Allied Battles in Japan
Attack on Pearl Harbor
Japan’s attack on Pearl Harbor was a successful attack which was led by Admiral Husband Kimmel and Lieutenant General Walter Short. On Sunday, December 7, 1941, Japanese air and naval forces launched a surprise attack on on the U.S. military base at pearl Harbor on the Hawaiian island of Oahu. The Japanese wanted to destroy the U.S. Pacific Fleet with one blow, and they almost succeeded. 18 U.S. warships were damaged or sunk during the assault, including eight battleships, and 188 army and navy aircraft were destroyed. 2,403 U.S. military personnel and civilians were killed, and 1,178 people were wounded and the Japanese only lost 29 aircraft and suffered fewer than 100 casualties.
Japan’s attack on Pearl Harbor was a successful attack which was led by Admiral Husband Kimmel and Lieutenant General Walter Short. On Sunday, December 7, 1941, Japanese air and naval forces launched a surprise attack on on the U.S. military base at pearl Harbor on the Hawaiian island of Oahu. The Japanese wanted to destroy the U.S. Pacific Fleet with one blow, and they almost succeeded. 18 U.S. warships were damaged or sunk during the assault, including eight battleships, and 188 army and navy aircraft were destroyed. 2,403 U.S. military personnel and civilians were killed, and 1,178 people were wounded and the Japanese only lost 29 aircraft and suffered fewer than 100 casualties.
Atomic Bomb
The atomic bomb in the 1940s would change the course of history and set up the arms race of World War II that followed. The atomic bomb was a weapon of massive destructive power. The atomic bomb was developed from research that was begun in Germany in the late 1930s. With the start of World War Il, the United States and Great Britain began to hide any information of any new atomic research in an effort to prevent the Germans from gaining the information that might help them in building a bomb. While that was happening the U.S. government secretly organized a group of top scientists to research and build an atomic bomb, their mission was named the Manhattan Project. Enrico Fermi directed the first atomic chain reaction in Chicago on December 2, 1942, which was the creation of the first atomic bomb. Over 100,000 people worked on the bomb. Work on the bomb proceeded rapidly, and by February 1945, just before he left for the Yalta Conference, President Franklin D. Roosevelt was informed that the bomb would be ready for use by August of that year. On July 16, 1945, the first atomic bomb was successfully exploded at a site named Trinity, New Mexico. The bomb's force was equal to 20,000 tons of TNT, and the havoc to the area around the explosion site was massive.
The atomic bomb in the 1940s would change the course of history and set up the arms race of World War II that followed. The atomic bomb was a weapon of massive destructive power. The atomic bomb was developed from research that was begun in Germany in the late 1930s. With the start of World War Il, the United States and Great Britain began to hide any information of any new atomic research in an effort to prevent the Germans from gaining the information that might help them in building a bomb. While that was happening the U.S. government secretly organized a group of top scientists to research and build an atomic bomb, their mission was named the Manhattan Project. Enrico Fermi directed the first atomic chain reaction in Chicago on December 2, 1942, which was the creation of the first atomic bomb. Over 100,000 people worked on the bomb. Work on the bomb proceeded rapidly, and by February 1945, just before he left for the Yalta Conference, President Franklin D. Roosevelt was informed that the bomb would be ready for use by August of that year. On July 16, 1945, the first atomic bomb was successfully exploded at a site named Trinity, New Mexico. The bomb's force was equal to 20,000 tons of TNT, and the havoc to the area around the explosion site was massive.
Hiroshima
Hiroshima was the first of two cities attacked with atomic bombs in 1945. The bomb detonated 1,900 feet above the Shima Hospital, with a size of about 12,500 tons of explosive TNT. Before the war the city had a population of about 400,000, on the morning of the attack there were about 280,000 civilians and another 43,000 soldiers in the city. Early estimates placed the death toll at about 100,000, while estimates that included those dying by the end of 1945 as a result of the bomb ran to about 140,000. The city had about 76,000 structures, of which 48,000 were totally destroyed and another 22,000 partially damaged. In effect, the city was ruined instantly. In the light of President Truman's later claim that the dropping of the atomic bombs saved lives and shortened the war, the destruction of Hiroshima and Nagasaki three days later have been the subject of much honorable review, historical study, and detailed examination. Debates over the issues remained alive for the rest of the century. Veteran's groups tended to defend the attack, remembering how the bombing of Hiroshima was presented as the action that brought an end to the war.
Hiroshima was the first of two cities attacked with atomic bombs in 1945. The bomb detonated 1,900 feet above the Shima Hospital, with a size of about 12,500 tons of explosive TNT. Before the war the city had a population of about 400,000, on the morning of the attack there were about 280,000 civilians and another 43,000 soldiers in the city. Early estimates placed the death toll at about 100,000, while estimates that included those dying by the end of 1945 as a result of the bomb ran to about 140,000. The city had about 76,000 structures, of which 48,000 were totally destroyed and another 22,000 partially damaged. In effect, the city was ruined instantly. In the light of President Truman's later claim that the dropping of the atomic bombs saved lives and shortened the war, the destruction of Hiroshima and Nagasaki three days later have been the subject of much honorable review, historical study, and detailed examination. Debates over the issues remained alive for the rest of the century. Veteran's groups tended to defend the attack, remembering how the bombing of Hiroshima was presented as the action that brought an end to the war.
Nagasaki
Nagasaki was a large city located on the southern coast of Japan, and it was the target of the second nuclear weapon dropped in World War II by the United States on August 9, 1945. The destruction of Nagasaki by atomic attack was the last use of a nuclear weapon in war in the 20th century. The city population was about 270,000 people. Besides the errors, the damage and destruction to Nagasaki was severe. Official estimates put the death toll at 23,753 with another 23,345 injured. Over 14,000 of the 52,000 residences in the city were destroyed. Later on estimates of the total number showed that from about 60,000 to about 90,000 were killed. Several factors contributed to the incorrect number of the final count, including lack of precise information as to the number of people in the city on the morning of August 9. Among the controversies surrounding Harriet Truman’s decision, the bombing of a second target city increased largely. Apparently President Harry Truman never endorsed or explicitly ordered a second bombing. General Leslie Groves had originally scheduled a second bombing run for August 11, but predictions of rain on that day caused him to move the bombing run up two days. Upon hearing of the attack on Nagasaki, Truman ordered that no more atomic weapons be dropped to allow time for a surrender decision by the Japanese.
Nagasaki was a large city located on the southern coast of Japan, and it was the target of the second nuclear weapon dropped in World War II by the United States on August 9, 1945. The destruction of Nagasaki by atomic attack was the last use of a nuclear weapon in war in the 20th century. The city population was about 270,000 people. Besides the errors, the damage and destruction to Nagasaki was severe. Official estimates put the death toll at 23,753 with another 23,345 injured. Over 14,000 of the 52,000 residences in the city were destroyed. Later on estimates of the total number showed that from about 60,000 to about 90,000 were killed. Several factors contributed to the incorrect number of the final count, including lack of precise information as to the number of people in the city on the morning of August 9. Among the controversies surrounding Harriet Truman’s decision, the bombing of a second target city increased largely. Apparently President Harry Truman never endorsed or explicitly ordered a second bombing. General Leslie Groves had originally scheduled a second bombing run for August 11, but predictions of rain on that day caused him to move the bombing run up two days. Upon hearing of the attack on Nagasaki, Truman ordered that no more atomic weapons be dropped to allow time for a surrender decision by the Japanese.
V-J Day
Victory over Japan Day (V-J Day) was celebrated on August 14 and into August 15, 1945, after President Harry S. Truman announced the surrender of Japan to end World War II, although it was officially observed on September 2, when the surrender documents were signed. On the morning of August 10, 1945, just days after the dropping of the atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki and the Soviet declaration of war against Japan, President Truman received a letter from the War Department containing an informal message through the Swiss government that Japan was ready to surrender, but with the emperor remaining in power. This conflicted with unconditional surrender demanded by the Potsdam Conference, and the war continued until a satisfactory solution was reached by an agreement that the emperor's powers were "subject to the Supreme Commander of the Allied Powers." The end of the war was officially observed on September 2, 1945, when surrender documents were signed aboard the USS Missouri in Tokyo Bay. The actual signing was anticlimactic because the war had been over for nearly three weeks, and Americans were attempting to adjust to the new world that World War II had created. On the home front, Americans faced the challenges of demobilization and reconversion. In the area of international relations, postwar efforts to avoid yet a third major conflict provided a primary focus. And the world had now entered the atomic age. Americans had much to celebrate on V-J Day, but also much to think about.
Victory over Japan Day (V-J Day) was celebrated on August 14 and into August 15, 1945, after President Harry S. Truman announced the surrender of Japan to end World War II, although it was officially observed on September 2, when the surrender documents were signed. On the morning of August 10, 1945, just days after the dropping of the atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki and the Soviet declaration of war against Japan, President Truman received a letter from the War Department containing an informal message through the Swiss government that Japan was ready to surrender, but with the emperor remaining in power. This conflicted with unconditional surrender demanded by the Potsdam Conference, and the war continued until a satisfactory solution was reached by an agreement that the emperor's powers were "subject to the Supreme Commander of the Allied Powers." The end of the war was officially observed on September 2, 1945, when surrender documents were signed aboard the USS Missouri in Tokyo Bay. The actual signing was anticlimactic because the war had been over for nearly three weeks, and Americans were attempting to adjust to the new world that World War II had created. On the home front, Americans faced the challenges of demobilization and reconversion. In the area of international relations, postwar efforts to avoid yet a third major conflict provided a primary focus. And the world had now entered the atomic age. Americans had much to celebrate on V-J Day, but also much to think about.
By: Prince Patel