Major Battles of the Pacific

Kellie Nicholls

2.23.10

Period E

The Battles in the Pacific

The Japanese became a prime target of the United States after VE Day and the defeat of the Nazis. Ever since the attack on Pearl Harbor, the United States and Japan were formally at war and after the Nazis were defeated, the United States turned to the Pacific.

The Japanese had already overrun Hong Kong, French Indochina, Malaya, Burma, Thailand, and much more of China. They also conquered the Dutch East Indies, Guam, Wake Island, the Solomon Islands, and many others in the Philippines. However, the main Allied forces in the Pacific were Americans and Australians. In May of 1942 they succeeded in stopping the Japanese as they tried to get to Australia. The five-day battle became known as the Battle of the Coral Sea. Most of the fighting during this battle occurred by aircraft and surface ships fired not a single shot. The Japanese had finally been stopped for the first time after the attack on Pearl Harbor.

The next target of the Japanese was the small island of Midway, situated northwest of Hawaii. It was small, but highly important for strategy to the Japanese. However, the Americans had broken the Japanese code and found out that their next target was Midway and they prepared for battle. The Battle of Midway was the turning point for the wars in the Pacific. The Americans had caught the Japanese off guard and avenged Pearl Harbor. The Japanese lost four aircraft carriers, a cruiser, and 250 planes. Soon after, the Americans began “island hopping” and slowly won back territory from the Japanese.

(Image: The Battle for Midway)