Japan's Pacific Campaign

1. Explain how Japanese expansionism led to war with the Allies in Asia.

- After a string of victories, the Japanese seemed unbeatable. The allies-mainly Americans and Austria-were anxious to strike back in the Pacific. In April 1942, 16 bombers under the command of Lieutenant Colonel James H. Doolittle bombed Tokyo and several other Japanese cities. The bombs did little damage. The raid, however, made an important psychological point to both Americans and Japanese: Japan was vulnerable to attack.

    2.  What were the potential advantages and disadvantages to the "island-hop" plan?

- The advantages of "island-hoping" will be that it will take a short amount of time to conquer the islands. He wanted to "island-hop" past Japanese strongholds. He would seize islands that were not well defended but were closer to Japan. The disadvantage was the marines had little trouble seizing Guadalcanal's airfield. But the battle for control of the island turned into a savage struggle as both sides poured in fresh troops.



    3. Why do you think the Japanese changed their approach from trying to win the support of the colonial peoples to acting as conquerors?

-Japanese changed their approach because they just assumed it would be a more effective to use force. But sadly, the force was actually mass genocide and brutal behavior.




Sources: Modern World History Textbook