War in the Pacific

1. In what ways were the American victory at Midway and the Japanese triumph at Pearl Harbor alike?      
The American Victory at Midway and the Japanese triumph at Pearl Harbor were alike in that, both ended with one clear victor, both attacks were made on islands, and both attacks ended in the same way. Both in the Battle of Midway and the attack on Pearl Harbor ended with one clear victor  In the Battle of Midway the U.S was the clear winner, having destroyed four aircraft carriers, a cruiser, and 250 planes. In the attack on Pearl Harbor the Japanese were the clear winner, having destroyed nearly the entire U.S fleet, and damaged or destroyed 300 airplanes. Both attacks were made on islands. The Battle of Midway was fought on Midway Island and Pearl Harbor was fought on Oahu, Hawaii. Finally both countries used the same strategy. Japan sent a multitude of airplanes to destroy American ships  at Pearl Harbor and the U.S also sent airplanes to destroy Japan's ships during the Battle at Midway.  


2. Why was the Battle of Leyte Gulf so crucial to the Allies?      
The Battle of Leyte Gulf was so crucial to the Allies because in this battle nearly all of Japan's navy was destroyed and many other arms. The Allies destroyed three battleships, four aircraft carriers, 13 cruisers and almost 500 planes of the Japanese. The Allies also accomplished this without suffering heavy losses themselves. 


3. Why was Okinawa a significant island in the war in the Pacific?      
Okinawa was a significant island in the war in the Pacific because the Island of Okinawa was the the final obstacle between the Allies and their final assault on Japan. If the Allies could claim the island of Okinawa, then the Allies could finally make an attack on Japan, which would probably lead to Japan surrendering.  


4. What was the Manhattan Project? And who was J. Robert Oppenheimer?        
The Manhattan Project was a project dedicated to making a new, much more destructive kind of bomb, the atomic bomb. J. Robert Oppenheimer was the American who lead the experiments. On August 6,1945 the U.S dropped the first atomic bomb over Hiroshima, Japan. 


5. Why was Roosevelt anxious to make concessions to Stalin concerning the fate of postwar Germany?      
Roosevelt was anxious to make concessions to Stalin concerning the fate of postwar Germany because Roosevelt hoped that the Soviet Union would help the Allies in the fight for the Pacific and Roosevelt want Stalin's support for the new world peacekeeping organization, the United Nations. 


6. What decisions did Roosevelt, Churchill, and Stalin make at the Yalta Conference?        
Roosevelt,Churchill, and Stalin made the decisions, at the Yalta Conference. Stalin decided to join the war against Japan, to participate in the United Nations, and Stalin agreed to let the U.S.S.R occupied countries to have "free and unfetter  elections. Stalin, Churchill and Roosevelt also decided to split up Germany into four parts, with the U.S, Great Britain, France, and the U.S.S.R each caring for one part. 


7. At the trials, many Nazis defended themselves by saying they were only following orders. What does this rationale tell you about the German military? Why was it important to negate this justification? 
This rationale tells me that  the German Military did not question or think about the brutality that they were administrating; The German Military followed their orders, not their morals. It is important to negate this justification because the people who have committed such inhuman crimes,even if they were "only following orders", must be punished to establish the important idea that people are reasponisble for their own actions.