Japan

Hank Liang

Miss Law

10th Grade World History

5/23/2012

Japan

Japan is an island nation in East Asia. It located in the Pacific Ocean. The characters that make up Japan's name mean "sun-origin", which is why Japan is sometimes referred to as the "Land of the Rising Sun". This passage is about the modern Japan during WWII.

On December 7, 1941 Japan launches a surprise attack on the US Pacific fleet at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. The attack on Pearl Harbor was a surprise military strike conducted by the Imperial Japanese Navy which was against the United States naval base at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. The base was attacked by 353 Japanese fighters, bombers and torpedo planes in two waves, launched from six aircraft carriers. 188 U.S. aircraft were destroyed; 2,402 Americans were killed and 1,282 wounded. The power station, shipyard, maintenance, and fuel and torpedo storage facilities, as well as the submarine piers and headquarters building were not attacked. The attack came as a profound shock to the American people and led directly to the American entry into World War II in both the Pacific and European theaters. The following day on December 8, the United States declared war on Japan. ("JAPAN")

Liang 2

On 1942, Japan occupies a succession of countries, including the Philippines, Dutch East Indies, Burma, and Malaya. In June, US aircraft carriers defeated the Japanese at the Battle of Midway. The US begins a strategy of "island-hopping" cutting the Japanese support lines as its forces advance. ("BBC News ASIA-PACIFIC-JAPAN profile-Timeline")

On August 6 and August 9, 1945 the US planes drop two atomic bombs, one on Hiroshima, the second one on Nagasaki. Then Emperor Hirohito surrenders and relinquishes his divine status. After the war, Japan is placed under US military government. All Japanese military and naval forces are disbanded. ("BBC News ASIA-PACIFIC-JAPAN profile-Timeline")

Japan had several problems after World War II. Many of the large cities,...