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CH 7- Reasons for Japan's Defeat in WWII (Others (Treatment for POW…
CH 7- Reasons for Japan's Defeat in WWII
Strength of US
Economic Strength
US largest industrial producer at time
After GD, many unemployed were eager to work, proving to be better workers compared to forced laborers used by Japan
Axis did not have strong industrial capabilities/foundation
Axis lost in terms of resources and military supplies (US produced 324000 aircrafts to Japans 76000)
once US was able to recover and reorganise from Pearl Harbor, Japan faced increasing set backs i.e. battle of midway where they cld not recover from 4 aircraft carriers and 3/4 of experienced pilots
Contribution of women to war effort
boosted allies industrial machine
encouraged women to contribute the war effort through propaganda
WOW worked in factories to produce machines, weapons
joined armed forces as nurse/soldiers
Japan/Germany emphasised woman's role as mother and child-bearer
As a result Japan lagged in military production
stats
Naval and air superiority
US air and naval power stronger. (30 aircraft carriers to 18)
US could inflict heavy damages
Used submarines to attack Japan's merchant fleet, cut off supplies to raw materials and food, collapsing economy)
Aircraft carriers used to launch surprise attack on Japan in Battle of Midway (1942), severely affected fighting capabilities as they cld not recover from loss
Success of allied strategies
Island hopping strategy
involves series of battles where military attack strategically impt islands one by one
exploited Japan's weakness (size of empire)
forced japan to overstretch resources
[Battle of Philippine Sea] Japan lost 2 more carriers and 300 planes. US gained air superiority allowing them to land in Philippines. Loss of philippines= loss of direct communication btwn tokyo and east indies( rubber and oil)
weaken Japan reducing ability to fight
Continued bombings on mainland Japan
made possible by strategic bases in Philippines and Iwo Jima
(1944) Us bombed aircraft factory in Tokyo
(1945) campaign intensified and 1/4 of Tokyo was destroyed
Flight of workers and destruction of factories brought Japan's economy to brink of collapse esp with submarine attacks on merchant fleet
constant bombing had demoralizing effect
ability to fight was reduced
Others
Over extension of Japanese empire
Japanese empire stretched from SEA t some parts of China (almost total of 16 mil sq km)
difficult for Japanese forces to defend newly occupied SEA regions esp with limited funds, manpower, resources
problem made obvious when Japan had to fight British in Burma, US in pacific and China in China
combined manpower and resources of Allies allowed them to recover quickly
Opposition from locals
turned to forced labour to solve shortage of manpower and resources
[Thai-Burma Railway] worked in harsh conditions malnourished, denied basic healthcare
indo workers who suffered from cholera forced into pit graves and buried alive. did not want to waste resources on them
tortured by Kempeitai
resistance severely weakened war effort as they had to use large no. of troops to enforce rule
Treatment for POW
[Desire for a quick victory]
cruelty shown by Japan strengthened determination of Allies to liberate POW
kamikaze, allies forced to bring the war to an end to lessen no.of casualties
Kamikaze attacks
selected pilots carried out suicide missions against US ships with the intent to cause widespread damage
first used in defence of Leyte in Philippines and when US employed island hopping
Allied victory in Eu
relied on continued success of Hitler's armies to distract allies
esp with limited resources, over extension of empire
Us fomally entered war in 1941 agreed to defeat Germany first
Obvious to both Japan and Allies that Japan could not win the War. Wanted a peace settlement but was rejected by Allies who wanted an unconditional surrender
defeat of Germany in May 1945. Lost of major support
Allied victory in Eu allowed Allies to focus entirely on Japan, only matter of time
Use of Atomic bombs
decided to use rather than prolong war and cause huge losses of life
wanted to impress Soviet and defeat Japan without Soviet's help (cold war context, arms race)
6 Aug 1945, Bomb on Hiroshima, 80000 killed instantly
8 Aug 1945, Bomb on Nagasaki, 40000 killed instantly
atomic bomb ushered in new horrors of atomic world, killing many, destroying much personal property
forced to choose btwn complete annihilation of her ppl or surrender, atomic bombs forced Japan into unconditional surrender on 15 Aug