The Pacific

This is considered to be a scholarly discussion. Unlike social media, it is good practice to include some form of reference to the sources of information because it strengthens the argument, but it is not required. You are also welcome to reference resources other than the course textbook.

While the war raged in Europe the conflict in the Pacific dragged on. The lack of activity was, in part, due to the "Europe First" decision taken early in the war. Given the lack of push-back, the Japanese landed near Gona, New Guinea and conducted air raids on Darwin, Australia and even Calcutta. In the Pacific, the most notable action of 1942, after the Battle of Midway, was the landing on Guadalcanal which turned into a five-month campaign. However, once it became clear that the war in Europe had turned to the Allies favor, the tempo in the Pacific shifted into high gear. Island hopping became the order of the day. These clips are snap-shots of some, but by no means all, of the key Pacific engagements.

Discussion Question

Between 1943 and 1945, was there a "most important" battle in the Pacific, or was the allied success due to unrelenting pressure on the Japanese Empire?