Name ________________________________

The Pacific Campaign Webquest

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Instruction: While the war was raging in Europe, the Americans were just as focused on the Japanese
threat in the Pacific. Over the course of the next 2 class periods, you will be researching 7 of the most
important events and battles of the Pacific Theater in World War II. All of the answers can be found on
the website listed for each event.

Baatan Death March - http://epcc.libguides.com/content.php?pid=309255&sid=2559925 &

http://www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii/bataan-death-march
1. How long after the attack on Pearl Harbor did the attack on the Philippines come? _______________
2. How many American troops were defending the Baatan Peninsula? ____________. When were they
finally forced to surrender? __________________________
3. How many men survived the march to the POW camp? __________ out of ____________
4. Describe some of the atrocities committed by the Japanese during the march. ____________________
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5. How much weight did Ward Redshaw lose during his captivity? _____________ How much did Harry
Steen weigh when he was rescued? ___________________
6. Why do you think the Americans were treated so poorly by the Japanese? _______________________
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Battle of Midway - http://militaryhistory.about.com/od/worldwari1/p/Midway.htm

1. How did the Americans learn of the planned attack on Midway Island? _________________________
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2. The Battle of Midway marked the ___________________ of World War II in the Pacific.
3. What were the two reasons Admiral Yamamoto chose to attack Midway? _______________________
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4. What occurred at 10:22 in the morning? Why was it significant? ______________________________
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5. What was the significance of the Japanese defeat at Midway? ________________________________
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Battle of Guadalcanal - http://www.historylearningsite.co.uk/world-war-two/the-pacific-war-1941-to-
1945/the-battle-of-guadalcanal/
http://www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii/battle-of-guadalcanal
1. The Landing at Guadalcanal was the first American ________________ of World War II.
2. What did the American marines struggle against for 6 months? _______________________________
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3. Who were the coastwatchers?
Coast watchers were intelligence agents posted in remote areas to watch for enemy activity and report by
radio
4. How important did Admiral William Halsey think that Guadalcanal (and the Coastwatchers) were?
VITAL!!! The coastwatchers saved Guadalcanal, and Guadalcanal saved the South Pacific
5. In the end, what key substance did the battle come down to? _______________________
6. After the Battle of Guadalcanal, the United States and its allies decided ________ and ________ to
fight in the Pacific.

Battle of Leyte Gulf - http://militaryhistory.about.com/od/worldwari1/p/leytegulf.htm

1. What were the dates of the battle? ___________________________________
2. What was the goal of the battle? ____________________________________________
3. Between the Japanese and the American fleets, which fleet was stronger? ______________ Why do
you think this? ________________________________________________________________________
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4. For what two reasons was the Battle of Leyte Gulf significant? _______________________________
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Battle of Iwo Jima - http://www.military.com/NewContent/0,13190,NI_Iwo_Jima2,00.html

1. Of the 3,400 marines in Major General Fred Hayes’ group, how many were left standing at the end of
the battle? ____________________
2. How many Americans were wounded or killed in the battle? _________ And the Japanese? _______
3. Why did one American soldier describe the Japanese as “not on Iwo Jima, but in it?” ______________
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4. Read the individual accounts of the battle, as told by the men who were there. Which soldier’s story
resonated with you the most? Why? ______________________________________________________
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Battle of Okinawa - http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/facility/okinawa-battle.htm

1. How many Americans were killed in the battle? ____________ Wounded? ________________
2. How many Japanese soldiers were killed? _____________ How many Japanese civilians were killed
(estimated)? ___________________________
3. What began on March 18, 1945? __________________________________
4. What was the “storm of steel?” _________________________________________________________
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5. Why did the Japanese not defend the beaches, and instead dig in to caves in the highlands?
__________
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6. What was the battleship Yamato’s mission? _______________________________________________
7. What two pieces of “dramatic news” did the Americans get during the course of the battle? _________
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8. Instead of surrender, what did many of the Japanese soldiers do? ______________________________
9. What were the Americans planning on using Okinawa for? ___________________________________

Hiroshima and Nagasaki - http://www.english.illinois.edu/MAPS/poets/g_l/levine/bombing.htm

1. Why did the USAAF choose Hiroshima as its target? _______________________________________
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2. What was the name of the B-29 that dropped the bomb on Hiroshima? __________________________
3. Using the data given, how powerful was the blast? _________________________________________
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4. What is the newest estimate of deaths at Hiroshima? _____________. Of those who survived, what
were some of the problems they experienced? _______________________________________________
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5. About how many people died at Nagasaki? ____________________
6. Look at the pictures below. Of these, which one resonated with you the most? Explain. ___________
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The Yalta Conference- http://www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii/yalta-conference
1. What leaders were present at the Yalta Conference? _______________________________________
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2. What did these leaders decide to do with post war Europe? __________________________________
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3. What promise did Stalin make that he later broke? ________________________________________