The Pacific Theater in WWII | Summary, Strategy & Outcome - Video & Lesson Transcript

The Pacific Theater in World War II

WWII was fought in two main areas: The European theater and the Pacific theater. The Pacific theater involved areas that were largely controlled by Japan. Japan wanted to become a world power and needed to be more self-sufficient to accomplish that goal, so in 1940, Japan teamed up with Italy and Germany and joined the Axis Powers.

The United States had not wanted to get involved in WWII and Japan wanted to make sure that the U.S. stayed out of the war. Therefore, on December 7, 1941, Japan launched a surprise attack on the United States Navy at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii meant to destroy the U.S. Navy. However, instead of keeping the U.S. out of the war, the attack brought the U.S. into WWII. The Pacific Theater in WWII included the following battles:

Battle	Description	Results
Battle of the Java Sea-February 1942	The Allied forces of America, British, Dutch, and Australia fought the Japanese in an attempt to prevent Japanese movement into the Dutch East Indies.	The Japanese easily defeated the Allied forces and sunk 3 of their destroyers, 2 cruisers, and killed 2300 men.
Battle of Midway-June 1942	As a diversion, Japan attacked the Aleutian Islands, while the true target was the strategic location of the Midway Atoll, which lay halfway between North America and Asia. Americans figured out the Japanese plan thanks to the work of codebreakers.	American victory-Japanese naval and air power was significantly hit and Japan was put on the defensive for the rest of the war.
Battle of Guadalcanal-August 1942	America orchestrated an amphibious landing and seized the airfield in the southern Solomon Islands during the six-month ordeal.	The Japanese lost and this put an end to the Japanese attempt to disrupt American and Allied supply and communication routes but at a heavy cost. The Allied losses included: Over 600 aircraft, 25 sunken warships, 7500 men killed.
Battle of Saipan-June 1944	U.S. launched this attack in the Mariana islands to have an airbase capable of striking Japan.	Losses included nearly 30,000 Japanese troops that committed suicide or were killed. Japanese civilians were also killed or committed suicide. Americans won the battle and gained a secure naval base, but at heavy costs. Americans suffered over 13,000 casualties.
Battle of Leyte-October 1944	This was the largest naval conflict of WWII. Allied forces landed at Leyte in the Philippines.	The Allied victory allowed the U.S. to liberate the Philippines. Japan suffered a devastating blow with the loss of aircraft carriers, battleships, destroyers and over 10,000 Japanese soldiers were killed.
Battle of Iwo Jima-February 1945	The island was invaded by Americans to gain airstrips. It took U.S. troops over a month to achieve victory. This battle is recognized in the famous photo depicting U.S. Marines planting a U.S. flag on the island.	This was an American victory with the gain of another airbase, but high casualties were suffered by both sides. Nearly 7,000 American lives were lost and 2400 wounded. 21,000 Japanese defended the land, but only about 1,000 Japanese survived.
Battle of Okinawa-April 1945	Americans attacked the southern tip of Japan in Okinawa to establish an air raid base and go through practice runs for the invasion of mainland Japan.	The battle resulted in an American victory with 50,000 U.S. casualties, while the Japanese had over 100,000. There were also approximately 100,000 civilian casualties. The high amount of U.S. casualties led U.S. President Harry Truman to approve the atomic bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki.

This picture portrays the iconic image of the American flag being raised by U.S. marines at Iwo Jima. A few of the marines are shown pushing the flag into place

Japan Goes on the Offensive

Japan opened its doors to the outside world in the mid-1800s, and before the century was over, they had begun to expand. In 1931, Japan invaded Manchuria and prepared to conquer China. Late in 1940, this military powerhouse allied with Germany and Italy, creating the Axis powers of WWII. This gave them the pretext they needed to invade European colonies in the Pacific, beginning with French Indochina.

In response to these and other actions, the United States had imposed an oil embargo against Japan. Running short on fuel, the Japanese decided to simultaneously discourage further U.S. interference in the region and cripple their ability to wage war in the Pacific. The Empire of Japan attacked the U.S. naval base at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, on December 7, 1941, along with several other American possessions and Allied colonies. America declared war the next day, as did Britain.

This was the start of a five-month rampage across the Pacific. By the end of 1942, Japan controlled a maritime empire stretching more than 2.8 million square miles. Throughout the war, they also attacked, but didn't conquer, Canada, Australia, many smaller islands, Alaska and even several spots along the west coast of the United States. Since it's impossible for us to discuss every famous battle, we're going to look at just a few events that were either decisive moments in the war or very good examples of what WWII in the Pacific was like.

Allied Strategy in the Pacific

Given the geography of the war in the Pacific in WWII, the United States adopted a strategy of leapfrogging or island-hopping. This strategy called for gaining control of islands that were not well-fortified by the Japanese and then using these islands as staging areas to prepare for the next invasion. The Allied strategy in the Pacific was successful because it allowed for the U.S. to achieve the main goal of an attack on mainland Japan. The Battle of Midway was a critical U.S. victory. Japan lost about 3,000 men, planes, and ships, resulting in Japan giving up the idea of Pacific expansion and from this point on, Japan was placed on the defensive.

This picture shows the USS Yorktown with smoke rising from it, since it was hit by Japanese dive bombers after the initial attack in the Battle of Midway.

General MacArthur's Role

American general, Douglas MacArthur, had command of the southwest Pacific theater in WWII. In 1935, MacArthur had helped create armed forces for the Philippines. In December 1941, President Roosevelt ordered MacArthur to vacate the island, resulting in MacArthur and his staff fleeing the Philippines. MacArthur had stated that the 'Gateway to Asia' was now in the hands of the enemy and he promised, ''I shall return.'' MacArthur was responsible for the operation that freed the Philippines in 1944 and MacArthur went on to lead an island-hopping campaign in the Pacific, returning to the Philippines two and half years later where he landed on Leyte and liberated the Philippines.

Japanese Strategy in the Pacific

The Japanese strategy for winning the Pacific war considered the island geography and perceived weakness of the opponent. The Allied air forces in the Pacific were small and weak. Japan planned to launch attacks from their bases in the Pacific and take out the Allied forces there and then develop those island resources to use as their own. In reaction to the U.S. attempt to conduct island-hopping, the Japanese made use of under-trained Japanese pilots who deliberately crashed into Allied ships, carried out balloon bomb missions, and engaged in hand-to-hand combat determined to fight to the death.

Japan thought a fight would only involve a single enemy. By 1940, the Japanese realized they had been mistaken in this assessment, as they realized they would need to attack the British, Dutch, and Americans. Japan believed they had to launch an assault on America, which had interfered with oil shipments to Japan, to keep the country out of the war. Furthermore, Japan did not have the industrial base and supply routes to battle a sustained war against America and the Allies. On December 7, 1941, the Japanese initiated a surprise attack on the U.S. fleet at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii.

The Pearl Harbor attack dealt a devastating blow to the U.S. Pacific fleet. All 8 of the battleships were hit, along with cruisers, destroyers, and other ships and over 2300 troops were killed. The attack led the United States to declare war on Japan the next day.

U.S. ships were bombed by the Japanese at Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941. This picture shows several flumes of smoke as a result of the multiple ships that were bombed

Following the Battle of Midway, a shift in the war occurred and Japan lost the advantage as it lost island after island to the Americans and Allies, resulting in Japan abandoning the plan of expansion in the Pacific and focusing on other methods of advancement. In 1945, Japan killed American civilians when a balloon bomb exploded in Oregon. The Japanese sent hydrogen-filled balloons with bombs attached with the intent of starting forest fires that would create panic in America and divert war supplies. The Japanese deployed over 9,000 balloon bombs, with only about 300 reaching Canada and America. The only fatalities produced by the balloons occurred with the Oregon disaster.

Another strategy deployed by the Japanese was the use of kamikaze pilots. The Japanese reasoned that one accidental crash into a warship could result in far more damage than gunfire. In October 1944, at the Battle of Leyte, Japanese kamikaze pilots crashed into Allied warships. A kamikaze was a pilot that served in the Japanese air attack corps during WWII who flew a suicide mission, by loading the plane with explosives, targeting the enemy, and then deliberately crashing into the enemy. The young indoctrinated Japanese pilots saw this as an opportunity to bring honor to family and country. Throughout the war, the Japanese had been willing to commit suicide for the country and engage in hand-to-hand combat. In 1944 at the Battle of Saipan, Japanese soldiers engaged the Americans in hand-to-hand combat and fought to the death, but lost the battle.

Prisoners of War in the Pacific Theater

Americans and Allies who fought in the Pacific and were captured by the Japanese faced horrific conditions as prisoners of war. They were forced to work in mines, factories, railroads, and other places. Prisoners were beaten and starved. In 1942, after losing on the Bataan Peninsula, Filipino and American troops endured a 65-mile march to the prison camp. The troops were beaten and tortured along the way, resulting in thousands of deaths in what came to be known as the Bataan Death March.

In general, Japanese POWs were treated much more fairly, as required by the Geneva Conventions. The Japanese POWs were forced to repair damages that were a result of the Japanese invasion. They were fed daily and given bedding supplies.

Pacific vs. European Theater Casualties

WWII was extremely costly in terms of lives lost. The total casualty amount is estimated to be over 60 million. Pacific vs European theater casualties are similar. The United States and Allies suffered over 100,000 casualties in the Pacific, with the total casualties in the Pacific exceeding 35 million. The Japanese suffered over 400,00 casualties in the Pacific. In the eastern theater, there were at least 30 million killed and other casualties in addition to that.

Lesson Summary

The Japanese planned a sneak attack on Pearl Harbor with the intention of crippling the U.S. naval fleet and preventing America from stopping Japan's control of the Pacific during World War II. The bombing had the opposite effect. America was brought into WWII with the Japanese bombing of Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941. WWII involved two theaters of war: a Pacific theater and a European theater. In 1942, the Battle of Midway erupted in the Pacific, which led to the United States and Allies developing the strategy of island-hopping. Japan responded to this new strategy by sending out under-trained Japanese pilots who led kamikaze attacks, in which the pilots deliberately crashed into Allied ships that resulted in a suicide collision. The Japanese made use of soldiers that were willing to fight to the death and sent balloon bombs into the United States.

The American victory at Midway included the sinking of many important Japanese ships, which put Japan on the defensive for the rest of the war, but Japan was able to gain control of the Philippines and after MacArthur was forced to abandon the island, he vowed to return. MacArthur's abandonment of the Philippines was significant because the 'Gateway to Asia' was now in the hands of the enemy. MacArthur fulfilled his promise and returned two and a half years later, where he landed on Leyte and liberated the Philippines.

Surrender of the Philippines

On December 7, 1941, the Japanese also attacked the Philippines and a collection of islands under U.S. control, and Allied forces steadily lost ground. Three months later, General Douglas MacArthur, commander of the U.S. Army in the Far East, abandoned the Philippines and escaped to the safety of Australia with his family and 14 staff officers, promising, 'I shall return!'

MacArthur left behind thousands of soldiers, as well as American nurses and civilians. By May 1942, the troops were nearly out of food and ammunition; they surrendered and the foreign civilians were herded into internment camps for the duration of the war. For three years, only small guerilla units were left to fight back. The 'Gateway to Asia' was now in the hands of the enemy.

Prisoners of War

Back in April, Japanese soldiers captured at least 72,000 starving American and Filipino men and sent them in groups on a 63-mile march from the Bataan Peninsula to Camp O'Donnell where they would be held temporarily. The troops were so brutalized that only 54,000 arrived at the holding camp. Historians believe most of those unaccounted for died during the walk, while a few managed to escape. Then, about half of the survivors of the Bataan Death March died after reaching Camp O'Donnell. In the end, nearly 86% of the Americans who surrendered at Bataan lost their lives.

Throughout the Pacific roughly 40% of American POWs died in Japanese custody from exhaustion, malnutrition, exposure, torture, disease and execution; some were even killed in medical experiments. Now by comparison, just over 1% of American prisoners died at the hands of the Nazis. Most POWs, including women, were transported to Japan on intentionally unmarked ships, leading to more than 21,000 American casualties from Allied torpedoes. Those who did reach Japan were generally used as slave labor in Japan's war industry or railroad construction. A few prisoners died in the atomic blasts that ended the war in 1945.

The Doolittle Raid

For a year, the United States reacted to events in the Pacific without a coordinated strategy. In April 1942, they devised a plan to launch bombers off an aircraft carrier, strike Tokyo and then proceed to an unoccupied part of China. But, the bombers, led by Lt. Col. Jimmy Doolittle, didn't have enough fuel to reach their planned airstrip after the attack. They flew until they ran out of fuel and the crews ditched them.

Despite the loss of seven men and all 16 planes, the Doolittle Raid was at once a psychological boost for the Americans and a tremendous blow to the Japanese, who believed their homeland was invincible. Furious, the Japanese planned a secret attack that they believed would keep America from ever launching an air raid against Japan again; they planned to destroy the Allied fleet at Midway Island.

The Battle of Midway and Island Hopping

Two factors doomed the Japanese attack at Midway before it even began. One was the Battle of the Coral Sea in May. The battle was a tactical victory for Japan, but several strategic ships were damaged or lost, keeping them out of the Battle of Midway. Secondly, the Japanese were unaware that the Americans had cracked their coded messages.

So, on June 4, 1942, Allied forces ambushed the Japanese fleet, sinking four aircraft carriers, a cruiser and two destroyers. Other ships were damaged. Though one American carrier was also lost, Japan no longer had naval supremacy. The Battle of Midway is widely considered the turning point of the war in the Pacific, halting the Japanese advance towards Australia and sending them into retreat.

America and its Allies started island hopping, choosing strategic Japanese possessions to attack as they moved closer and closer to Japan. The battles over tiny outposts in the middle of a vast ocean were surprisingly fierce, as invading forces struggled against deeply entrenched Japanese defenses. But, the Allies had gained the upper hand and were on the offensive.

By the summer of 1944, the successful invasion of Saipan put American bombers within range of Japan. And, it was here that the Allies fully grasped the Japanese concept of 'death before surrender;' nearly 97% of their troops fought to the death and as many as 1,000 civilians committed suicide rather than face an unknown fate at the hand of U.S. soldiers.

The Beginning of the End

Japan's situation was quickly unraveling. Allied forces retook possessions throughout the Pacific and General MacArthur finally returned to reconquer the Philippines in late 1944. The Japanese military initiated desperate strategies to resist an allied invasion. Under-trained pilots, in so-called kamikaze attacks, deliberately crashed their planes into Allied ships. They also dramatically increased the lesser-known strategy of launching balloon bombs destined for the US; one of them killed six people in Oregon.

In early 1945, the U.S. military planned an invasion of two key Japanese possessions, Iwo Jima and Okinawa, followed by a two-part invasion of Japan itself. The Japanese fiercely defended Iwo Jima, just 350 miles from their home shores; a third of all U.S. Marine casualties in the entire war were at Iwo Jima. At Okinawa, a rain of kamikaze attacks inflicted nearly 50,000 American casualties. In both places, Japanese troops refused to surrender, fighting nearly to the last man.

Meanwhile, President Franklin D. Roosevelt died, and Harry Truman became president. While he deliberated the planned invasion of Japan, President Truman learned about the Manhattan Project, a secret program to develop a powerful new weapon: the atomic bomb.

Lesson Summary

After a decade of regional aggression, Japan attacked Pearl Harbor and other Allied possessions in the Pacific on December 7, 1941, and soon gained an empire stretching over 2.8 million square miles. America lost the critically important Philippine Islands in 1942, leaving thousands of troops to suffer the Bataan Death March.

The death rate for American POWs in the Pacific was about 40%. After the Doolittle Raid in 1942, the Japanese wanted revenge and planned to wipe out America's aircraft carriers at the Battle of Midway. Instead, American planes decimated the Japanese navy and gained the upper hand.

The Allies began island hopping to approach Japan. Japan defended its territory by using kamikaze attacks and fighting to the last man. High casualties at Iwo Jima and Okinawa caused President Harry Truman to reconsider the planned invasion of Japan, especially when he learned about the Manhattan Project.

Learning Outcomes

After you've completed this lesson, you'll be able to:

Describe how the Japanese initially gained a strong maritime empire during WWII
Explain the importance of the Doolittle Raid and the Battle of Midway to Allied efforts in the war
Summarize the American casualties during WWII at the hands of the Japanese
Identify the importance of MacArthur retaking the Philippines and Harry Truman becoming president

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Video Transcript

Japan Goes on the Offensive

Surrender of the Philippines

Prisoners of War

The Doolittle Raid

The Battle of Midway and Island Hopping

The Beginning of the End

Lesson Summary

Learning Outcomes

After you've completed this lesson, you'll be able to:

Describe how the Japanese initially gained a strong maritime empire during WWII
Explain the importance of the Doolittle Raid and the Battle of Midway to Allied efforts in the war
Summarize the American casualties during WWII at the hands of the Japanese
Identify the importance of MacArthur retaking the Philippines and Harry Truman becoming president

To unlock this lesson you must be a Study.com Member.
Create your account

Frequently Asked Questions

What happened in the Pacific Theater during World War 2?

The Pacific Theater during WWII saw both land and sea battles. The opposing sides engaged in island-hopping, as each side tried to secure land to establish additional bases with air strips. Some of the land battles involved hand-to-hand combat and the Japanese utilized kamikaze pilots to destroy battleships and other targets.

Who won the Pacific Theater in World War II?

The Pacific Theater involved many battles. Some won by the Japanese and some by America and Allies. The overall result was Allied victory, which eventually led to a Japanese surrender.

What caused the Pacific Theater in World War II?

The Japanese bombing of Pearl Harbor brought America into WWII. America declared war on Japan and engaged the country in battle in the Pacific Theater.

Why was the Pacific Theater Important?

The United States and other Allies fought against the Japanese in the Pacific. The Pacific Theater was important because winning in the Pacific opened up additional bases for the victor and ultimately success.

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Table of Contents

The Pacific Theater in World War II

Japan Goes on the Offensive

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