by Mark Askeda

Created on: November 22, 2011   Last Updated: November 27, 2011

The Pacific war was unique in military history.   While most of the world was embroiled in a massive land war, the Pacific war was primarily a naval war between the Imperial Japanese Empire and the United States.  While the number of Japanese victories was small, the conquests in the early portion of the war enabled the Japanese to create a series of island outposts that were defending the perimeter of the Japanese Empire.  The American military strategy was to push the Japanese forces back from the key island fortresses and eventually, reach the Japanese mainland.  The

largest battles of the Pacific war are listed below:

American defeats:

Pearl Harbor.  On the morning of December 7, 1941, America was still not involved in World War 2.  The peace ended with a surprise attack by Japan’s carrier based aircraft on the primary American naval base in the Pacific.  In a matter of 2 hours, the US lost the services of all of the battleships of its Pacific fleet.  Additionally, about 200 American warplanes were lost in the battle.  The cost to the Japanese was less than 30 warplanes and several small submarines.

The Philippines.  After the attack at Pearl Harbor, American defenses were limited to three aircraft carriers and a powerful American base in the Philippines.  The Philippines were garrisoned by a combined American/Filipino army and were supported by a small fleet of old cruisers and destroyers.  Additionally, the force included about 100 warplanes.  After Pearl Harbor, the Japanese attacked southward toward the Philippines.  After a short battle, the American naval and air forces were destroyed.  Japanese armies landed on the Philippines and the American forces retreated to a small corner on Bataan.  After a long and bloody struggle, American 115,000 soldiers were killed or captured.  Japan’s southern front was secure.

Other Island outposts.  Japan extended its defensive perimeter eastward and southward.  American holdings at Wake Island and Guam quickly fell to Japanese forces.  American forces on these islands were overwhelmed and Japan took control and fortified them.

American victories:

Midway.  Midway is widely considered the turning point of the Pacific war.  Japanese conquests reached their peak before Midway.  At Midway, four of Japan’s best aircraft carriers attacked the last American forward base in the Pacific. 

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