In this gallery of 75 images, we examine the key features of WWII's Pacific War. After the 1941 attack on Pearl Harbor, the US naval base in Hawaii, Japan continued to expand its empire until the turning point of the Battle of Midway in mid-1942, when four Japanese aircraft carriers were sunk. The US air, sea, and land forces then went on the offensive and proceeded over the next three years to liberate successive Pacific island groups. Japan itself was attacked but did not surrender until the dropping of two atomic bombs in August 1945.
Presented in chronological sequence, the gallery highlights the key battles and strategies used, ranging from amphibious landings to incendiary bombing campaigns. The Pacific War changed global warfare as air power replaced naval guns and the US Marines became expert at amphibious landings. With iconic images of the people, places, and weapons involved, this is the story of one of the most brutal theatres of the Second World War.
