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==Far East==

==Far East==

After Pearl Harbor, the Japanese juggernaut seemed unstoppable.  In the south, they conquered the [[Philippines]], the oil-rich Dutch East Indies, Malaysia, and extended their reach as far as the Solomon Islands.  In the west, they seized [[Burma]] and the vital port at [[Rangoon]], and even attacked British forces at [[Ceylon]].  The Japanese empire now reached as far as [[Wake Island]] in the east and the [[Aleutian Islands]] to the north.  Attacks on Japanese targets, including the Doolittle raid, boasted American morale, but did little material damage.  In May 1942, Japanese forces were finally halted at the [[Battle of the Coral Sea]], which cost the Americans a precious [[aircraft carrier]], but saved southern [[New Guinea]].  At the [[Battle of Midway]] a month later, the Japanese lost four of their best carriers, suffering a blow to their sea power from which they never recovered.

After Pearl Harbor, the Japanese juggernaut seemed unstoppable.  In the south, they conquered the [[Philippines]], the oil-rich Dutch East Indies, Malaysia, and extended their reach as far as the Solomon Islands.  In the west, they seized [[Burma]] and the vital port at [[Rangoon]], and even attacked British forces at [[Ceylon]].  The Japanese empire now reached as far as [[Wake Island]] in the east and the Aleutian Islands to the north.  Attacks on Japanese targets, including the Doolittle raid, boasted American morale, but did little material damage.  In May 1942, Japanese forces were finally halted at the [[Battle of the Coral Sea]], which cost the Americans a precious [[aircraft carrier]], but saved southern [[New Guinea]].  At the [[Battle of Midway]] a month later, the Japanese lost four of their best carriers, suffering a blow to their sea power from which they never recovered.

The Americans took the offensive in August with a landing on the island of [[Guadalcanal]].  The overall American offensive strategy was two-pronged.  Forces in the south advanced up the Solomon island chain and New Guinea, while in the central Pacific, Marines took island after island, including [[Battle of Tarawa|Tarawa]], Eniwetok, [[Saipan]], and [[Guam]].  The two lines of attack came together at the Philippines.

The Americans took the offensive in August with a landing on the island of [[Guadalcanal]].  The overall American offensive strategy was two-pronged.  Forces in the south advanced up the Solomon island chain and New Guinea, while in the central Pacific, Marines took island after island, including [[Battle of Tarawa|Tarawa]], Eniwetok, [[Saipan]], and [[Guam]].  The two lines of attack came together at the Philippines.

The American invasion of the Philippines took place in late October of 1944 when Marines landed on Leyte Island.  A few days later, the US Navy shattered what was left of Japanese naval power in the [[Battle of Leyte Gulf]].  The Japanese fought hard, however, and Leyte took two months to secure.  When the Americans landed on the other islands, they found the troops there equally unwilling to retreat, but with American superiority in almost every area, the outcome was never really in doubt. [[Manila]] was captured by March, and the American position had become solid enough that leaders could start preparing for the final stage: [[Operation Downfall|the invasion of Japan]].  The first step was taken when the island of [[Okinawa]] was captured in June after two months of heavy fighting.  Operation Olympic, the invasion of [[Kyushu]], was scheduled for November 1945, followed by Operation Coronet, the invasion of [[Honshu]], in March of 1946.

The American invasion of the Philippines took place in late October of 1944 when Marines landed on Leyte Island.  A few days later, the US Navy shattered what was left of Japanese naval power in the [[Battle of Leyte Gulf]].  The Japanese fought hard, however, and Leyte took two months to secure.  When the Americans landed on the other islands, they found the troops there equally unwilling to retreat, but with American superiority in almost every area, the outcome was never really in doubt. [[Manila]] was captured by March, and the American position had become solid enough that leaders could start preparing for the final stage: [[Operation Downfall|the invasion of Japan]].  The first step was taken when the island of [[Okinawa]] was captured in June after two months of heavy fighting.  Operation Olympic, the invasion of [[Kyushu]], was scheduled for November 1945, followed by Operation Coronet, the invasion of [[Honshu]], in March of 1946.

The Japanese, soldiers and civilians alike, were expected to put up a fierce defense.  Army Chief of Staff [[George C. Marshall]] believed that Japan would fight to the last man, and insisted on preparing for a land invasion of Japan with an army of 2,000,000 men anticipating a tremendous number of casualties.  Some analysts estimated the number of projected casualties from Operation Olympic alone at 250,000 dead and wounded.<ref>Historical Atlas of the U.S. Navy, by Craig L. Symonds, the Naval Institute, 1995</ref>  For this reason, Washington strongly requested the Soviets declare war on Japan. At the Potsdam conference in mid-July 1945, Stalin told President Truman the Soviets would declare war on Japan but would not give a firm timetable.<ref>Wheeler (1983) p. 58</ref>

The Japanese, soldiers and civilians alike, were expected to put up a fierce defense.  Army Chief of Staff [[George C. Marshall]] believed that Japan would fight to the last man, and insisted on preparing for a land invasion of Japan with an army of 2,000,000 men anticipating a tremendous number of casualties.  Some analysts estimated the number of projected casualties from Operation Olympic alone at 250,000 dead and wounded.<ref>Historical Atlas of the U.S. Navy, by Craig L. Symonds, the Naval Institute, 1995</ref>  For this reason, Washington strongly requested the Soviets declare war on Japan. At the Potsdam conference in mid-July 1945, Stalin told President Truman the Soviets would declare war on Japan but would not give a firm timetable.<ref>Wheeler (1983) p. 58</ref> (There were 4 "Allied" conferences: The Tehran Conference from 28 November to 1 December 1943; the Cairo Conference (November 22–26, 1943); the Yalta (February 4–11, 1945), and Potsdam (in mid-July 1945) Conferences.)

 

[[Image:Ww2-asia usma.edu pic.gif|thumb|300px|left|Time Line of Pacific War]]

[[Image:Ww2-asia usma.edu pic.gif|thumb|300px|left|Time Line of Pacific War]]