Haejoo Jae

Unit Plan Presentation

EDSC 304
 Empire of Japan invading China
-On 18 September 1931, the Empire of Japan invade Manchuria and established the puppet
government until freed by Soviet Union and Mongolia in 1945.
-On 13 December 1937, Empire of Japan seized control of China capital Nanjing. During the occupation
of Japan more than 300,000 civilians were massacred which is known as the Nanjing Massacre or the
Rape of Nanjing.
 Rising power of Adolf Hitler
- In 1919 under Adolf Hitler the Nazi party was established to express dissatisfaction with the Treaty of
Versailles of 1919. By 1933 with Hitler’s revolutionary promises of bringing back former glory of
Germany, he seized full political control of Germany.
 German military occupation of France
- After France and British declare war on Germany on 3 September 1939 by November 1942 northern
and southern France occupied under Germany.
 The Blitz
-By 1940, German air force Luftwaffe completely overwhelmed British the Royal air force and occupied
complete air space over the United Kingdom. The term “the Blitz” was first introduced in the British
press which means “lighting” in German. The Blitz was air bombardment offense operated by German
air force Luftwaffe against the United Kingdom between 1940 and 1941.
 Pearl Harbor
- After Japan occupied Manchuria and Nanjing of China, Japan tried to spread their influence into South
East Asia which was under influence of British, French and Dutch. However, the United States was
unhappy about the Japan’s immoral activities occurred in Japan’s occupied countries in Asia. On the
other hand, Japan dislike the United States’ presences in Pacific such as Hawaii due to the U.S.
surveillance in Asia. The conflict was quickly growing since the invasion of Japan in China. On the
morning of 7 December 1941 hundreds of Japanese fighter planes attacked the U.S. naval base Pearl
Harbor in Hawaii. Due to the surprise attack, around 20 American naval vessels were destroyed or
heavily damaged including 8 battleships, over 300 airplanes were destroyed, and more than 2,400
Americans died and 1,000 Americans injured including civilians. The day after the attack President
Franklin D. Roosevelt asked Congress to declare war on Japan and the United States of America finally
enter the World War II.
 Six months after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, the United States and Japan fought each other in
one of the most important battle in the Pacific, the battle of Midway. During the battle of Midway,
Japanese navy lost four fleet carriers, 332 aircrafts, and five thousands sailors which significantly
decreased Japanese naval power. The American’s advanced code-breaking technology played
significant role in the battle of Midway. The American navy had been defending the position from
aggressive Japan naval attack prior to victory of the battle of Midway. However, while the American
navy was defending they were also decoding the Japanese general’s order dispatched to the
Japanese navy. Finally the American navy found out that the Japanese fleet-carriers were moving up
for the preparatory air strikes on Midway Island. Fortunately, the American navy caught the Japanese
fleet-carriers while they were refueling and rearming the planes and successfully lands the surprise
attack. After victory of the battle of Midway the American navy swift to offensive position and taking
control and establish naval bases on islands in Pacific one by one approaching to Japan which is
known as the “Island Hopping” strategy.
 The battle of Normandy also known as Operation Overlord is the most decisive battle in World War II
which considered as the end of war in Europe. The operation was commanded by General Dwight
Eisenhower and the battle began on June 6, 1944 which is known as D-Day. Around 156,000 American,
British, and Canadian combined force were landed on coast of Normandy region, France and
approached to the most heavily fortified area by Erwin Rommel, the German general. The Normandy
coasts were fortified with numerous of bunkers, machine guns, landmines, barbwires, and obstacles.
By late August 1944 the army successfully liberated northern France and the following spring
Germany surrendered.
 After German forces surrender on 2nd and 4th of May, 1945 the World War II in Europe officially ended
on 8 May 1945, but World War II between the United States and Japan have not ended yet. Even
though the United States pushed Japanese navy into their homeland, Japan refused to surrender to the
United States due to their cultural background (Japanese believed that surrendering to enemy is
worse than dying). While the United States struggle from getting a surrender from Japan, the
Manhattan project produced the first nuclear bombs Little Boy and Fat Man. When Japan refused to
surrender the United States decided to drop the first nuclear bomb, Little Boy on Hiroshima on 6
August 1945. The second nuclear attack landed on Nagasaki on 9 August 1945 because Japanese had
not surrender from following attack on Hiroshima. Finally on 14 August 1945 The Japanese
unconditionally surrendered to the United States and U.S.S.R that fully ended World War II.