no chance, but we accept the challenge!
Beginning in 1931, the Japanese expanded their conquests at the expense of China. And they got stuck in China. They began to look for a way out, surrounding China from the south in an attempt to isolate it from outside world. After the defeat of France, the Japanese forced her to agree to the occupation of French Indochina. They put pressure on England to cut off supplies to China through Burma, and Churchill relented.
In response, Roosevelt on July 24, 1941, demanded the withdrawal of Japanese troops from Indochina. On July 26, all Japanese assets in US banks were frozen and an embargo was imposed on the export of oil to Japan. England took the same steps. It was followed by the Dutch government in London.
Churchill said: "Japan was deprived of the most important sources of oil supply at one blow."
Everyone was sure that such a paralyzing blow would force Japan either to go to war, which was the only way out of the situation, or to abandon its policy. If you start a war, then with whom? Oil was also in the Dutch Indies (Indonesia).
Japan tried to negotiate the lifting of the oil embargo. The United States agreed to the cancellation on the condition that Japan withdraws its troops not only from Indochina, but also from China in general, for which the Japanese have been fighting for ten years! "No government, let alone the Japanese, could accept such humiliating demands and an absolute loss of prestige," wrote the British historian Liddell Hart.
In September 1941, a special commission of the Japanese concluded that the United States produces twenty times more steel than Japan, extracts several hundred times more oil, produces five times more aircraft, has five times the workforce, Japan's mobilized military potential will be only ten percent. American. That is, there are no chances for a successful end to the war! And yet at the imperial conference
On December 1, 1941, which took place in an atmosphere of extreme secrecy, it was decided to start a war with America without a formal declaration of war and preliminary declarations. Japanese Prime Minister Prince Konoe, talking after the conference with the commander of the fleet, Admiral Yamamoto, hears from the admiral the phrase: "If we receive such an order, then I guarantee heavy battles (according to another version, Yamamoto promised a" chain of victories ") within the first six months , but I'm absolutely not sure what will happen if everything drags on for two or three years." Everything dragged on. Yamamoto died clutching a samurai sword to the last in a burning plane over New Guinea. The Americans did not forgive him the chain of victories.
Allies and opponents of Japan considered different options for the possible actions of the Japanese. Except maybe what happened. This is an example of different mentalities!
USA:
let the Japanese
sit on the fence
and await developments!
In the United States (1941) there was a modest rearmament. Helped England by supplying weapons. The consequences of the Great Depression and the economic crisis of the late 1930s made themselves felt in the economy. A full-scale war could provide all Americans with work, on the one hand, and on the other hand, ensure dominance throughout the world. However, public opinion was largely against entry into the war. The Americans considered the war to be a purely European affair and did not consider it possible to shed their blood in the interests of Britain. Roosevelt, as the president elected by the people, was forced to reckon with this opinion. He understood that sooner or later the US would face Hitler. And, apparently, he was ready to allow even the death of the fleet in the Pacific Ocean, in order to change the opinion of society in favor of intervening in the war. Of course, he never spoke about it officially. Big politics is very far from morality and ethics. We add that this applies to any country.
On July 1, 1941, Roosevelt opined: The Japanese are fighting a desperate struggle among themselves, trying to decide where they need to jump - attack Russia, attack the southern seas (thus casting lots definitely in favor of an alliance with Germany) or sit on the fence and wait for development events, treating us more friendly. No one knows what the chosen direction will be, but it is terribly important for us to control the Atlantic to maintain peace in the Pacific. I simply do not have enough naval power to operate on both fronts - and every small episode in the Pacific means a decrease in the number of ships in the Atlantic.
Roosevelt was cunning or did not understand the Japanese character? And the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki are retribution for what was expected, but did not happen. Most likely he was cunning, understood and believed that they would not stand it and attack. Thus, the US will be unwittingly drawn into the war.
On November 26, 1941, Washington presented Japan with a ten-point document in the form of an ultimatum. In particular, Japan was required to withdraw all troops from China and Indochina. It's like demanding surrender without a war.
Japan responded on December 7 with aircraft carrier strikes on the US naval base in Hawaii. The Japanese attack took the American fleet by surprise! Didn't they really think that the Japanese would decide on this, after everything that was demanded of them ?! The losses were heavy. Churchill contacted Roosevelt. "Now we are all in the same boat," said the American president. Public opinion in the United States was stirred up and demanded revenge for the shameless, predatory attack!
On December 8, Great Britain declared war on Japan.
England:
madness - for the sake of surprise
Churchill, in his memoirs, assesses the most dangerous option for England: statesmen The Americans, who surrounded the President and enjoyed his confidence, were no less keenly aware than I was of the formidable danger that Japan would attack British or Dutch possessions on Far East and will carefully bypass the United States and that, as a result, Congress will not authorize a declaration of war by America. Regarding Japan's declaration of war on the United States, Churchill says: To a reasonable person it was impossible to imagine that Japan would agree to a declaration of war. I was sure that such a reckless move on her part would ruin the life of a whole generation of the Japanese people, and my opinion was fully confirmed. However, madness is such a disease that in war gives the advantage of surprise.
The Japanese chose surprise.
Germany:
Hitler and his staff were amazed
Hitler, as if guessing Churchill's opinion, continued through diplomatic channels to persuade the Japanese to strike without further delay on Malaya and Singapore, that is, on the most important bases of Britain, without worrying about the United States. These demarches with persuasion began in February and March (1941), that is, before the American oil embargo. Most of all, Hitler wanted Japan to attack England and in no case get involved in a war with the United States. The Germans assured Tokyo that if Japan acted vigorously against Malaya and the Dutch Indies, the Americans would not dare to move. When the Japanese chose to attack the United States and bombed the American fleet in Hawaii, Hitler was extremely impressed. Churchill writes that "Hitler and his staff were amazed." Hitler ordered the submarine fleet to attack American ships even before the official declaration of war by the United States. This was followed by the Japanese offensive in the Pacific. The world split into two opposing coalitions, the war took on a worldwide character.
Indeed, why Japan
attacked the US?
The samurai did not find another way out. The mentality did not allow to wipe oneself and "sit on the fence" when there is a global redistribution of the world. Could the Mikado government accept the US ultimatum and allow mass hara-kiri of the samurai as a protest against surrender without a fight - this expression of public opinion in Japanese. In 1945, such protests took place, apparently on a smaller scale, given the many defeats when the Japanese were herded to their islands, and it was clear that the war was lost. They also had their own ideas about the "crazy", from the European-American point of view, the beginning of the war. Probably, they hoped for an early victory of Germany over the USSR, and then England. Indirectly, Japan, attacking the United States, diverted forces from the help of England and the USSR, which helped Germany. The Japanese chose an indirect and directly paradoxical way out of hopeless situation that is, they did what was least expected of them. They attacked the strongest opponent. And they lost. Without too much pathos, we note that this happened because our people did not break down either in 1941 or in 1942 - the most hard years war. Happy Victory Day!
4. The USA in the war with Japan and its agony in 1945
Potsdam Conference (1945). This is the name of the last meeting of the leaders of the "Big Three" (Great Britain, USSR, USA). It was attended by Stalin, Churchill, Truman. The main issue at the meeting was the joint management of the defeated Germany, the ways of its division.
Just during the conference, American President Truman received a detailed report on the successful tests of the atomic bomb. He immediately cheered up.
The tone in which the Anglo-American allies negotiated became harsher and more aggressive. A compromise in the spirit of Yalta was not foreseen. The Truman-Churchill tandem was concerned with how to let Stalin know that the partners had a trump card in their hands that could ruin the Soviet party. A week after the conference began, Truman made up his mind. After the end of the next session, he stopped Stalin on the steps of the Zitzilienhof Palace and casually threw a few words about the presence of weapons of unheard-of destructive power in the United States. Stalin silently listened, nodded and went on without reacting to the notice. “I didn’t understand,” Truman and Churchill decided, they would have to scare more thoroughly, more rudely, more visible. In those minutes, the fate of two Japanese cities was decided.
A container of plutonium is delivered to Titian Island. However, it is likely that the determination of this fate happened earlier. On the roadstead of San Francisco was the USS Iidianapolis. In one of his cabins there were two taciturn passengers in civilian clothes, from their luggage there was a voluminous metal suitcase. It contained the "plutonium heart" of Manhattan Item No. 2, a heavy lead ball that was to be the payload of the bomb called "The Kid." A few hours after the successful explosion at Alamogordo, the cruiser Indianapolis was ordered to sail to Tinian Island at the northern tip of the Marianas. For half a year, the US strategic aviation base was located on Tiiyan, from where systematic bombing attacks were carried out on the Japanese islands. In the summer of 1945, by decision of the American aviation command, the 509th air regiment was based on the island.
I reached the place "Iidianapolis" without incident. American dominance in the Pacific was almost complete, and both passengers disembarked on July 27. Seeing off the mysterious guests, the cruiser commander, who almost guessed the purpose of the cargo, supposedly grumbled after them: "I never thought that we would come to bacteriological warfare." Charles Maccabee was wrong, but not too wrong. A day later, a container with plutonium took a structurally allotted place in the womb of the "Baby". The bomb was ready for combat use.
Meanwhile, on the way home, Iidianapolis was attacked by the Japanese submarine 1-58 Lieutenant Hashimoto. The submariner did not miss. The cruiser, which received two torpedoes, sank. Subsequently, Hashimoto more than once cursed fate for not sending him a meeting with the enemy three days earlier.
Reasons for Truman's haste. The announcement of the readiness of the 509th Regiment and a special bombardment was received with satisfaction by Truman. He was in a hurry again. This time, the reason for the haste was the fact that the USSR intended, having fulfilled its allied duty, to enter the war against Japan. This decision was made back in Tehran, where Roosevelt and Churchill begged Stalin to agree to this step in order to hasten the overall victory. In Potsdam, the final date for the Soviet attack on the Kwantung Army was set as August 10, 1945. But the situation changed, in the summer last year war, the Americans no longer needed the Russians.
State of Japan. The Japanese empire was on the verge of death. Her death was a matter of weeks or even days. On the other hand, entry into the Pacific conflict inevitably gave the Soviet Union the right to secure its interests in the region. Naturally, Truman did not want to share the fruits of the already won victory, and was in a hurry to finish off the Japanese before the scheduled time came up. The fact that it was about finishing off is beyond doubt today. Short description recent months of World War II completely devalues the justificatory mythology invented by American historians. The claim that the atomic bomb saved hundreds of thousands of American soldiers who could have died landing on Japanese islands, is refuted by an elementary assessment of the situation.
Before the war, Japan had a merchant fleet, which included transport ships with a total displacement of about 6 million tons. This was extremely small, given that the island metropolis was completely dependent on overseas supplies of industrial raw materials and food. The Japanese had long communications, but there was nothing to protect them. Japan did not build warships adapted to export convoys. It was believed that export aircraft carriers and anti-submarine ships would not be needed. All forces were thrown into the construction of the "fleet of the general battle."
The Americans destroy the Japanese transport fleet. The Americans took advantage of this. During 1943-1944. their submarines launched 9/10 of the Japanese transport fleet to the bottom. The Mikado industry was left without raw materials of all kinds, including oil. The Japanese aviation was left without gasoline. I had to refuel planes for a one-way flight. So there were "kamikaze". Let's take into account that their efficiency is no higher than that of a conventional aircraft, even lower, since suicide pilots were taught only to take off, and then theoretically. The use of combat suicides did not justify itself, there was simply no other way out. By the way, not only planes, but entire squadrons were sent one way.
The Americans seize the Japanese islands in the Pacific. Under such conditions, the Americans, having built aircraft carriers, quickly melted the main part of the main forces of the Japanese fleet. Then another round began. Taking advantage of the fact that the Japanese fleet was either sunk or standing in ports without fuel, the Americans conducted a series of landing operations on the Pacific islands. Landing objects were chosen wisely. So that from there strategic bombers could fly to Japan with a full load and could return back. Since the autumn of 1944, the Americans had bases on Saipan and Tinian. Then they got closer, capturing Iwo Jima and Okinawa. The Japanese understood why the Yankees needed these islands, and defended them with the desperation of the doomed, but courage and fanaticism did not help. The Americans were slowly grinding through isolated enemy garrisons. Having completed this process, they began to build excellent airfields. They built better than they fought, and soon all the Japanese islands were within range of American strategic bombers.
Raids on Japanese cities. Massive raids of "super-fortresses" on Japanese cities began. Everything was like in Germany, only worse, the air defense of the islands did not have the means to deal with raids at all. Another distinctive feature that mattered was the type of building in Japanese cities, where the main building material is plywood. It has several properties that distinguish wood fiber from stone, in particular, it burns well and is not as strong under the influence of a shock wave. The pilots of the "fortresses" did not need to carry super-heavy "fugas" with them, there were enough small-caliber incendiary bombs. Fortunately, a novelty arrived, napalm, which gives temperatures that allow you to burn not only plywood, but also soil, and stones, and everything else.
Napalm bombing of Tokyo. By the summer of 1945, almost all major Japanese cities had survived the raids. What came out of this - it becomes clear on the example of Tokyo, which experienced a massive blow on March 9, 1945. On this day, 300 "fortresses" full of napalm entered the city. The huge area of the city ruled out the possibility of misses. The carpet of "lighters" was spread precisely, despite the night hours. The Sumida that flowed through the city was silvery in the moonlight, and visibility was excellent. The Americans were flying low, only two kilometers above the ground, and the pilots could distinguish every house. If the Japanese had gasoline for fighters or shells for anti-aircraft guns, they would have to pay for such impudence. But the defenders of the Tokyo sky had neither one nor the other.
Houses in the city were packed tightly, napalm burned hot. That is why the fiery channels left by bomb flows quickly merged into a single sea of fire. Air turbulence spurred on the elements, creating a huge fiery tornado. Those who were lucky said that the water in Sumida boiled, and the steel bridge thrown over it melted, dropping drops of metal into the water. The Americans, embarrassed, estimate the loss of that night at 100,000 people. Japanese sources, without showing exact figures, believe that the value of 300,000 burnt will be closer to the truth. Another one and a half million were left without a roof and a head. American losses did not exceed 4% of the vehicles involved in the raid, and their main reason was the inability of the pilots of the end vehicles to cope with the air currents that arose over the dying city.
Agony. The raid on Tokyo was the first in a series of others that finally destroyed Japan. People fled the cities, leaving jobs for those who still had them. Although work became a rarity, by April 1945 some 650 industrial sites had been destroyed. Only 7 aircraft manufacturing enterprises operated, hidden in advance in deep adits and tunnels. Rather, they were inactive, lacking components. Useless aircraft bodies, stripped of their filling, were piled up in factory warehouses with no hope of breathing life into their engines. There was absolutely no gasoline, or rather it was, but several thousand liters were saved for the “kamikazes” that were to fall on the American invasion fleet if it appeared Off the Japanese coast. This strategic reserve could be enough for a hundred or two sorties, no more. Japanese scientists were definitely not up to nuclear research. Scientific luminaries switched to the extraction of combustible materials from pine roots, which supposedly contained alcohol suitable for combustion in engine cylinders. He was not there, of course, but the Japanese were looking to distract from bad thoughts about tomorrow.
Then it was the turn of the US Navy. Aircraft carriers snooped around the very coast of Japan. The pilots of their air groups complained to their superiors about the lack of targets. Everything that kept afloat was already sunk. Training ships that remembered Tsushima, the skeletons of giant aircraft carriers unfinished due to lack of iron, coastal boats, railway ferries - all this rested at the bottom. Communication between the islands of the Japanese archipelago was destroyed. Squadrons of American torpedo bombers chased fishing boats, and bombers bombed villages of 10 houses. It was agony. The imperial government announced a total mobilization, calling under the banner of all men and some of the women. The army turned out to be large, but useless; there were no firearms, let alone scarce ammunition for most of the fighters. They were given bamboo lances without iron tips, with which they were supposed to throw themselves at the American marines.
The question arises, perhaps the Americans did not know about bamboo peaks? It is unlikely that they flew low, and they saw a lot of the cockpits of their aircraft. And the US strategic services had data on the stocks of Japanese gasoline as early as 1940. So it is better not to remember the danger of huge casualties during the landing for the historians of the country that managed to knock the Nazis off the coast of Normandy. And then it turns out some kind of racism. Like, a Japanese with a pike is stronger than an American at the helm of an attack aircraft. Can you imagine that the American guys who passed through the fires and waters of Omaha and Iwo Jima were afraid of Japanese girls with bam-beech! sticks. They weren't afraid. In paying tribute to the US Army and Navy, it is necessary to remember: responsible commanders Pacific theater were opposed to the atomic bombing. Among those who objected were serious people: the chief of staff of the commander-in-chief, Admiral Georges Legy, Chester Nimitz, the hero of Midway, Halsey, and dozens of other decent or simply smart military leaders. They all believed that Japan would surrender before the fall from the effects of a naval blockade and air strikes by conventional means. Scientists joined them. Dozens of creators of the "Manhattan offspring" signed an appeal to the President of the United States with a request to abandon the nuclear demonstration. These unfortunates did not understand that Truman needed to report on the spending of state funds so that "the mosquito would not undermine the nose"; yes, in addition, exclude Stalin's participation in the Far Eastern "settlement".
Before the war, Japan had a merchant fleet, which included transport ships with a total displacement of about 6 million tons. This was extremely small, given that the island metropolis was completely dependent on overseas supplies of industrial raw materials and food. The Japanese had long communications, but there was nothing to protect them. Japan did not build warships adapted to export convoys. It was believed that export aircraft carriers and anti-submarine ships would not be needed. All forces were thrown into the construction of the "fleet of the general battle."
The Americans destroy the Japanese transport fleet. The Americans took advantage of this. During 1943-1944. their submarines launched 9/10 of the Japanese transport fleet to the bottom. The Mikado industry was left without raw materials of all kinds, including oil. The Japanese aviation was left without gasoline. I had to refuel planes for a one-way flight. So there were "kamikaze". Let's take into account that their efficiency is no higher than that of a conventional aircraft, even lower, since suicide pilots were taught only to take off, and then theoretically. The use of combat suicides did not justify itself, there was simply no other way out. By the way, not only planes, but entire squadrons were sent one way.
The Americans capture the Japanese islands in the Pacific. Under such conditions, the Americans, having built aircraft carriers, quickly melted the main part of the main forces of the Japanese fleet. Then another round began. Taking advantage of the fact that the Japanese fleet was either sunk or standing in ports without fuel, the Americans conducted a series of landing operations on the Pacific islands. Landing objects were chosen wisely. So that from there strategic bombers could fly to Japan with a full load and could return back. Since the autumn of 1944, the Americans had bases on Saipan and Tinian. Then they got closer, capturing Iwo Jima and Okinawa. The Japanese understood why the Yankees needed these islands, and defended them with the desperation of the doomed, but courage and fanaticism did not help. The Americans were slowly grinding through isolated enemy garrisons. Having completed this process, they began to build excellent airfields. They built better than they fought, and soon all the Japanese islands were within range of American strategic bombers.
Raids on Japanese cities. Massive raids of "super-fortresses" on Japanese cities began. Everything was like in Germany, only worse, the air defense of the islands did not have the means to deal with raids at all. Another distinctive feature that mattered was the type of building in Japanese cities, where the main building material is plywood. It has several properties that distinguish wood fiber from stone, in particular, it burns well and is not as strong under the influence of a shock wave. The pilots of the "fortresses" did not need to carry super-heavy "fugas" with them, there were enough small-caliber incendiary bombs. Fortunately, a novelty arrived, napalm, which gives temperatures that allow you to burn not only plywood, but also soil, and stones, and everything else.
Napalm bombing of Tokyo. By the summer of 1945, almost all major Japanese cities had survived the raids. What came out of this - it becomes clear on the example of Tokyo, which experienced a massive blow on March 9, 1945. On this day, 300 "fortresses" full of napalm entered the city. The huge area of the city ruled out the possibility of misses. The carpet of "lighters" was spread precisely, despite the night hours. The Sumida that flowed through the city was silvery in the moonlight, and visibility was excellent. The Americans were flying low, only two kilometers above the ground, and the pilots could distinguish every house. If the Japanese had gasoline for fighters or shells for anti-aircraft guns, they would have to pay for such impudence. But the defenders of the Tokyo sky had neither one nor the other.
Houses in the city were packed tightly, napalm burned hot. That is why the fiery channels left by bomb flows quickly merged into a single sea of fire. Air turbulence spurred on the elements, creating a huge fiery tornado. Those who were lucky said that the water in Sumida boiled, and the steel bridge thrown over it melted, dropping drops of metal into the water. The Americans, embarrassed, estimate the loss of that night at 100,000 people. Japanese sources, without showing exact figures, believe that the value of 300,000 burnt will be closer to the truth. Another one and a half million were left without a roof over their heads. American losses did not exceed 4% of the vehicles involved in the raid. Moreover, their main reason was the inability of the pilots of the terminal machines to cope with the air currents that arose over the dying city.
Agony. The raid on Tokyo was the first in a series of others that finally destroyed Japan. People fled the cities, leaving jobs for those who still had them. Although work became a rarity, by April 1945 some 650 industrial sites had been destroyed. Only 7 aircraft manufacturing enterprises operated, hidden in advance in deep adits and tunnels. Rather, they were inactive, lacking components. Useless aircraft bodies, stripped of their filling, were piled up in factory warehouses with no hope of breathing life into their engines. There was absolutely no gasoline, or rather it was, but several thousand liters were saved for the "kamikaze" that were to fall on the American invasion fleet if it appeared off the Japanese coast. This strategic reserve could be enough for a hundred or two sorties, no more. Japanese scientists were definitely not up to nuclear research. Scientific luminaries switched to the extraction of combustible materials from pine roots, which supposedly contained alcohol suitable for combustion in engine cylinders. Of course, he was not there, but the Japanese were looking to distract themselves from bad thoughts about tomorrow.
Then it was the turn of the US Navy. Aircraft carriers snooped around the very coast of Japan. The pilots of their air groups complained to their superiors about the lack of targets. Everything that kept afloat was already sunk. Training ships that remembered Tsushima, the skeletons of giant aircraft carriers unfinished due to lack of iron, coastal boats, railway ferries - all this rested at the bottom. Communication between the islands of the Japanese archipelago was destroyed. Squadrons of American torpedo bombers chased fishing boats, and bombers bombed villages of 10 houses. It was agony. The imperial government announced a total mobilization, calling under the banner of all men and some of the women. The army turned out to be large, but useless; there were no firearms, let alone scarce ammunition for most of the fighters. They were given bamboo lances without iron tips, with which they were supposed to throw themselves at the American marines.
The question arises, perhaps the Americans did not know about bamboo peaks? It is unlikely that they flew low, and they saw a lot of the cockpits of their aircraft. And the US strategic services had data on the stocks of Japanese gasoline as early as 1940. So it is better not to remember the danger of huge casualties during the landing for the historians of the country that managed to knock the Nazis off the coast of Normandy. And then it turns out some kind of racism. Like, a Japanese with a pike is stronger than an American at the helm of an attack aircraft. Is it possible to imagine that the American guys who passed through the fires and waters of Omaha and Iwo Jima were afraid of Japanese girls with bamboo sticks. They weren't afraid. In paying tribute to the US Army and Navy, it must be remembered that the responsible commanders of the Pacific theater were against the atomic bombing. Among those who objected were serious people: the chief of staff of the commander-in-chief, Admiral Georges Legy, Chester Nimitz, the hero of Midway, Halsey, and dozens of other decent or simply smart military leaders. They all believed that Japan would surrender before the fall from the effects of a naval blockade and air strikes by conventional means. Scientists joined them. Dozens of creators of the "Manhattan offspring" signed an appeal to the President of the United States with a request to abandon the nuclear demonstration. These unfortunates did not understand that Truman needed to report on the spending of state funds so that "the mosquito would not undermine the nose"; yes, in addition, exclude Stalin's participation in the Far Eastern "settlement".
Americano- japanese war 1941-1945 was very difficult and had serious consequences. What are the reasons for this bloody war? How did it go and what were the consequences? Who won the US-Japanese War? This will be discussed in the article.
US-Japanese Controversy and the Causes of the War. The contradictions between America and Japan have a long history since the 19th century, when the Americans imposed unequal trade agreements on the Japanese. But after the First World War, the situation escalated even more, as there was a struggle between these states for spheres of influence in Asia-Pacific. Pacific region. So, since 1931, Japan continues to conquer China and creates the state of Manchukuo on its territory, which was actually completely controlled by the Japanese. Soon, all American corporations were forced out of the Chinese market, which clearly weakened the position of the United States. In 1940, the trade agreement between the United States and Japan was terminated. In June 1941, Japanese troops captured French Indochina. Soon, in response to the aggression, on July 26, the United States imposed an embargo on the import of oil to Japan, later England joined the embargo. As a result, Japan faced a choice: either continue the redistribution of territories in this region and enter into a military conflict with the United States, or retreat and recognize the United States as the leading role in this region. The causes of the US-Japanese War are now clear. Japan, of course, chose the first option.
USA. The American government considered the option of war with Japan, in connection with this, active preparations were made for the army and navy. Thus, a number of military-economic reforms were carried out: a law on military service was adopted, and the military budget increased. On the eve of the war with Japan, the number of personnel american army was equal to one million eight hundred thousand people, of which the navy accounted for three hundred and fifty fighters. The number of US Navy ships was 227 ships of various classes and 113 submarines.
Japan. Japan, in 1941, conducting military operations in China, was already preparing to start a war with America. Japan's military budget at this time was over 12 billion yen. The size of the Japanese army before the war was 1,350,000 in the land army and 350,000 in the navy. The size of the military fleet increased and amounted to 202 ships and 50 submarines. In aviation, there were one thousand aircraft of various classes.
Japan's attack on Pearl Harbor, US entry into World War II world war: history. The attack on Pearl Harbor is a surprise, without a declaration of war, an attack by the air and navy of the Japanese imperial army on American warships and an air base, which were located in the Hawaiian Islands, on December 7, 1941.
The decision to go to war with the United States was made at a meeting of Japanese ministers with the Emperor on December 1, 1941. For the active promotion of the Japanese army in the Asia-Pacific region, it was necessary to destroy its Pacific Fleet, which in in full force stationed on the island of Oahu. For this purpose, a preventive strike on the US Navy base was chosen. The essence of the attack was to take advantage of the effect of surprise, with the help of aircraft that took off from aircraft carriers, to make a powerful raid on the base. Ultimately, on December 7, 1941, two air raids were carried out with a total number of 440 Japanese aircraft.
US losses were catastrophic, with 90% of America's Pacific fleet actually destroyed or disabled. In total, the Americans lost 18 ships: 8 battleships, 4 destroyers, 3 cruisers, losses in aviation were equal to 188 aircraft. Losses in personnel also amounted to catastrophic numbers, about 2,400 people were killed and 1,200 wounded. Japan's losses were an order of magnitude smaller, 29 aircraft were shot down and about 60 people died.
As a result, on December 8, 1941, the United States, led by President Franklin Roosevelt, declared war on Japan and officially entered WWII.
First stage: Japanese victory Immediately after the attack on the Pearl Harbor base, on the wave of success and taking advantage of the confusion and confusion of the United States, the islands of Guam and Wake, which belonged to America, were captured. By March 1942, the Japanese were already off the coast of Australia, but they could not capture it. In general, during the four months of the war, Japan achieved outstanding results. The Malaysian peninsula was captured, the territories of the Dutch West Indies, Hong Kong, the Philippines, and southern Burma were annexed. Japan's victories at the first stage can be explained not only by military factors, but successes are also largely due to a well-thought-out propaganda policy. Thus, the population of the occupied territories was told that Japan had come to liberate them from bloody imperialism. As a result, in December 1941 - March 1942, Japan occupied territories of more than 4 million square kilometers with a population of 200 million people. At the same time, she lost only 15 thousand people, 400 aircraft and 4 ships. The loss of the United States only taken prisoner amounted to 130 thousand soldiers.
Second stage: turning point in the war After the naval battle in May 1942 in the Coral Sea, although it ended in a tactical victory for Japan, which was obtained at a heavy price and was not as obvious as before, a radical turning point in the war occurred. Its date is considered to be the battle at Midway Atoll on June 4, 1942. On this day, the American Navy won its first major victory. Japan lost 4 aircraft carriers, against 1 American. After this defeat, Japan no longer undertook offensive operations, but focused on the defense of previously conquered territories.
After winning the battle within six months, the Americans regained control of the island of Guadalcanal. Subsequently, the Aleutian and Solomon Islands, New Guinea, and the Gilbert Islands came under the control of the United States and its allies.
The last stage of the war: the defeat of Japan In 1944, the outcome of the US-Japanese War was already a foregone conclusion. The Japanese were systematically losing their territories. The main task of the Japanese government was to protect China and Burma. But from late February to September 1944, Japan lost control of the Marshall, Mariana, Caroline and New Guinea.
The culmination of the US-Japanese War was the victory in the Philippine operation, which began on October 17, 1944. Japan's losses during the offensive by the United States and its allies were catastrophic; three battleships, four aircraft carriers, ten cruisers, and eleven destroyers were sunk. The loss of personnel amounted to 300 thousand people. The losses of the United States and allies amounted to only 16 thousand and six ships of various classes.
At the beginning of 1945, the theater of operations moved to the territory of Japan itself. On February 19, there was a successful landing on the island of Iwo Jima, which was soon captured during fierce resistance. On June 21, 1945, Okinawa was captured.
All battles, especially on the territory of Japan, were very fierce, since most of the Japanese military personnel belonged to the samurai class and fought to the end, preferring death to captivity. The most striking example is the use of kamikaze detachments by the Japanese command.
In July 1945, the Japanese government was asked to surrender, but Japan refused to accept the surrender, shortly after which American aircraft launched nuclear attacks on the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. And on September 2, 1945, the signing of the act of surrender of Japan took place on board the Missouri. On this, the war between the United States and Japan was over, like WWII itself, although WWII officially ended for Japan in 1951 with the signing of the San Francisco Treaty.
Atomic bombing of the cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki To quickly end the war with Japan, the American government decided to use atomic weapons. There were several possible targets for bombing, the idea of bombing exclusively military targets was rejected immediately because of the possibility of a miss in a small area. The choice fell on the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, since these territories had a good location, and their landscape features provided for an increase in the range of destruction.
The first city to have an eighteen kiloton nuclear bomb dropped was the city of Hiroshima. The bomb was dropped on the morning of August 6, 1945 from a B-29 bomber. Losses among the population amounted to about 100-160 thousand people. Three days later, on August 9, the city of Nagasaki was subjected to an atomic bombing, now the explosion power was twenty kilotons, according to various estimates, about 60-80 thousand people became victims. The effect of the use of atomic weapons forced the Japanese government to agree to surrender.
Outcome and consequences After the recognition of defeat on September 2, 1945, the occupation of Japan by American troops began. The occupation lasted until 1952, when the San Francisco peace treaty was signed and entered into force. After the defeat of Japan, it was forbidden to have a military and air fleet. The entire politics and economy of Japan was subordinated to the United States. In Japan, a new constitution was approved, a new parliament was formed, the samurai class was eliminated, but the imperial power officially remained, as there was a risk of popular unrest. American troops were stationed on its territory and military bases were built, which are located there at the present time.
Losses of the parties War Japan and the United States brought huge losses to the peoples of these countries. The United States lost just over 106,000 people. Of the 27,000 prisoners of war, 11,000 American soldiers died in captivity. The losses of the Japanese side amounted to about 1 million soldiers and, according to various estimates, 600 thousand civilians.
Interesting Facts Many cases are known when individual servicemen of the Japanese army continued to conduct military operations against the Americans after the end of hostilities. So, in February 1946, on the island of Lubang, 8 American soldiers of the US troops were killed during a shootout. In March 1947, about 30 Japanese soldiers attacked American soldiers on the island of Peleliu, but after they were told that the war was long over, the soldiers surrendered.
But the most famous case of this kind is the guerrilla war in the Philippine Islands of Japanese intelligence junior lieutenant Hiro Onoda. For almost thirty years, he carried out about a hundred attacks on the American military, as a result of which he killed thirty and wounded a hundred people. And only in 1974 he surrendered to the Philippine army - in full uniform and well armed.
In August 1945, the explosions of two nuclear bombs over the cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki ended the 4-year-long war in the Pacific, in which America and Japan were the main opponents. The confrontation between these two powers became an important component of the Second World War and had a significant impact on its outcome. At the same time, the current alignment of forces in the international arena is largely a consequence of those long-standing events.
What caused the fire in the Pacific
The reason for the war between the United States and Japan lies in the conflict between these states, which escalated by 1941, and Tokyo's attempt to resolve it militarily. The greatest contradictions between these powerful world powers arose in matters related to China and the territory of French Indochina - a former French colony.
Rejecting the doctrine proposed by the American government " open doors”, Japan sought its complete control over these countries, as well as over the territory of Manchuria that it had previously captured. Due to Tokyo's persistence on these issues, the talks held in Washington between the two states did not bring any results.
But Japan's claims were not limited to this. Tokyo, considering the USA, Great Britain and other colonial powers as its rivals, tried with all its might to oust them from the South Seas and Southeast Asia, thus capturing the sources of food and raw materials located on their territories. It was about 78% of the world rubber production produced in these areas, 90% of tin and many other riches.
The beginning of the conflict
By the beginning of July 1941, despite the protests coming from the governments of America and Great Britain, it captured the southern part of Indochina, and after a short time came close to the Philippines, Singapore, the Dutch Indies and Malaya. In response, it imposed a ban on the import of all strategic materials into Japan and at the same time froze Japanese assets in its banks. Thus, the war that soon broke out between Japan and the United States was the result of a political conflict that America tried to resolve with economic sanctions.
It should be noted that Tokyo's military ambitions extended up to the decision to seize part of the territory. Soviet Union. This was announced in July 1941 at the imperial conference by the Minister of War of Japan, Tojo. According to him, a war should have been started in order to destroy the USSR and gain control over its rich natural resources. True, at that time these plans were clearly unrealistic due to the lack of forces, the bulk of which was sent to the war in China.
Pearl Harbor tragedy
The war between the United States and Japan began with a powerful attack on Pearl Harbor, inflicted by aircraft from the ships of the United Japanese Navy, commanded by Admiral Yamamoto Isoroko. It happened on December 7, 1941.
Two air raids were made on the American base, in which 353 aircraft took off from 6 aircraft carriers. The result of this attack, the success of which was largely predetermined by its surprise, was so devastating that it disabled a significant part of the American fleet and became a truly national tragedy.
Behind a short time 4 of the most powerful battleships of the US Navy were destroyed by enemy aircraft directly at the berths, of which only 2 were restored with great difficulty after the end of the war. Another 4 ships of this type were seriously damaged and were put out of action for a long time.
In addition, 3 destroyers, 3 cruisers and one mine layer were sunk or seriously damaged. As a result of enemy bombing, the Americans also lost 270 aircraft that were at that moment on the coastal airfield and on the decks of aircraft carriers. To top it off, torpedo and fuel storage facilities, piers, a ship repair yard and a power plant were destroyed.
The main tragedy was the significant loss of personnel. As a result of the Japanese air raid, 2,404 people were killed and 11,779 were wounded. After this dramatic event, the United States declared war on Japan and officially joined the anti-Hitler coalition.
Further advance of the Japanese troops
The tragedy that unfolded at Pearl Harbor disabled a significant part of the US Navy, and since the British, Australian and Dutch fleets could not seriously compete with the Japanese navy, it gained a temporary advantage in the Pacific region. Tokyo conducted further military operations in alliance with Thailand, a military treaty with which was signed in December 1941.
The war between the USA and Japan was gaining momentum and at first brought a lot of trouble to the government of F. Roosevelt. So, on December 25, the joint efforts of Japan and Thailand managed to suppress the resistance of British troops in Hong Kong, and the Americans were forced, abandoning their equipment and property, to urgently evacuate from their bases located on nearby islands.
Until the beginning of May 1942, military success invariably accompanied the Japanese army and navy, which allowed Emperor Hirohito to take control of vast territories, including the Philippines, Java, Bali, part of the Solomon Islands and New Guinea, British Malaya and the Dutch East Indies. About 130,000 British troops were then in Japanese captivity.
Fracture in the course of hostilities
The US war against Japan took a different turn only after the naval battle between their fleets, which took place on May 8, 1942 in the Coral Sea. By this time, the United States was already fully supported by the forces of the allies in the anti-Hitler coalition.
This battle is in world history as the first, in which the enemy ships did not approach each other, did not fire a single shot, and did not even see each other. Everything fighting were carried out exclusively by naval aircraft based on them. It was, in essence, a clash of two aircraft carrier groups.
Despite the fact that none of the opposing sides managed to win a clear victory during the battle, the strategic advantage, nevertheless, turned out to be on the side of the allies. Firstly, this naval battle stopped the successful, so far, advancement of the Japanese army, with the victories of which the war between the USA and Japan began, and, secondly, it predetermined the defeat of the Japanese fleet in the next battle, which took place in June 1942 in the area of the atoll Midway.
In the Coral Sea, 2 main Japanese aircraft carriers, Shokaku and Zuikaku, were sunk. This turned out to be an irreparable loss for the imperial fleet, as a result of which the victory of the United States and its allies in the next naval battle turned the tide of the entire war in the Pacific.
Attempts to hold on to past gains
Having lost 4 more aircraft carriers, 248 combat aircraft and its best pilots near Midway Atoll, Japan was no longer able to operate effectively at sea outside the coverage areas of coastal aviation, which became a real disaster for it. After that, the troops of Emperor Hirohito could not achieve any serious success, and all their efforts were directed to holding the previously conquered territories. Meanwhile, the war between Japan and the United States was still far from over.
During the bloody and heavy fighting that lasted over the next 6 months, in February 1943, American troops managed to capture the island of Guadalcanal. This victory was part of a strategic plan to protect the sea convoys between America, Australia and New Zealand. Later, before the end of the year, the United States and allied states took control of the Solomon and Aleutian Islands, the western part of the island of New Britain, the southeast of New Guinea, and were also part of the British colony.
In 1944, the war between the United States and Japan became irreversible. Having exhausted its military potential and not having the strength to continue offensive operations, the army of Emperor Hirohito concentrated all its forces on the defense of the previously captured territories of China and Burma, giving further initiative to the enemy. This caused a number of defeats. So, in February 1944, the Japanese had to retreat from the Marshall Islands, and six months later - from the Mariana Islands. In September they left New Guinea, and in October they lost control of the Caroline Islands.
The collapse of Emperor Hirohito's army
The war between the USA and Japan (1941-1945) reached its climax in October 1944, when the victorious Philippine operation was undertaken by the joint efforts of the allies. In addition to the American army, Mexico also took part in it. Their common goal was to liberate the Philippines from the Japanese.
As a result of the battle that took place on October 23-26 in Leyte Gulf, Japan lost the main part of its navy. Her losses were: 4 aircraft carriers, 3 battleships, 11 destroyers, 10 cruisers and 2 submarines. The Philippines was completely in the hands of the Allies, but separate clashes continued until the end of World War II.
In the same year, having a significant superiority in manpower and equipment, American troops successfully carried out an operation to capture the island of Iwo Jima from February 20 to March 15, and Okinawa from April 1 to June 21. Both of them belonged to Japan, and were a convenient springboard for air strikes on its cities.
Particularly devastating was the raid on Tokyo, carried out on March 9-10, 1945. As a result of a massive bombardment, 250 thousand buildings were turned into ruins, and about 100 thousand people were killed, most of whom were civilians. In the same period, the war between the United States and Japan was marked by the offensive of the allied forces in Burma, and its subsequent liberation from Japanese occupation.
The first atomic bombing in history
After the Soviet troops launched an offensive in Manchuria on August 9, 1945, it became quite obvious that the Pacific campaign, and with it the war (1945) between Japan and the United States, was completed. However, despite this, the American government undertook an action that had no analogues either in previous or subsequent years. On his orders, a nuclear bombardment of the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki was carried out.
The first atomic bomb was dropped on the morning of August 6, 1945 on Hiroshima. She was delivered by a US Air Force B-29 bomber, named Enola Gay in honor of the mother of the crew commander, Colonel Paul Tibets. The bomb itself was called Little Boy, which means "Baby". Despite its affectionate name, the bomb had a capacity of 18 kilotons of TNT and claimed the lives of, according to various sources, from 95 to 160 thousand people.
Three days later, another atomic bombing followed. This time, her target was the city of Nagasaki. The Americans, who are inclined to give names not only to ships or planes, but even to bombs, called her Fat Man - "Fat Man". Delivered this killer, whose power was equal to 21 kilotons of TNT, bomber B-29 Bockscar, piloted by a crew under the command of Charles Sweeney. This time between 60,000 and 80,000 civilians became victims.
Japanese surrender
The shock of the bombing, which ended the years of the US war with Japan, was so great that Prime Minister Kantaro Suzuki turned to Emperor Hirohito with a statement about the need for a speedy cessation of all hostilities. As a result, already 6 days after the second atomic strike, Japan announced its surrender, and on September 2 of the same year, an appropriate act was signed. The signing of this historical document ended the US-Japan War (1941-1945). It was also the final act of the entire Second World War.
According to reports, US losses in the war with Japan amounted to 296,929 people. Of these, 169,635 are soldiers and officers of ground units, and 127,294 are military sailors and infantrymen. At the same time, in the war with Nazi Germany 185,994 Americans were killed.
Did America have the right to launch nuclear strikes?
Throughout all the post-war decades, disputes over the expediency and legitimacy of nuclear strikes carried out at a time when the war (1945) between Japan and the United States was almost over have not ceased. As most international experts note, in this case, the fundamental question is whether the bombings, which claimed tens of thousands of lives, were necessary to conclude a treaty on the surrender of Japan on terms acceptable to the government of President Harry Truman, or were there other ways to achieve the desired result?
Supporters of the bombing claim that thanks to this extremely cruel, but, in their opinion, justified measure, it was possible to force Emperor Hirohito to surrender, while avoiding the mutual sacrifices inevitably associated with the upcoming American invasion of Japan and the landing of troops on the island of Kyushu.
In addition, they cite statistical data as an argument, from which it is clear that every month of the war was accompanied by a mass death of residents of the countries occupied by Japan. In particular, it has been calculated that for the entire period of the stay of Japanese troops in China from 1937 to 1945, about 150,000 people perished among the population every month. A similar picture can be traced in other zones of Japanese occupation.
Thus, it is easy to calculate that without the nuclear strike that forced the Japanese government to surrender immediately, each subsequent month of the war would have claimed at least 250,000 lives, which far exceeded the number of victims of the bombing.
In this regard, the now living grandson of President Harry Truman - Daniel Truman - in 2015, on the day of the seventieth anniversary of the atomic bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, recalled that his grandfather until the end of his days did not repent of the order given to him and declared the undoubted rightness decision. According to him, it greatly accelerated the end of the military confrontation between Japan and the United States. The World War could also last several more months, if not for such decisive measures by the American administration.
Opponents of this point of view
In turn, opponents of the bombings say that even without them, the United States and Japan suffered significant losses in World War II, increasing which due to civilian casualties of the two cities subjected to nuclear attacks is a war crime, and can be equated with state terrorism.
Many American scientists who personally took part in the development of this deadly weapon made statements about the immorality and inadmissibility of nuclear bombing. Its earliest critics are the prominent American atomic physicists Albert Einstein and Leo Szilard. Back in 1939, they wrote a joint letter to US President Roosevelt, in which they gave a moral assessment of the use of nuclear weapons.
In May 1945, seven leading American experts in the field of nuclear research, led by James Frank, also sent their message to the head of state. In it, scientists pointed out that if America was the first to use the weapons they developed, this would deprive her of international support, become an impetus for an arms race and undermine the chances of establishing world control over this type of weapon in the future.
The political side of the issue
Leaving aside the arguments concerning the military expediency of inflicting an atomic strike on the cities of Japan, one more probable reason why the American government decided to take this extreme step should be noted. We are talking about a demonstration of force with the aim of influencing the leadership of the Soviet Union and Stalin personally.
When, after the end of the Second World War, there was a process of redistribution of spheres of influence between the leading powers, who had defeated shortly before Nazi Germany, G. Truman considered it necessary to clearly demonstrate to the world who at the moment has the most powerful military potential.
The result of his actions was an arms race, the beginning cold war and the notorious Iron Curtain that divided the world in two. On the one hand, official Soviet propaganda intimidated the people with a threat allegedly coming from "world capital", and created the United States, on the other hand, they did not get tired of talking about the "Russian bear" that encroached on universal and Christian values. Thus, the atomic explosions that thundered over Japanese cities at the end of the war echoed around the world for many decades to come.
