The War in Asia (1942-45)
A War of Contrasts
● Japanese Successes
○ Pearl Harbor: December 7,1941
○ The overture to a blitzkrieg in Asia and the Pacific- the Japanese win an empire
by the spring of 1942
○ This was a necessary evil towards the larger vision Japan had for itself
○ Cruel logic in this decision that resulted in them fighting a war state of the US
● Victory: Pacific and SE Asia
○ Remarkable string of victories starting with Pearl Harbor (Dec. 7, 1941)
○ Hong Kong (Dec 7, 1941)
○ Burma and Siam (Dec 1941)
○ Malaya; Singapore (British army of 130,000 surrendered Jan 15,1942)
○ Dutch East Indies (Dec 15,1941)
○ Philippines (May 1942)
○ New Guinea (remained contested by Aus/US troops)
○ Japanese treatment of POWs was horrendous and has been documented
extensively
○ The Japanese had created a Pacific Empire attached to their ‘headquarters’
● What Was the Japanese Strategy?
○ Did the rapid expansion adhere to the principles of war?
○ How did the Japanese war match their political and economic grand strategy?
○ Was the mainland strategy different from the Pacific strategy?
○ Did the Japanese strategy present more problems than it solved?
○ How did the decisive Battle of Midway, June 1942 affect Japanese strategy?
○ China was were the Japanese wanted to have their base of culture
○ This is where the narrative/focus for empire on the Mainland
○ Some of the places they took over were not economically beneficial to their
desired empire
■ Reason:
● It was a way to cut China off from resources
● They can put their airstrips on these small islands
● Japan taking these islands is forcing the Americans to take them
back in order to be closer to fight
■ Double edged sword: they have all this space now they have to support it
○ There was a difficulty with concentration of force and aim because there is no
designated place for the Japanese to concentrate their forces
● What Options Did the Allies Have?
○ Challenges?
○ Advantages?
○ Who was in charge?
○ British would pull back into India (staging area)
○ For the Allies there was a division of contribution in the Pacific Theatre
○ Logistical problems (having fuel, being closer etc.)
A War of Contrasts
● Japanese Successes
○ Pearl Harbor: December 7,1941
○ The overture to a blitzkrieg in Asia and the Pacific- the Japanese win an empire
by the spring of 1942
○ This was a necessary evil towards the larger vision Japan had for itself
○ Cruel logic in this decision that resulted in them fighting a war state of the US
● Victory: Pacific and SE Asia
○ Remarkable string of victories starting with Pearl Harbor (Dec. 7, 1941)
○ Hong Kong (Dec 7, 1941)
○ Burma and Siam (Dec 1941)
○ Malaya; Singapore (British army of 130,000 surrendered Jan 15,1942)
○ Dutch East Indies (Dec 15,1941)
○ Philippines (May 1942)
○ New Guinea (remained contested by Aus/US troops)
○ Japanese treatment of POWs was horrendous and has been documented
extensively
○ The Japanese had created a Pacific Empire attached to their ‘headquarters’
● What Was the Japanese Strategy?
○ Did the rapid expansion adhere to the principles of war?
○ How did the Japanese war match their political and economic grand strategy?
○ Was the mainland strategy different from the Pacific strategy?
○ Did the Japanese strategy present more problems than it solved?
○ How did the decisive Battle of Midway, June 1942 affect Japanese strategy?
○ China was were the Japanese wanted to have their base of culture
○ This is where the narrative/focus for empire on the Mainland
○ Some of the places they took over were not economically beneficial to their
desired empire
■ Reason:
● It was a way to cut China off from resources
● They can put their airstrips on these small islands
● Japan taking these islands is forcing the Americans to take them
back in order to be closer to fight
■ Double edged sword: they have all this space now they have to support it
○ There was a difficulty with concentration of force and aim because there is no
designated place for the Japanese to concentrate their forces
● What Options Did the Allies Have?
○ Challenges?
○ Advantages?
○ Who was in charge?
○ British would pull back into India (staging area)
○ For the Allies there was a division of contribution in the Pacific Theatre
○ Logistical problems (having fuel, being closer etc.)
