The Pacific theater was an active battle front throughout World War 2. After the Japanese attack on American naval forces at Pearl Harbor, Americans made the Pacific a prime battle front. For instance, when the Japanese forces planned to take over Port Moresby in New Guinea, the allied forces intercepted them and a 4 day battle of the Coral Sea ensued. The battle was entirely an air force affair. The Allied forces managed to block the Japanese forces from advancing south-eastwards.
Earlier in the war, Americans had cracked the Japanese secret codes. This enabled the American forces could easily tell the Japanese military plans and prepare how to combat them. In 1942, the Japanese attacked the Midway Island, a U.S military base. They used aircraft from their 100-ship fleet. However, the American forces managed to combat them. At the end of a two-day battle of Midway, Japan had lost most of its air strength and 4 carriers.
American forces also used their amphibious technique to capture Rabaul, an enemy base in northern Australia. The air, navy and land forces worked as one force in order to boost the strength of their attacks. They adopted the island hoping plan, where the aim was to seize as many Islands as possible using one attack. This campaign proved successful because Allied forces weakened the Japanese grip on the Pacific territories. The last blow was at the battle of Leyte Gulf, a historic naval battle. The Japanese lost most of their battleships, carriers and destroyers. In desperation, the Japanese started suicide (Kamikaze) attacks on allied forces. However, this tactic was quickly discovered and combated by America’s Air forces.
The Pacific Theater was most active between 1941 and 1943 when Allied forces faced off with the Japanese forces. After several battles, most of which were historic because of the air and naval weapons used, the Japanese were significantly weakened. The Allied forces managed to seize most Islands that had initially been occupied by Japan.
References
Bradley, J. H., & Buell, T. B. (2002). The Second World War: Asia and the Pacific. New York: Square One Publishers, Inc.
Rottman, G. (2004). US World War II Amphibious Tactics: "Army & Marine Corps, Pacific Theater" (illustrated ed.). New York: Osprey Publishing.
