CENTER OF MILITARY HISTORY UNITED STATES ARMY WASHINGTON, D.C., 2006 Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Hunter, Kenneth E. The war against Japan.—2d ed. p. cm.—(United States Army in World War II. Pictorial record) “The text was written and the photographs compiled by Capt. Kenneth E. Hunter and Miss Margaret E. Tackley” Foreword. Includes index. 1. World War, 1939-1945—Campaigns—Japan—Pictorial works. 2. World War, 1939-1945—Campaigns—Pacific Ocean—Pictorial works. 3. World War,

Before 7 December 1941, while war was actively being waged in Europe and the Far East, the United States, still a neutral, was expanding its manufacturing facilities to meet the demands for additional war materials, both for the growing U.S. forces and those of the Allies. On 7 December the Japanese struck Pearl Harbor in an attempt to so cripple U.S. naval power that future Japanese conquest and occupation in the Pacific would meet with little or no opposition. This attack dealt a serious blow

By August 1942 the Allies had established a series of defensive island bases, along an arc reaching from Honolulu to Sydney, which served as steppingstones for the supply system and the springboard for later offensive operations. The Japanese threat to these islands in late summer 1942 put the Allies on the tactical offensive, strategic defensive. Rabaul, the principal Japanese base in the Southwest Pacific, became the objective of a two-pronged Allied counterattack. One prong, starting with Gua

The battle of production and supply, designed to build a foundation to support unprecedented Allied air and naval power, was won during 1942 and 1943, while Japanese air and naval power greatly diminished. Hawaii, the most important naval base in the Pacific, had become a training center and staging area for U.S. troops as well as one of the many important supply bases. In 1944, the strategic offensive against Japan began. [3] See Philip R. Crowl and Edmund G. Love, Seizure in the Gilberts and M

The last three months of 1944 marked the almost complete destruction of Japanese air power in the Philippines and the defeat of the enemy ground forces on Leyte. In January 1945 men and equipment began to arrive in the Pacific in ever increasing numbers. Sixth and Eighth Armies were fighting the Japanese in the Philippines, while the Tenth was being organized to be used later on Okinawa. The Navy and Air Forces were also expanding in number of men, ships, and planes. [4] See Roy E. Appleman, Jam

China’s last important supply link with the Allies, the Burma Road, was closed when the Japanese occupied northern Burma in May 1942. Despite her isolation, China resisted the Japanese and remained an active ally. The importance of giving China sufficient support to keep her in the war led to the Allied plan to re-establish surface communications with China and to increase supply by air over the Hump. [5] See Charles F. Romanus and Riley Sunderland, Stilwell’s Mission to China , Washington, D.C.

The capture of Iwo Jima gave the Allies bases for fighter planes which were to escort the Superfortresses, based in the Marianas, when they attacked Japan. With Okinawa in U.S. hands other bombers could join the B-29’s in the raids. The first Superfortresses flying from the Marianas struck Tokyo in November 1944. The number of planes used in the attacks increased with each raid until, in July 1945, over 40,000 tons of bombs were dropped on Japan. During July most of the industrial areas of Tokyo

The following list gives the origin of all photographs that appear in this book. The photographs were selected from those in the files of the Army Signal Corps (111-SC or MC), the Air Force (342-FH or 18AO), the Navy (80-G), the Marine Corps (127-N), the Coast Guard (26-G), YANK Magazine (YANK), and individual collections as noted....