World War II in the Pacific was a savage and bloody affair. After the attack on Pearl Harbor, the Japanese advanced island by island seemingly unstoppably until the Spring of 1942. By then, the Americans had lost in the Philippines, withdrawing at Bataan in March 11, 1942. In the spring of 1942, however, the tide began to turn; Lieutenant Colonel James Doolittle led 16 bombers to raid Tokyo. At the battle of Coral Sea in May 1942, the Americans stopped the Japanese invasion for the first time. The Battle of Midway, known by most the turning point of the Pacific War, was when the Allies began gaining ground. After the Battle of Midway in June 1942, the Americans stormed Guadalcanal in August 1942, marking Japan's first defeat. In October of 1944, the Americans reached the Philippines. The Battle of Leyte Gulf marked the first appearance of the kamikaze pilots in the war. Iwo Jima would come after retaking the Philippines. The Battle of Okinawa occurred in April 1945, and was won at a high price, making President Truman decide to use the atomic bomb- although he did not really understand what it was, only that it was a weapon of devastating power. The use of the atomic bomb would mark the ending to the war.
Very informative summary with a lot of good facts. I found it interesting how you talked about the Battle of Okinawa because I didn't really know that was the battle where the atomic bomb was used.
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