War in the Pacific

This is another of the videos that recaps the events in the Pacific Theater, and also includes some footage that is different from many other videos. Note; there are a few scenes which could prove upsetting to the viewer, particularly the aftereffects of a flamethrower attack on a Japanese soldier.

The attack on Pearl Harbor was to break the American resolution and it's ability to retaliate. It failed miserably on both counts, according to the video.

The attack didn't really damage Pearl Harbor facilities, though, and soon the US industry was making more carriers and other ships.

April 18, 1942. The Doolittle raid on Japan, which really shook up the Japanese military leaders.

Yamamoto had his own grand plans on what to do, but he didn't know that the US was decrypting about 85% of the Japanese messages.

The Japanese planned to isolate Australia from the US by taking a variety of islands around it.

The Battle of the Coral Sea. A Japanese carrier is sunk, then the remaining US and Japanese carriers confront each other. The US has the advantage in the number of planes being carried, however. The two US carriers are badly damaged. A Japanese carrier is badly damaged, and the task force leader calls off the invasion move due to lack of adequate air protection.

The US intercepts Japanese coded messages saying they plan to attack Midway and the Aleutians. This, of course, led to the Battle of Midway.

The video has a good section on the Battle of Midway, along with some Japanese footage I have not seen before.

The last of four Japanese carriers is destroyed.

Another intercepted message allows the US to find out about a tour that Yamamoto was going to do. US planes interecepted his and shot down and killed Yamamoto.

New Georgia is invaded.

Bougainville is invaded.

The Marshall Islands are invaded. 8000 Japanese die in 3 days, along with 2000 Americans.

Saipan comes under attack by US forces. 26,000 Japanese soldiers die by the time the island is taken.

Guam and Tinian then fall to American forces.

As of 1944, US subs were sinking around fifty Japanese ships a month.

Once the Marianas fall, B-29's were launched to bomb Japan.

The Leyte Gulf area is attacked by the US.

The video then talks about the kamikaze.

The US attacks the Philippines and is at the city of Manila.

The US attacks the Japanese on Iwo Jima.

US bombing of Japan changes from high-level, relatively inaccurate bombing, to low-level, incendiary area-bombing.

Okinawa is invaded by the US.

The atomic bomb is used on Hiroshima.

The surrender of Japan on the USS Missouri.

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