WWII Stations--Station 5: Pacific Theatre

Location (same place)

Directions

  1. Pick 2 topics from the first 4 below. Everyone takes notes on island hopping.
  2. Be strategic so that your group has all the topics covered. You'll share information later.

 

Rape of Nanking (Nanjing)

Nanjing Massacre, conventional Nanking Massacre, also called Rape of Nanjing,  (December 1937–January 1938), mass killing and ravaging of Chinese citizens and capitulated soldiers by soldiers of the Japanese Imperial Army after its seizure of Nanjing Links to an external site., China, on December 13, 1937, during the Sino-Japanese War Links to an external site. that preceded World War II Links to an external site.. The number of Chinese killed in the massacre has been subject to much debate, with most estimates ranging from 100,000 to more than 300,000.

The destruction of Nanjing—which had been the capital of the Nationalist Links to an external site. Chinese from 1928 to 1937—was ordered by Matsui Iwane, commanding general of the Japanese Central China Front Army that captured the city. Over the next several weeks, Japanese soldiers carried out Matsui’s orders, perpetrating numerous mass executions and tens of thousands of rapes. The army looted and burned the surrounding towns and the city, destroying more than a third of the buildings. In 1940 the Japanese made Nanjing the capital of their Chinese puppet government headed by Wang Ching-wei Links to an external site. (Wang Jingwei). Shortly after the end of World War II, Matsui and Tani Hisao, a lieutenant general who had personally participated in acts of murder and rape, were found guilty of war crimes by the International Military Tribunal for the Far East and were executed.

 

Pearl Harbor

Attack on Pearl Harbor Download Attack on Pearl HarborPlay media comment.

 

Battle of Guadalcanal

Battle of Guadalcanal Links to an external site.Battle of Guadalcanal

 

Battle of Midway

The Battle of Midway: Anatomy of a Decisive World War II Victory | Battle 360 | History Links to an external site.The Battle of Midway: Anatomy of a Decisive World War II Victory | Battle 360 | History

 

island hopping

Island hopping was a military maneuver whereby the Allied Powers, the United States, France Links to an external site., Russia Links to an external site., and Great Britain, moved closer to Japan Links to an external site. during World War II Links to an external site. by capturing islands seized by Japan in the Pacific.

 

Works Cited