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World War II in the Pacific region.

Pacific War Battle of the Coral Sea World War II photo
The clash in the Coral Sea on May 4-8, 1942 between the American-Australian and Japanese fleets became one of the largest naval battles of World War II.
In the spring of 1942, after a successful raid in Indian Ocean, the Japanese command put the occupation of the Solomon Islands and the southeastern part of New Guinea on the agenda. At the first stage, Port Moresby in New Guinea and the Tulagi Islands (Solomon Islands) were chosen as the two main targets of the Japanese fleet. Port Morsy was a strategically important airfield from which the American Air Force could threaten Rabaul and Kavieng. As for Tulagi, taking the island was simply necessary to begin the operation to capture New Caledonia and Fiji.

Japanese aircraft attack on the Australian cruiser Ostrelia

Capture of Tulagi

Japan troop schedule (only ships of the main classes are indicated)

4th Fleet: Admiral Inoue Shigeyoshi - light cruiser Kashima (flagship)
Tulagi Invasion Group: Rear Admiral Shima Kiyohide
Support Team: Rear Admiral Marumo Kuninori
- light cruisers "Tenryu" and "Tatsuta"
Cover group: Rear Admiral Goto Aritomo
- light aircraft carrier "Seho", cruisers "Aoba", "Kako", "Kinugasa", "Furutaka", destroyer "Sazanami"
Invasion Group Port Moresby: Rear Admiral Kajioka Sadamichi
- light cruiser "Yubari"
destroyers "Oite", "Asanagi", "Uzuki", "Mutsuki", "Mochizuki", "Yayoi"
carrier force: Vice Admiral Takagi Takeo
- aircraft carriers "Sekaku", "Zuikaku"
cruisers "Meko", "Haguro"
destroyer "Ushio", "Akebono", "Ariake", "Yugure", "Shiratsuyu", "Shigure"

The Japanese began landing on Tulagi Island on the morning of May 3. The island was occupied without resistance, since the small Australian garrison and reconnaissance post had been evacuated the day before: the Australian command saw no point in defending the island. Japanese soldiers began construction of a seaplane base and a communications point on the island. The covering group, as expected, went to Bougainville to move to Port Moresby after refueling. The main forces of the 17th Operational Group (primarily its carrier force) under the command of Fletcher, having received intelligence information about the enemy’s position, turned to Guadalcanal. On May 4, planes from the Yorktown launched an unexpected attack on the ships of Rear Admiral Sima. The American bombers that appeared in the air, flying under the cover of fighters - 60 aircraft in total - came as a complete surprise to the Japanese. The Japanese destroyer Kikuzuki and three minelayers were sunk, four more ships were seriously damaged, and four Japanese seaplanes were lost. American losses were minimal: a bomber and two fighters. Having picked up their pilots from the water, American ships went south without getting involved in further battle. Having received news of this attack, Admiral Takagi's carrier group moved to the Solomon Islands, from which it was separated by 650 km. However, the reconnaissance planes he sent ahead were unable to detect the enemy. On the morning of May 6, having bypassed the island of San Cristobal, Japanese aircraft carriers entered the Coral Sea.

Pacific War Battle of the Coral Sea World War II facts:
Allied troop schedule (only ships of the main classes are indicated)

17th Task Force: Vice Admiral Jack Fletcher
Task Force 17.2: Rear Admiral Thomas Kincaid
- cruisers "Minneapolis", "New Orleans", "Astoria", "Chester", "Portland",
destroyers Phelps, Devi, Farragut, Alvin, Monaghan
Task Force 17.3: Rear Admiral John Gregory Craik
- cruisers “Ostreilia”, “Chicago”, “Hobart”,
destroyers Perkins and Walk
Task Force 17.5: Rear Admiral Aubrey Fitch
- aircraft carriers "Yorktown" and "Lexington",
destroyers "Morris", "Anderson", "Hamman", "Russell"
Task Force 17.6: Captain John Phillips
- destroyers “Sime”, “Worden”
Task Force 17.9: Commander George DeBaun

Schedule of Allied and Japanese troops

The naval battle in May 1942 was the first clash of aircraft carrier fleets in which the enemy ships never came into combat contact, limiting themselves only to airstrikes.
The two-day battle in the Coral Sea began in the early morning of May 7, 1942, after at 05:42 a plane lifted from the Japanese aircraft carrier Shokaku discovered an American aircraft carrier 350 km to the south, which was escorted by three destroyers. The direct leadership of the Japanese aircraft carriers in battle was carried out by the commander of the 5th carrier division, Rear Admiral Hara Chuichi, who immediately received orders from Admiral Takagi Takeo to attack with all available enemy forces.

Battle of the Coral Sea. Soryu (aircraft carrier) Hiryu. Japan

BATTLE OF MAY 7
The attack, which began at 06:10, was led by the commander of the Shokaku air group, Lieutenant Commander Takahashi Kakuichi. 78 aircraft took part in it. A little later - at 06:40 - a seaplane from the cruiser Kunigasa discovered another American aircraft carrier, which was accompanied by 10 ships. But Khara no longer had the strength to attack them.
Although the first attack by Japanese aviation was successful, it was only in the sense that the fleet command would have liked to see it. When Japanese planes reached the target area at 09:35, there was no American aircraft carrier there. Instead, the tanker Neosho was discovered there, which was accompanied by the destroyer Sime. The Japanese sank them, after which they were forced to return to the aircraft carrier. At this time, American aircraft launched a massive strike, in which 71 aircraft took part, against the cover group. Their target was the light aircraft carrier Seho, which was left practically without air cover. She soon sank, becoming the first Japanese aircraft carrier sunk by the US Air Force in the war. Pacific Ocean. But if the first Japanese attack could still be called successful, then the second, which began at 14:30, was a complete failure.

American aircraft strafing a Japanese aircraft carrier during the Battle of the Coral Sea

This time Takahashi led a group of 27 aircraft. Not only were they caught in a storm and forced to turn back without reaching their target, but on the way back they were hit by American fighters, who shot down nine Japanese planes. When they reached their aircraft carriers in the dark, only six aircraft were able to land successfully, the rest fell into the water.
An air raid organized by the Japanese on the air base on Rabaul, in which 44 aircraft took part, brought absolutely no results, although the Japanese pilots themselves erroneously reported that they had sunk one American battleship and damaged a British one.

The crew of the Lexington escapes from the damaged aircraft carrier photo

On the morning of May 8, Takahashi decided to first conduct a massive reconnaissance, and only then take any steps. His actions soon bore fruit. At 07:25 he received news of the discovery of two aircraft carriers, escorted by 10 escort ships.
Takahashi attacked American aircraft carriers. The attack cost the Japanese 26 aircraft and the lives of their best pilots, including Lieutenant Commander Takahashi himself. However, the result of the attack was impressive - both American aircraft carrier were put out of action: the Lexington was later scuttled, and the Yorktown was barely delivered to Pearl Harbor.

Two-day Battle of the Coral Sea

At 09:20 a group consisting of 69 aircraft
Almost at the same time as Takahashi attacked the Americans, Japanese aircraft carriers were hit by 80 American aircraft. The Americans' success was significantly less: only the Sekaku received three hits, and its seaworthiness was not affected. After this, both Fletcher and Hara decided to end the battle. The latter, having received an order from Admiral Inoue Shigeyoshi to cancel the operation against Port Moresby, took his ships to Truk. Zuikaku's belated attempt to locate and finish off the damaged Yorktown yielded nothing.
Losses of the parties at bLithuania in the Coral Sea photo

Resultsbit you are in the Coral Sea in the Pacific War photo
Despite the fact that the losses were approximately equal, and from a tactical point of view, the American-Australian fleet was defeated, it managed to win a strategic victory.
Firstly, the Japanese were forced to abandon the capture of Port Moresby, and Secondly, both Japanese aircraft carrier were unable to take part in the Battle of Midway on June 4, 1942, which played a huge role in the war in the Pacific. The loss of a significant number of well-trained naval aviation pilots also played a role.

Japanese sailors picked up by a mother ship after the Battle of the Coral Sea, May 31, 1942

Frederick Sherman, commander of the USS Lexington, later wrote

“The Battle of the Coral Sea was a turning point in the war and a historical milestone. It proved the predominant importance of the aircraft carrier. This battle [...] marked the beginning new era in the war at sea and the end of the Japanese offensive. This fight taught us a lot. We have become convinced that it is necessary to significantly improve the fire-fighting equipment on our warships. We became convinced that it was necessary to introduce more fighter aircraft into the regular composition of our aircraft carriers. We saw that we needed to improve the technique of targeting fighters and intercepting attacking aircraft at large distances from our ships. All these lessons learned from the battle in the Coral Sea brought invaluable benefits in subsequent battles."

Pacific Theater of World War II (1937−1945) - fighting, which took place during World War II in the Far East, Southeast Asia and the Pacific. Fighting in this region began in 1937, but it was only considered part of World War II in 1941.

Main articles: Second Sino-Japanese War, Battles of Khalkhin Gol (1939)

In 1937, the Chairman of the National Government of the Republic of China, Chiang Kai-shek, promised to unite with the Chinese Communists to fight against the Japanese Empire. In response, the Japanese Kwantung Army, without coordinating its actions with the high command in Tokyo, staged a battle on the Marco Polo Bridge on July 8, 1937, which led to the Second Sino-Japanese War. Beijing fell on July 29, and by the end of the year the North China Plain was occupied by Japanese troops. By 1941, Japanese troops controlled most of northern and central China, but this control did not extend beyond the railroads and major cities. The Kuomintang army retreated to the interior provinces with a temporary capital in the city of Chongqing.

In 1938−1939, the Japanese Kwantung Army made a number of attempts to invade the Soviet Far East and Mongolia. The invading troops were successively defeated Soviet army near Lake Khasan, and later, together with Mongol troops, near the Khalkhin Gol River. This defeat stopped Japanese expansion to the north. The uneasy peace between Japan and the USSR lasted until August 1945.

Shortly after the fall of France, the administration of Indochina, controlled from Vichy France, allowed Japan to occupy the northern part of their country. A “joint protectorate” of Japan and the Vichy administration was established in the country.

In an attempt to prevent the spread of Japanese influence in China, the United States, Great Britain, and the Dutch government-in-exile (which still controlled the oil- and rubber-rich provinces of the Dutch East Indies) agreed to embargo supplies of oil and steel to Japan, key commodities to support the war effort. Assessing this as an act of aggression that could lead the country to collapse, Japan attacked the British colony of Hong Kong, the Philippines, Thailand and Malaya on December 8, 1941.

The British, Indian, Dutch and Australian armed forces were unable to resist the Japanese forces. On December 21, the Thai government entered into an alliance with the Empire of Japan. On December 25, Hong Kong was captured, and at about the same time the American bases on Guam and Wake Islands fell.

In January 1942, Japan invaded Burma, the Dutch East Indies, New Guinea, and the Solomon Islands. The cities of Manila, Kuala Lumpur and Rabaul were captured. On February 15, 1942, Singapore fell.

At the Battle of the Java Sea (February 27 and March 1, 1942), the Allied naval forces suffered a crushing defeat from the Japanese escort force: 5 Allied cruisers and 5 destroyers were sunk. On March 9, Allied troops surrendered on the island of Java.

British troops were driven out of the city of Rangoon on the Indo-Burmese border, allowing the Japanese to cut the lines of communication between the Allies and Chiang Kai-shek's army.

Japanese aircraft virtually destroyed the Allied air forces in South-East Asia and began raiding northern Australia.

On April 18, 1942, 16 American B-25 bombers from the aircraft carriers Enterprise and Hornet carried out a “retaliation raid” on the cities of Tokyo, Yokohama and Nagoya. This raid became known as the Doolittle Raid. Although it had little effect, the attack had great moral significance for the Allies.

In May 1942, the Battle of the Coral Sea took place. In this battle, the Allies suffered a tactical defeat, which was a strategic gain for them, since the Japanese were unable to attack Port Moresby in New Guinea.

On June 4, 1942, the Battle of Midway Atoll took place. It marked a turning point in the Pacific War.

From August to October 1942, Japan attempted an offensive in the southeastern part of New Guinea towards Port Moresby, which ended in failure.

From August 1942 to February 1943, Japanese and American forces fought for control of the island of Guadalcanal. Both sides suffered heavy casualties, but in this battle of attrition the United States ultimately prevailed.

From June until the end of 1943, after fierce fighting, Allied forces occupied the Gilbert Islands, the Solomon Islands (except for Bougainville Island, where fighting continued until the end of the war), the western part of the island of New Britain and the southeastern part of New Guinea. In the North Pacific, American troops recaptured the Aleutian Islands in May-August 1943. On November 22, 1943, US President Franklin Roosevelt, British Prime Minister Winston Churchill and Kuomintang leader Chiang Kai-shek met in Cairo to discuss the future course of hostilities.

From February 1 to February 23, 1944, American troops captured the Marshall Islands, from June 15 to August 10 - the Mariana Islands, and from September 15 to October 12 - the western part of the Caroline Islands. The struggle for the northern part of New Guinea lasted from January to September 1944. In Burma, in March 1944, Japanese troops launched an attack on the Indian state of Assam, which after 4 months of fighting ended in complete failure, and the allied forces, launching a counteroffensive, occupied most of Northern Burma by the end of the year. The Japanese command in 1944 was active in China, where the Japanese captured continuous land communications connecting the northern and southern regions of China.

On October 17, 1944, Allied forces launched the Philippine Operation. On October 20, an amphibious landing began on the island of Leyte, which was cleared of Japanese troops by December 25. During the battles for Leyte, naval battles took place in the Philippines area, in which Japanese fleet suffered heavy losses. By mid-May, fighting in the Philippines was virtually over, but minor battles continued until August 15.

Possessing great superiority in forces and means (in ships and aircraft - overwhelming), the American armed forces in intense battles in 1945 broke the stubborn resistance of Japanese troops and captured the islands of Iwo Jima and Okinawa. The Battle of Iwo Jima began on February 16 and ended on March 26, 1945, with a US victory. This was the first military operation of US forces against Japanese territory. This battle was the only land operation by Japanese forces in which they suffered fewer total casualties than the United States, although there were more casualties on the Japanese side. At the same time, the American fleet suffered some losses from kamikaze attacks. In the first half of 1945, Allied forces advanced successfully into Burma.

At the Yalta Conference, the Soviet government committed itself to entering the war against Japan on the side of the Allies no later than 3 months after the end of the war in Europe. On April 5, 1945, the USSR announced the denunciation of the 1941 Soviet-Japanese neutrality treaty, and on August 8, 1945, it officially joined the Potsdam Declaration of the USA, England and China on Japan. After the Japanese government rejected the terms of surrender set out in the Potsdam Declaration, on August 9, 1945 Soviet troops began hostilities against Japan. Thus, the Soviet Union fulfilled the commitment made at the Yalta Conference exactly on time. During the Manchurian operation, Soviet troops quickly defeated the Japanese Kwantung Army. The invasion of Soviet troops into the territory of Japan proper began: Southern Sakhalin (Karafuto) and the Kuril Islands. A landing on Hokkaido was also planned. On August 6 and 9, 1945, American aircraft dropped atomic bombs on the cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, which led to enormous destruction and civilian casualties. The collapse of the Kwantung Army, the psychological effect of the use atomic weapons and the threat of US President Henry Truman to continue nuclear bombing forced the Japanese high command to announce surrender on August 20, 1945. On September 2, 1945, the Japanese Surrender Act was signed. This day is considered the last day of World War II.

War in the Pacific

Background

More from late XIX centuries Japan pursued an aggressive foreign policy aimed at domination in the region. In the 1930s, Japan's claims sparked an armed conflict with China. In 1937, this conflict escalated into a full-fledged war, in which Japan won victory after victory and China suffered huge losses. Japanese interests extended to almost all of eastern and southern Asia and the Pacific region, which was the cause of tense relations with Holland, Great Britain and the United States, which had their own interests there, as well as colonies. In September 1940, Japan signed the Tripartite Pact with Germany and Italy on cooperation in rebuilding the world order.

Events

December 7, 1941- Japanese aircraft and navy attacked the American military base at Pearl Harbor in the Hawaiian Islands, causing significant damage to it. After this, the United States declared war on Japan and began to take an active part in the battles of World War II.

December 1941 - May 1942- Japan is conducting successful military operations in Hong Kong, Thailand, the Dutch East Indies, Malaysia, Burma and other regions, inflicting defeats on local as well as American, British, Dutch, Australian and Chinese troops. In May 1942, local and American troops in the Philippines surrendered. After this, Japan controlled virtually all of Southeast Asia and northwestern Oceania.

June 4-6, 1942- Battle of Midway Atoll. The United States defeated Japan, sinking four Japanese aircraft carriers and destroying about 250 aircraft. This battle is considered by many historians to be a turning point in the Pacific theater of operations, after which Japan lost the initiative.

August 1942 - February 1943- Battle for the island of Guadalcanal in the Solomon Islands. Both the United States and Japan suffered significant losses, but overall the United States confirmed its military superiority, after this battle it finally switched from defense to attack.

October 1944- the beginning of the use of kamikaze tactics (suicide pilots who rammed enemy ships).

October 1944 - August 1945- Philippine operation, which ended in the defeat of the Japanese and the liberation of the Philippines.

March 10, 1945- firebombing of Tokyo, which killed about 100 thousand people, mostly civilians.

August 6 and 9, 1945- nuclear bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, which killed about 200 thousand people, not counting those who died later from exposure to radiation. The first and only use of atomic weapons in history (chronology of events in Hiroshima).

August 9, 1945- Fulfilling the promise made to the allies, the USSR declares war on Japan. The Soviet offensive in Manchuria ended with the defeat of the Kwantung Army, sharply worsening Japan's position.

Conclusion

Events in the Pacific Theater were an important part of World War II. First of all, they can be characterized as a confrontation between the USA and Japan. The fate of Japan in many ways repeated the German one: by the beginning of the war, it also had a powerful army and confidence in its right to aggressive territorial expansion, but its resources were not unlimited. At the same time, Japan did not have allies in the region, which reduced its chances of success and accelerated its defeat.

An important result of the war was the establishment of democratic order in Japan and the country's renunciation of imperial claims.

Abstract

December 6, 1941 Japanese troops attacked a US naval base in Hawaii Pearl Harbor, destroying the United States Pacific Fleet. The attack was sudden. Following this, the states of the anti-Hitler coalition declare war on Japan. In turn, Germany, Italy, Bulgaria and a number of countries of the fascist bloc declare war on the United States.

The defeat of the American fleet and the absence of large military forces in the colonies European countries allowed Tokyo to carry out a lightning-fast seizure of the territory of Southeast Asia, Indonesia and launch an offensive against the pearl of the British Empire - India, simultaneously occupying Burma.

By 1942, the Japanese managed to establish control over the vast majority of East and Southeast Asia, unleashing merciless terror in these territories (especially in China). Continuing territorial seizures, Japanese troops began to land on the islands of Oceania and the Philippines, threatening the security of Australia and New Zealand, which forced the latter to enter the war.

1943 was marked by the Battle of the Solomon Islands, as a result of which the United States wins.

The territories occupied by the Japanese were under constant attack by partisan detachments, which did not give Tokyo confidence in the safety of its rear. The partisans under the command of the communist provided quite powerful resistance to the invaders Mao Zedong.

The protracted war was exhausting Japan. She could no longer successfully control the vast occupied territories. Trophies and minerals exported from the occupied lands were subjected to constant bombing by the Allied forces.

At the end of 1944, the Americans made a successful landing attempt on the Philippine Islands. Striking the center of the Japanese Empire, they mercilessly drowned Japanese ships and submarines, shot down planes and took practically no prisoners. The Philippines became a base for the United States Navy and Air Force.

In October 1944, a major naval battle took place in Leyte Gulf, in which the Japanese fleet was practically destroyed.

Beginning in 1945, American aircraft began bombing Japanese cities every day. The joint actions of the allies made it possible to liberate large areas of Asia and Oceania.

After the end of the war in Europe, following the Yalta agreements, according to which, after the defeat Hitler's Germany The USSR must declare war on Japan, and hostilities begin in the Soviet Far East.

The battle-hardened Soviet troops transferred from Europe formed a powerful fist. In August 1945 Several operations began at once - in Northeast China, Korea, on Sakhalin Island and the Kuril Islands. Soviet strike was so strong that the Japanese troops were overwhelmed and fled in disarray, leaving vast areas behind.

6 and 9 August 1945of the year American command dropped on Japanese cities Hiroshima and Nagasaki two atomic bombs, wiping them off the face of the earth. The Americans demonstrated to the whole world that they have a new type of weapon.

On September 2, 1945, the Act of Unconditional Surrender of Japan was signed on the American battleship Missouri.

Second World War 1939-1945 ended.

Bibliography

Shubin A.V. General history. Recent history. 9th grade: textbook. for general education institutions. - M.: Moscow textbooks, 2010.
Soroko-Tsyupa O.S., Soroko-Tsyupa A.O. General history. Recent history, 9th grade. - M.: Education, 2010.
Sergeev E.Yu. General history. Recent history. 9th grade. - M.: Education, 2011.

Homework

Read §13 of A.V. Shubin’s textbook, pp. 137-139 and give answers to questions 3 and 4 on p. 142.
Why did the USSR enter the war with Japan only after the end of the war in Europe?
Was the atomic bombing of Japanese cities necessary at the end of the war?

Internet portal Nb-info.ru ().
Internet portal Militarymaps.narod.ru ().
Internet portal Waralbum.ru ().

Military operations in 1941-1945. between the US, UK, China and in the final stages of the USSR against Japan during World War II.

Since the late 30s. Conflicts were growing between Japan and the United States over control of the resources of East Asia. Japanese aggression in China, especially after the outbreak of the Sino-Japanese War of 1937-1945, and in Indochina caused concern in Washington. The United States demanded that Japan comply with the principles of free trade and enterprise, and in response to the seizure southern Vietnam introduced an oil embargo against the aggressor. On December 7, 1941, the Japanese fleet defeated the US Pacific Fleet at Pearl Harbor with a surprise attack. In response to the attack, US President Roosevelt declared war on Japan.

Japan, taking advantage of its supremacy at sea, captured the American-owned Philippines, Dutch Indonesia and British possessions in Malaya and Burma. The rapid advance of the Japanese took the British by surprise - their key fortress of Singapore with a strong garrison was surrounded and capitulated on February 15, 1942. The Japanese Empire captured vast areas in the Pacific Ocean and East Asia. The Japanese threatened India, Australia and the US coast. The turning point in the war in the Pacific was only visible in June 1942, when the American fleet won a victory in the Midway Atoll area.

In 1943, the Americans ousted the Japanese in New Guinea, the Solomon Islands and the Gilbert Islands. A partisan movement developed against the Japanese occupiers in Vietnam, Burma, Indonesia and other countries. In 1944, the Americans launched an offensive, systematically recapturing island after island in the Pacific Ocean from the Japanese. In October 1944, US troops landed in the Philippines, where fighting continued until the end of the war. On the gigantic expanses of the Pacific Ocean boiled air battles over the sea, artillery exchanges between heavy warships, battles in impassable tropical jungle. Japanese territory was subjected to systematic bombing. Despite the Allies' advance, final victory was far away. The American landings on the Japanese islands of Iwo Jima in February 1945 and Okinawa in April 1945 showed that the Japanese fought for their territory much more fiercely than for distant possessions. It took 1-2 months to take one island. The Allies suffered heavy losses. According to the calculations of the Allied command, the war in the Pacific could only end in 1946 with American losses of a million people. Manchuria remained behind Japanese lines, whose economy was inaccessible to American bombing.

On July 26, 1945, the USSR, USA and China demanded the unconditional surrender of Japan. She refused. At this time on Far East Soviet troops were being transferred.

On August 6 and 8, the United States carried out atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. On August 9, during the Soviet-Japanese War of 1945, Soviet troops invaded Manchuria and a few days later breached the Japanese defenses. Mongolian and Chinese units also acted against the Japanese. On August 14, the emperor announced Japan's surrender. On September 2, 1945, the act of unconditional surrender of Japan was signed on board the American battleship Missouri.

Historical sources:

Nimitz C.W., Potter E.B. War at sea (1939-1945). Smolensk, 1999