5. EXECUTION
1. Invade Manchuria
2. Expansion in China
3. Efforts shift south
4. Pearl Harbor
5. Guam, Malaya, Singa
pore
6. Solomons
7. Battle of Coral Sea
8. Battle of Midway
6. Three Phases:
1. Neutralize U.S. Pacific Fleet with a surprise
attack (Pearl Harbor) and seize Southern
Resources Area (SRA)
2. Establish invincible perimeter around SRA
3. Await and smash U.S. counterattack
8. SITUATION
30,000 Japanese troops in Pacific,
Interlocking bases expanding empire and
trying to destroy us as threat.
Upon attack they defend
Intelligence regarding enemy forces and
terrain almost nonexistent. Maps
crude, hand-drawn; aerial photos arrived
after the landings
9. SITUATION - FRIENDLY
U.S. carriers undamaged in Pearl Harbor
Attack
Marine division in Pacific is trained for
amphibious operations
12. Phase I: Seizure of other Solomon islands
plus positions on New Guinea by MacArthur
Phase II: Capture Guadalcanal
Phase III: Use bases to attack
14. OUTCOME
Importance of air and sea control with
amphibious operation
Need for amphibious reconnaissance
Guadalcanal illustrates the mobility and
flexibility an amphibious campaign offers
Editor's Notes
The initial goals of Japanese leaders were to neutralize the US Navy, seize possessions rich in natural resources, and establish strategic military bases to defend Japan's empire in the Pacific Ocean and Asia.
To further those goals, Japanese forces captured the Philippines, Thailand, Malaya, Singapore, Burma, the Dutch East Indies, Wake Island, Gilbert Islands, New Britain and Guam.
