered days later.
Singapore considered an ‘impregnable fortress.’
Japan gained 130,000 POWs.
Singapore - a base for Japan to attack Burma.

Question 13

Japan had little choice to bomb Pearl Harbour - Dutch East Indies & Burma.

Answer 13

3-day battle in Java Sea - entire Allied fleet
destroyed.
Gave Jap a base to attack PNG in efforts
to colonise Port Moresby + neutralise Australia.
Captured Burma’s natural resources - oil, minerals + rice.
Cut off supply-line of the Burma road into China.
Britain’s retreat from Burma cost 4000 allied lives.

Question 14

Coral Sea.

Answer 14

1st steps to secure control of naval sea lanes around Aus.
Port Moresby - to extend defensive perimeter + cut lines of communication between Aus + US.
‘42 Takeo led a seaborne invasion towards Port Moresby - intercepted by US bombers in Coral Sea.

Question 15

Coral Sea: examples/evidence/impact.

Answer 15

1st time a naval encounter fought without ships coming in sight of each other.
US could replace its losses more quickly than Japan.
Japan lost x2 as many men.
1st check on the rapid series of Jap successes since PH.
Draw: not a decisive victory for the Allies.
Historians saw it as the battle that saved
Aus.
Morale booster for Allies.

Question 16

Midway.

Answer 16

Yamomoto aimed to capture Midway Island to shut US out of Pacific.
Plan: attack Aleutian Islands as a decoy - luring US fleet away from Midway.
US had ‘Magic’: code-breaking system - allowed Allies to read Japanese military messages.

Question 16

Midway: examples/evidence/impact.

Answer 16

Allies able to prepare for Midway w full knowledge of Jap strategy.
Jap lost 3000 men - many trained pilots.
Decisive victory for Americans - lost
only one carrier + destroyer.
Due to resource shortages - Jap found it hard to
replace 4 carriers (most important weapon).
Inability to replace their losses halted further expansion - prevented from advancing on Hawaii.
War was still largely undecided.

Question 17

New Guinea.

Answer 17

Jap had control of the north section of NG.
Small allied base remained at Milne Bay - Allied planes flew out to harass Jap shipping in the Solomon + Coral Seas.
Jap pushed along Kokoda Track + encountered Aus soldiers - fought in thick jungle, tropical climate + mud.
Support of fresh troops from US by ‘43 - Allies took Buna, Gona and Sanananda.

Question 18

New Guinea: examples/evidence/impact.

Answer 18

1st Jap land defeat - no artillery or airforce.
Tropical diseases e.g. malaria - difficult for both sides.
US lost 7000 troops, Jap lost 9000.
Aus gained support of natives - carried the
wounded.
Became a base for MacArthur’s ‘island-hopping’ strategy.
Fighting lasted 2 more years - Jap army at Buna did not surrender until 13 Sep ‘45.
Stanley: destroyed Japan’s capacity to achieve victory.

Question 19

Guadalcanal.

Answer 19

US launched 1st major offensive.
During the 6 month battle, Jap fought to regain control of the island + airfield.
Kawaguchi Brigade completely wiped out in the
battle of Bloody Ridge.

Question 19

Guadalcanal: examples/evidence/impact.

Answer 19

19000 US marines made an unopposed landing - took Jap by surprise.
Jaop lost 38 ships.
Hirohito became directly involved + began to inspire his troops.
To maintain fight, Jap kept sending troops - drained resources elsewhere.
Stopped Japanese expansionism + placed them on defensive.

Question 20

Island hopping.

Answer 20

With a risky invasion of heavily defended Rabaul - allies would isolate Rabaul from air + sea while
MacArthur’s forces invaded less-well-defended islands.
Would pass the more heavily defended islands.
Having to push Jap across numerous small islands - too slow + waste resources.

Question 21

Island hopping: examples/evidence/impact.

Answer 21

Once they got a hold of Guadalcanal, they liberated Gilbert Islands, Mariana’s, Philippines, Iowa + Okinawa.
100,000 Japanese troops isolated and stranded in Rabaul.

Question 22

Air attacks.

Answer 22

B29 Superfortresses - had greater fuel capacity + travel further.
Allies built airstrips in China + launched attacks from newly liberated Pacific islands - attack Jap from 2 sides.
In Tokyo, buildings made of wood - firestorms from bombs.

Question 23

Air attacks: examples/evidence/impact.

Answer 23

Poor targeting devices + bad weather meant high civilian casualties (not military) - 800,000 Jap killed in air raids.
More deaths from fire than actual hit of bombs - 20 square km of civilian areas turned to ash.
Jao had no system to defend skies from B29.

Question 24

Sea battles.

Answer 24

Battle of Leyte Gulf - largest naval battle in WWII.

Question 25

Kamikaze.

Answer 25

Jap suicide missions - trained pilots + planes lost (crashed into Allied ships.)
Psychological weapon - shows determination.
Off Okinawa, Jap kamikazes sank 24 US ships.
Belief that taking one’s own life for country was the highest honour.
Fueled racist beliefs - Allies thought enemies who killed themselves were not human.

Question 26

Social treatment of occupied people in SEA.

Answer 26

Jap as the ‘superior’ Asian race.
Singapore: Jap military rounded all Chinese men
into CC.
‘Comfort stations’: women were forced to have sex with Jap soldiers - resistance = beating.
Forced labour on Burma Railway.
Native resistance increased with harsh treatment in Indochina.

Question 27

Social treatment of occupied people in SEA: examples/evidence/impact.

Answer 27

Youth organisations - train them to be useful subjects of the Jap empire.
200,000 women served as sex-slaves - 80% from Korea, China + Philippines.
Burma railway caused 70,000 civilian deaths - had to move soil by hand (prone to disease).
Butaan Death March - escaped soldiers marched back up peninsula (10,000 deaths).

Question 28

Political treatment of occupied people in SEA.

Answer 28

In some colonies, Jap were welcomed as liberators - remove western influence.
Military rule in Hong Kong + Manchuria
- Kwantung army.
Indochina: since not an ‘invasion’ - Jap enforced a puppet state.

Question 29

Political treatment of occupied people in SEA: examples/evidence/impact.

Answer 29

Indonesia believed Jap was “leader, protector + light of Asia”.
Malaya met Jap forces with guerilla warfare to encourage social revolution - 50,000 people died.

Question 30

Economic impact on occupied people in SEA.

Answer 30

Destruction of economy w exploitation - removal of key industries.
Shortages - food prices soared - people turned to cultivation of foodstuffs for survival.
Korea: rapid industrialisation (steel + chemicals).
Burma: supply line to Chinese - extensively bombed.

Question 31

Economic impact on occupied people in SEA: examples/evidence/impact.

Answer 31

Rural self-sufficiency destroyed - peasants depended on gov rationing.
‘42, 70% of capital from Chinese industry - confiscated by the Jap.
Malaya: currency worthless after Jap armies issued uncontrollable amounts of paper money, “banana notes”.

Question 32

Government impact of Pacific War on Japan.

Answer 32

Military dominated - democracy abandoned in ‘30s.
‘38: military succeeds a national mobilisation bill - power to gov over industry, labour + press.
‘40 all political parties combined into Imperial rule - aim to support war effort.
Emperor had ultimate power - approval always
sought.

Question 33

Government impact of Pacific War on Australia.

Answer 33

Robert Menzies declares war.
Gov passed National Security Act - power in dealing w military emergencies.
Department of Information - decided what people would be informed about.
Increase taxes.

Question 34

Government impact of Pacific War on Australia: examples/evidence/impact.

Answer 34

Unprepared for war - 3000 men army.
Incomes as low as $180 could be taxed - no. of
taxpayers increased by 250%
Cars could be forcibly sold to gov.

Question 35

Economic impact of Pacific War on Japan.

Answer 35

Victories gave access to raw materials.
Couldn’t compete with US industrial strength.
Increased war production - food shortages.

Question 36

Economic impact of Pacific War on Japan: examples/evidence/impact.

Answer 36

Food shortages led to inflation + black market -
gov unable to control w fixed pricing.
By ‘44, rice was 50x fixed price level.
By ‘45, consumer goods made up only 17% of
national production.

Question 37

Economic impact of Pacific War on Australia.

Answer 37

Menzies gov appointed Essington Lewis -
organise industry into a war economy - expanded industries of armaments, chemicals etc.

Question 38

Economic impact of Pacific War on Australia: examples/evidence/impact.

Answer 38

By ‘41 - 35 munition factories/
Workforce: from 15,000 to 200,000
Copeland: “industries responded magnificently…amazed even experts.”

Question 39

Social impact of Pacific War on Japan.

Answer 39

Midway: ‘Jap victory’ - films made + shown.
Defeats unreported - ‘strategic withdrawals’.
Radio: broadcasted military advances + urged
civilians to strive for victory.
American music, movies, clothes banned.
By ‘40s fuel strictly rationed.
Little arable land - dug up baseball fields + school children sent to countryside to clear rocky land for cultivation.
Abcense of sufficient food/medicine (Allied
bombing) - increased sickness among workers.

Question 40

Social impact of Pacific War on Japan: examples/evidence/impact.

Answer 40

Substitutions - smokers rolled dried eggplant after tobacco was finished.
70,000 died in Jap custody (beatings, overworked).
Tuberculosis killed over 170,000.

Question 41

Social impact of Pacific War on Australia.

Answer 41

Jap bombing of Darwin + sinking of HMAS Sydney wasn’t revealed.
Gov censored letters to loved ones.
Gov encouraged people to buy liberty loans - help w war effort.
Conscription due to insufficient volunteers.

Question 42

Social impact of Pacific War on Australia: examples/evidence/impact.

Answer 42

Charcoal burning devices to cars so it could run on gas not petrol.
65,000 women joined armed forces - Nursing Corps.
By end of ‘42, 1/2 a million women worked in male jobs - munitions, shipbuilding, mechanics.

Question 43

Resources as a reason for the Japanese defeat.

Answer 43

Jap could never match the industrial capacity of the US.
Island hopping isolated Japan units from ‘43 - no
supply lines.
Jap army + navy took unnecessary risks.
US able to bomb Jap home islands from bases in
China.
War continued in China for 8 years - drained resources + like fighting on 2 fronts.

Question 44

Resources as a reason for the Japanese defeat: examples/evidence/impact.

Answer 44

US responsible for 62% of Jap shipping destruction.
Japan lost 10x Allied losses in South Pacific.
B29 ‘Superfortress’ bombers - wipeout basic infrasture for civilans.

Question 45

A-Bomb as a reason for the Japanese defeat.

Answer 45

80,000 died from the outright blast - 30,000 overnight.
Jap gov indicated readiness to accept defeat.
Burnt 70% of all buildings.
Hiroshima: 90% of nurses killed - 42/45
hospitals were non-functional.