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Japanese Bomb Pearl Harbor
The Japanese bomb Pearl Harbor and also attack the Philippines, Wake Island, Guam, Malaya, Thailand, Shanghai and Midway. The bombing was the event that led to the Pacific War. -
War Declared
The United States and Britain declare war on Japan following the bombing of Pearl Harbor. The Japanese land near Singapore and enter Thailand the same day. -
Japanese Victory
The Japanese occupied the Philippines as part of their plan to prevent the United States from creating an advanced base of operations. They planned to seize sources of raw material in Malaya as well. -
U.S. Victory
The first Japanese warship is sunk by a U.S. submarine. The USS Gudgeon, during its first war patrol, sent three torpedoes at the Japanese I-73 and sank the warship, making it a U.S. victory. -
Japanese Attack U.S. Mainland
The Ellwood Oil Field on the coast of California, was attacked by a Japanese submarine which made it the first time the U.S. mainland was attacked. The scare led to the interment of Japanese-Americans. -
Major Japanese Naval Victory
The Allied Navy suffered a great defeat by the Imperial Japanese Navy. Around 2,300 sailors were killed and the victory allowed Japan to gain control over the East Indies. -
Japanese-American Relocation
Japanese-Americans were forced to relocate away from the West Coast into internment camps by order of President Roosevelt. It was done due to the fear that Japanese-Americans were helping the Japanese attack the United States. -
U.S. surrenders to Japan at Bataan
Major General Edward P. King Jr. surrendered to the Japanese at Bataan, Philippines. 12,000 American soldiers, considered the largest amount of U.S. soldiers ever to surrender, were taken captive by the Japanese. -
Bataan Death March
The prisoners were forced to walk the 55 miles from Mariveles to San Fernando, on what became known as the “Bataan Death March.” Approximately 600 Americans died due to being starved, beat, and kicked them on the way. The prisoners who became too weak to walk were bayoneted. Survivors were taken to POW camps where at least another 1,000 Americans died from disease, mistreatment, and starvation. -
Allied Morale Boost
The Doolittle Raid was the bombing of Japanese mainland led by Lieutenant Colonel James "Jimmy" Doolittle of the United States Army Air Forces. It was considered retaliation for Pearl Harbor and a great boost for American morale. -
U.S. Surrenders Phillipines
The island of Corregidor was the last Allied stronghold in the Philippines after the Allied loss at Bataan. After constant attack, U.S. Lieutenant General Jonathan Wainwright surrendered to Japan unconditionally. -
Only Bombing of Continental U.S.
A Japanese floatplane piloted by Nobuo Fujita dropped incendiary bombs on an Oregon state forest, earning himself a place in history for the only air attack on the U.S. mainland in the war. President Roosevelt called for a media blackout so morale would not drop. -
First Nuclear Test
Italian scientist Enrico Fermi engineered the first controlled nuclear fission chain reaction which resulted in sustainable nuclear energy. This led to the creation of the atomic bomb and nuclear power plants. -
Doolittle Raid Execution
After the Doolittle Raid, the Japanese Imperial Army searched China for those responsible. Those found were taken as POWs and killed. -
John F. Kennedy: Hero
A Japanese destroyer rammed and sliced in two an American PT boat. Two crewmen were killed, but 11 survived, including Lt. (and future President) John F. Kennedy, who was credited for their survival.
