What you’ll learn to do: describe major battles and strategies related to the Pacific Theater of WWII

Figure 1. Map showing Japan’s reach in the Pacific Theater of the war.

The way in which the United States fought the war in the Pacific was fueled by fear of Japanese imperialistic aggression, as well as anger over Japan’s attack on Pearl Harbor and its mistreatment of its enemies. It was also influenced by a long history of American racism towards Asians that dated back to the nineteenth century. From hostile anti-Japanese propaganda to the use of two atomic bombs on Japanese cities, America’s actions during the Pacific campaign were far more aggressive than they were in the European theater. Using the strategy of island hopping, the United States was able to get within striking distance of Japan. Only once they adopted this strategy were the Allied troops able to turn the tide against what had been a series of challenging Japanese victories. The war ended with Japan’s surrender, some three months after Germany and its remaining allies were defeated.

The combined Allied forces had successfully waged a crusade against Nazi Germany, Italy, and Japan. The United States, forced to abandon a policy of nonintervention outside the Western Hemisphere, had been able to mobilize and produce the weapons and warriors necessary to defeat its enemies. Following World War II, America would consistently assert itself on the global stage, and its early mastery of nuclear weapons would make it the dominant force in the postwar world.