A slide presentation for History 12 students in B.C. Canada.

1. J. Marshall, 2007

2. 1. Why would Japan attack
the USA?

3. a) Low opinion of USA
• Drunks
• Lazy
• Lack fighting spirit

4. b. Influential military command
• The public thought the
politicians were weak.
• The military had
brought Japan glory.

5. c. Japan was expanding in the
Far East
• USA exerting economic pressure
(ie Manchuria).
• Oil stoppage.
• Roosevelt’s demand for Japan to leave
mainland Asia (fall, 1941).
• Had to limit U.S. reach in the Pacific -
oil and rubber in Borneo and Malaya.

6. d. USA unprepared for war
BUT…
• Pearl carriers out to sea?
• Pearl oil moved underground?
• Pearl radar - B17s inbound?
• Washington coder crackers - time zone
snafu in warning?
• SHIPS/PLANES REPLACABLE -
CARRIERS ARE NOT!

7. But…
Admiral Yamamoto
warned of waking the
SLEEPING GIANT.

8. 2. Why was Japan initially so
successful?

9. a) USA/UK unprepared
• Japan had lots of recent war experience
Mukden, 1931

10. b) No soldiers fought like the
Japanese
Bushido code
• Ferocity
• Live off land
• Strict obedience
For example…

11. • Atrocities

12. • Kamikazi

13. • The Bushido code also linked surrender
to dishonour.

15. c) Initially local populations
welcomed the Japanese
“liberators.”
• From whom were they
liberating Asians?
Asia for the Asians

16. d) The British were stressed
and the U.S. forces were
mostly in N.America
=
TIME FOR JAPAN

17. 3. Why did Japan ultimately
lose?

18. a) American public support

19. This

20. Declassified memo
(dated May 3, 1942) to
FDR re:
Doolittle Raid

21. b) Massive economic/military
power of USA
• Once mobilized that is!
• Factories were safe across the Pacific.
• Images of Pearl + propaganda
galvanized the nation behind the
President.
• Now the economic might could go far
beyond Lend-Lease…

23. c) Japan had only 10% of U.S.
economy
• Japan had few resources (oil/iron).
• Difficult to replace capital ships.
• After Leyte Gulf the Imperial Navy
ceased to exist!

24. c) cont. Japan needed food
• Japan had only 3% of U.S. agricultural
capacity.
• Had trouble feeding its people.
• Thus: since raw materials rare, factories
not the prime targets (they are dying by
themselves - TARGET CITIES.
• For every 40 factory bombs, 100 land
on cities.

25. d) U.S. subs sank 55% of
Japanese shipping

29. e) Island Hopping
• Attack main islands and isolate minor
ones - “left to wither on the vine.”
• Thus limit U.S. casualties (remember
Bushido code).
• On the Asian mainland the British and
Commonwealth fought…

30. The famed Chindits - early special
forces often behind enemy lines.
Part of the Forgotten Army

31. f) In addition to…
• U.S. leadership

32. U.S. victories: Success Breeds Success
• Iwo Jima

33. and, U.S. might..

34. The planners still feared an
assault on the “home islands”

35. g) Intelligence warned of
1 million + casualties
• This would be unacceptable to the U.S.
public.
• The Manhatten Project was the answer.
• Why would the U.S. use the bomb
against Japan but rely on traditional
munitions for Germany?

36. Hiroshima, August 6
Nagasaki, August 9

37. 4. The Surrender

41. Ultimately:
• Historians agree it really was a foregone
conclusion - the USA was just too strong
economically with too much military
potential.
• It is a testament to the ferocity and
commitment of the Japanese fighters that the
war took as long as it did.
• Easier geography also would have sped the
inevitable conclusion.

42. end