World War II was the most pivotal event of the 20th Century and although the conflict originated in Europe with the rise of Hitler in Germany, some of the most ferocious fightings took place in the Pacific. After a rapid capture of territory in the region by the Imperial Japanese Army, the Allied counter-attack, spearheaded by US forces resulted in some of the most iconic battles in the war. Here are just two of them:
Battle of Midway
Taking place between June 4 and 7, 1942, this was a pivotal battle in the Pacific campaign and helped turn the tide of the war in that region in favor of the Allies. The Japanese, under the command of the well-regarded Admiral Yamamoto planned to take the two tiny islands in the middle of the Pacific because of their strategic importance to the US Navy.
American codebreakers, however, were able to uncover the Japanese plan and implement a series of decoy maneuvers to confuse the Japanese. Caught off guard, the Japanese struggled to recalibrate and the result was the loss of four valuable carriers with the US losing just one.
Battle of Okinawa
With the Nazi surrender in Europe and a seemingly unstoppable US advance in the Pacific, Okinawa represented a hugely significant victory for the Allied forces. By capturing the island of Okinawa, the Americans planned an all-out advance in the Japanese home islands. Having landed on the island in late March 1945, the US engaged in some of the most ferocious fightingsin the war, with heavy casualties on both sides. The battle raged for 98 days, due mostly to the refusal of the overwhelmed Japanese to surrender. Bloody hand-to-hand combat and kamikaze attacks showed the tenacity of the Japanese defence, meaning the eventual Allied victory would come at a high cost.
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