America and World War 2 The Early Battles Part 1 PDF

The Early Battles Guide to Reading Connection Content Vocabulary Explain why Stalingrad is considered In the previous section, you learned how periphery, convo...

The Early Battles Guide to Reading Connection Content Vocabulary Explain why Stalingrad is considered In the previous section, you learned how periphery, convoy system a major turning point of the war. the United States mobilized for war. In this Academic Vocabulary Reading Strategy section, you will discover the course of the assign, transmit, intensify Sequencing As you read about the mili- early battles in the Atlantic and the Pacific. tary campaigns of 1942, complete a time People and Terms to Identify line similar to the one below to record Chester Nimitz, Douglas MacArthur, the major battles discussed and the victor Japanese and American naval forces James Doolittle, George Patton in each. battled for control of the Pacific. (p. 580) Reading Objectives American and British forces defeated Analyze how the Allies were able to the Germans in North Africa and in the 1942 1943 fight a war on two fronts and turn the Atlantic, while Soviet forces defeated war against the Axis in the Pacific, Germany at Stalingrad. (p. 583) Russia, and the North Atlantic. Preview of Events ✦1942 ✦1943 ✦1944 May 1942 June 1942 February 1943 May 1943 Fall of the Philippines; Battle of Midway Germans defeated Germans driven out Battle of the Coral Sea at Stalingrad of North Africa. The Big Idea , The following are the main History–Social Science Standards covered in this section. 11.7.2 Explain U.S. and Allied wartime strategy, including the major The fate of nations is forever changed by monumental world events. At battles of Midway, Normandy, Iwo first, the United States suffered setbacks in the Pacific with the fall of the Jima, Okinawa, and the Battle of the Bulge. Philippines. In order to boost Americans’ morale, President Roosevelt ordered a 11.7.3 Identify the roles and sacrifices mission to begin bombing attacks on Japan. The Japanese now set out to destroy of individual American soldiers, as well as the unique contributions of the special the U.S. fleet. Americans were able to break the Japanese secret code and defeat fighting forces (e.g., the Tuskegee Airmen, the 442nd Regimental Combat team, the the Japanese in two battles. At the same time, the United States and Great Britain Navajo Code Talkers). began their campaign to attack Germany from the periphery by taking control of North Africa. The Allies also devised new ways to combat German submarines in the Atlantic. When Germany was defeated at the Battle of Stalingrad, the tide of war had changed both in Europe and Asia. CHAPTER 12 America and World War II 579  Holding the Line Against Japan Japanese and American naval forces battled for control of the Pacific. Reading Connection Have you ever had to change your plans to accomplish a goal? Read on to learn how the Japanese modified their battle plans against U.S. naval forces in the Pacific. The United States suffered losses to its fleet at Pearl Harbor and faced superior fighter planes in combat. These two obstacles challenged the United States to develop new strategies to fight the war. On June 4, 1942, Lieutenant Commander James ➤ Thach climbed into his F4F Wildcat fighter plane. James S. Thach Thach knew that the Japanese Zero fighter planes were better than his Wildcat. To improve his chances had missed the American aircraft carriers, which against them, he had developed a new tactic he called were at sea on a mission. The United States had sev- the “Thach weave.” At the Battle of Midway, he had eral carriers in the Pacific, and Nimitz was deter- his first chance to try it: mined to use them. In the days just after Pearl Harbor, however, he could do little to stop Japan’s “ So we boarded our planes. All of us were highly excited and admittedly nervous.... A very short time advance into Southeast Asia. after, Zero fighters came down on us—I figured there The Fall of the Philippines A few hours after were twenty.... The air was just like a beehive, and I they bombed Pearl Harbor, the Japanese attacked wasn’t sure that anything would work. And then my American airfields located in the Philippines. Two weave began to work! I got a good shot at two Zeros days later, Japanese troops landed in the islands. The and burned them... then Ram, my wingman, radioed: American and Filipino forces defending the ‘There’s a Zero on my tail.’... I was really angry then. Philippines were badly outnumbered. Their com- I was mad because my poor little wingman had never mander, General Douglas MacArthur, decided to retreat to the Bataan Peninsula. Using the peninsula’s been in combat before [and] this Zero was about to rugged terrain, MacArthur’s troops were able to hold chew him to pieces. I probably should have ducked out for more than three months. Gradually, the lack under the Zero, but I lost my temper and decided to of supplies along with diseases such as malaria, keep my fire going into him so he’d pull out. He did, and scurvy, and dysentery took their toll. Realizing I just missed him by a few feet. I saw flames coming out MacArthur’s capture would demoralize the of his airplane. This was like playing chicken on the American people, President Roosevelt ordered the highway with two automobiles headed for each other, general to evacuate to Australia. In Australia MacArthur made a promise: “I came through, and I except we were shooting at each other as well. ” shall return.” —quoted in The Pacific War Remembered On April 9, 1942, the weary defenders of Bataan While officers like James Thach developed new finally surrendered. Nearly 78,000 prisoners of war tactics to fight the Japanese, the commander of the were forced to march—sick, exhausted, and starv- United States Navy in the Pacific, Admiral Chester ing—65 miles (105 km) to a Japanese prison camp. Nimitz, began planning operations against the Thousands died on this march, which came to be Japanese navy. Although the Japanese had badly known as the Bataan Death March. Here one cap- damaged the American fleet at Pearl Harbor, they tured American, Leon Beck, recalls the nightmare: 580 CHAPTER 12 America and World War II  aircraft carrier Hornet. The next day the Hornet “ They’d halt us in front of these big artesian wells... so we could see the water and they wouldn’t headed west across the Pacific. On April 18, American bombs fell on Japan for the first time. let us have any. Anyone who would make a break for water would be shot or bayoneted. Then they were A Change in Japanese Strategy While Americans left there. Finally, it got so bad further along the road were overjoyed that the air force had finally struck that you never got away from the stench of death. back, Japanese leaders were aghast. Doolittle’s bombs There were bodies laying all along the road in various could have killed the emperor. The Doolittle raid degrees of decomposition—swollen, burst open, mag- convinced Japanese leaders to change their strategy. Before the raid, the Japanese Navy had been argu- ” gots crawling by the thousands.... ing about what to do next. The officers in charge of —quoted in Death March: The Survivors of Bataan the navy’s planning wanted to cut American supply lines to Australia by capturing the south coast of Although the troops in the Bataan Peninsula sur- New Guinea. The commander of the fleet, Admiral rendered, a small force held out on the island of Yamamoto, wanted to attack Midway Island—the Corregidor in Manila Bay. Finally, in May 1942, last American base in the North Pacific west of Corregidor surrendered. The Philippines had fallen. Hawaii. Yamamoto believed that attacking Midway would lure the American fleet into battle and enable The Doolittle Raid Even before the fall of the his fleet to destroy it. Philippines, President Roosevelt was searching for a After Doolittle’s raid, the planners dropped their way to raise the morale of the American people. He opposition to Yamamoto’s plan. The American fleet wanted to bomb Tokyo, but American planes could had to be destroyed in order to protect Tokyo from reach Tokyo only if an aircraft carrier brought them bombing. The attack on New Guinea would still go close enough. Unfortunately, Japanese ships in the ahead, but only three aircraft carriers were assigned North Pacific prevented carriers from getting close to the mission. All of the other carriers were ordered enough to Japan to launch their short-range bombers. to prepare for an assault on Midway. In early 1942, a military planner suggested replac- ing the carrier’s usual short-range bombers with The Battle of the Coral Sea The Japanese long-range B-25 bombers that could attack from far- believed that they could proceed with two different ther away. Although B-25s could take off from a car- attacks. They thought the United States was rier, they could not land on its short deck. After unaware of Japan’s activity and would not be able to attacking Japan, they would have to land in China. respond in time. Japan did not know that an President Roosevelt put Lieutenant Colonel American team of code breakers, based in Hawaii, James Doolittle in command of the mission. At the had already broken the Japanese Navy’s secret end of March, a crane loaded sixteen B-25s onto the code for conducting operations. Striking Back: The Doolittle Raid, April 18, 1942 The plan for the Doolittle raid was to launch B-25 bombers from aircraft carriers between 450 and 650 miles from Japan. The planes would bomb selected targets, and fly another 1,200 miles to airfields in China. All went well until the Japanese discovered the carriers more than 150 miles from the proposed launch site. Instead of canceling the mission, the bombers took off early. The planes reached Japan and Planes arrive dropped their bombs, but they did not have in China enough fuel to reach the friendly airfields in Carriers launch B-25s China. The crews were forced to bail out or crash-land, and only 71 of the 80 crew Tokyo is members survived. Nevertheless, the raid bombed provided an instant boost to sagging American morale.  Battle of Midway, 1942 Course of Enterprise and Hornet Course of Yorktown 9 June 6, 1:31 P.M. 8 June 4, 5:01 P.M. Yorktown Japanese submarine fliers join Enterprise attack on I-168 torpedoes the the Hiryu, setting Yorktown, which sinks it ablaze. the next morning. Hiryu sinks Course of Japanese fleet 7 Yorktown sinks June 4, noon. Akagi sinks Soryu sinks Planes from the Hiryu Kaga sinks attack U.S. carriers. June 4, Yorktown hit. 6 10:22-10:28 A.M. The ship is abandoned U.S. Dive-bombers but remains afloat. score direct hits on 1 June 4, 4:30 A.M. Kaga, Akagi, and Soryu. U.S. Dauntless Japanese carriers launch dive-bomber 108 warplanes to strike 2 June 4, 6:16 A.M. U.S. base at Midway. U.S. fighters clash with attackers. 5 June 4, 9:17 A.M. Japanese planes return. 4 June 4, 7:08 A.M. Fleet turns to engage U.S. fliers from Midway begin U.S. carriers. attacking Japanese fleet. Midway Line of U.S. submarines 3 June 4, Islands I C Atoll stationed 170 miles 6:30 A.M. (U.S.) I F N Kure(U.S.) from Midway. Japanese begin C a bombing Midway. P aC E N W E O S U.S. actions Japanese actions 1. Interpreting Maps When did Japan launch the attack on Midway? In March 1942, decoded Japanese messages 2. Applying Geography Skills Why were aircraft carriers alerted the United States to the Japanese attack on so vital to the war in the Pacific? New Guinea. In response, Admiral Nimitz sent two carriers, the Yorktown and the Lexington, to intercept the Japanese in the Coral Sea. There, in early May, carriers from both sides launched all-out airstrikes June 4, 1942. The island was ready. The Japanese against each other. Although the Japanese sank the planes ran into a blizzard of antiaircraft fire, and Lexington and badly damaged the Yorktown, the 38 of them were shot down. American attacks forced the Japanese to call off their As the Japanese prepared a second wave to attack landing on the south coast of New Guinea. The Midway, aircraft from the American carriers Hornet, American supply lines to Australia stayed open. Yorktown, and Enterprise launched a counterattack. The American planes caught the Japanese carriers The Battle of Midway Back at Pearl Harbor, the with fuel, bombs, and aircraft exposed on their flight code-breaking team that had alerted Nimitz to the decks. Within minutes three Japanese carriers were attack on New Guinea now learned of the plan to reduced to burning wrecks. A fourth was sunk a few attack Midway. With so many ships at sea, Admiral hours later. By nightfall Admiral Yamamoto ordered Yamamoto transmitted the plans for the Midway his remaining ships to retreat. attack by radio, using the same code the Americans The Battle of Midway was a turning point in the had already cracked. war. The Japanese Navy lost four of its largest carri- Admiral Nimitz had been waiting for the opportu- ers—the heart of its fleet. Just six months after Pearl nity to ambush the Japanese fleet. He immediately Harbor, the United States had stopped the Japanese ordered carriers to take up positions near Midway. advance in the Pacific. As Admiral Ernest King, the Unaware they were heading into an ambush, the commander in chief of the U.S. Navy, later observed, Japanese launched their aircraft against Midway on Midway “put an end to the long period of Japanese 582 CHAPTER 12 America and World War II