Crusade Of The Pacific

Crusade Of The Pacific

CRUSADE OF THE PACIFIC
Crusade of the Pacific is a documentary that shows actual footage from World War II.   In 1933 Japan’s attack and success in Manchuria helped strengthen their army and eventually became an independent nation.   It was also in 1933 that Japan left the League of Nations.   As Japan and it’s military grew they boldly attacked China in 1937 and Shanghai fell to the Japanese.  
The Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941 marked the beginning of the United States involvement in the war that has been known as   World War II.   This attack crippled the US Navy but they eventually won two battles in the Pacific in 1942; Coral Sea and Midway Island.   In the Aleutian Islands fighting was difficult because of the terrain and weather which led to the Japanese occupying the islands.
In the South Pacific in New Guinea the natives helped the nations fighting there against the Japanese.   The Aussies found it hard to get to the enemy because of the jungles but weren’t left to fight on their own when bombers would help by dropping bombs.  
In a 76 hour battle in 1943 the US took Tarawa from the Japanese.   The Western Pacific Islands, Sipan and Mariana proved in 1944 to be the toughest on the Marines where they suffered 14,000 casualties.   The Philippines allowed B29 bombers to take off headed for Japan which was one of the longest flights recorded because of the majority of the flight being over water.   Submarines were kept secret but were very important to the war and sunk 63% of Japanese Ships.
In 1945 the US came to Japan’s doorstep.   Iwo Jima was a bloody day in our Marine history, in 26 days of fighting 5,000 soldiers died, but eventually overcame the Japanese.   In Okinawa the navy lost 36 ships and 5,000 men as they fought their way to Japan’s shore.   The atomic bomb the US dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki was the decisive end to the war with Japan.   On the USS Missouri in Tokyo Bay, September, 1945, Japan surrendered.