Japan

__Summary __

In 1894 Japan began its imperialist conquest, but by World War II, the world had grown tired of Japan. The United States took action because of how horribly the Japanese imperialists treated their people, such as the Nanking Massacre, and because of Japan's attack on Pearl Harbor. This resulted in the atomic bombing of Hiroshima.user:raetay

__​Imperialist Japan __

Between 1894 and 1910, Japan gained three major foreign territories. These territories included Taiwan, gained in 1895, Korea in 1905, and the Kwantung Leased Territories (Southern Manchuria), also in 1905. This signaled the beginning of Japan's imperialistic expansion. With these land gains, Japan was feeling confident and wanted to expand even more, and tried to take on China and the United States. When World War II began, Japan took the opportunity to make its advance on the United States with the bombing of Pearl Harbor.user:raetay

 __The Bombing of Pearl Harbor__ It was a normal morning at the United Stated naval base at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii on December 7, 1941. But then, the calm morning was disrupted with the buzzing of Japanese bombers and US battleships exploding. After the attack, it was discovered that this unnanounced military strike was the Empire of Japan's attempt to keep the U.S. Pacific fleet from influencing the Empire in the war. But as it turns out, this action was counterproductive, as it resulted in the United States entry into WWII. But the US payed a hefty price for this attack. 2,402 personnel were killed and 1,282 were wounded. The Japanese only lost about 65 men.user:raetay

__The Atomic Bombing of Hiroshima__

Four years after the attack on Pearl Harbor, the United States decided to retort. In 1945, in the early morning on the sixth day of August, an American b-92 bomber called //Enola Gay took// of from the island of Tinian and headed towards the city of Hiroshima. Hiroshima had a civilian population of about 300,00 and was an important military center containing about 43,000 soldiers. The pilot, Colonel Paul Tibbets, flew the bomber on automatic pilot at a low altitude. As he neared the target area, he ascended to 31,000 feet. //Enola Gay// dropped its 9,700 pound uranium bomb, nicknamed "Little Boy," over the city at approximately 8:15 a.m.user:SimoneRadliff24 When the bomb was about 1,900 feet above the city, it detonated, causing a gigantic explosion directly above a field where Japanese soldiers were exercising. The blast was so huge, it was felt by //Enola Gay,// which was already eleven and a half miles away. After feeling the shock waves from the blast, Tibbets looked back to the city he just had a part in destroying. "The city was hidden by that awful cloud, boiling up, mushrooming, terrible and incredibly tall," he recalled. It was later estimated that the explosion yielded about 15 kilotons, which is equivalent to 15,000 tons of TNT.user:raetay

__Impact on Society__

Those closest to the site of the explosion died instantaneously, their bodies turned to black char. Birds ignited in mid-air. Flamable things, such as paper, instantly lit on fire up to 6,400 feet from ground zero. The white light burnt the pattern of dark clothes onto the skin of their wearers and burnt the shadows of bodies onto walls. Survivors outside but far enough to be safe from the blast described it as a blinding light and a wave of overwhelming heat. After just minutes nine out of ten people within half a mile were dead. Also, within that half mile all the structures were destroyed and every building within three miles was damaged. Soon small rescue parties began to help, but close to half the population was dead or injured. A firestorm erupted in the city engulfing 4.4 square miles. People could not run from the firestorm because most had leg injuries, such as fractures.user:SimoneRadliff24 Relief after the flames died down was slow in coming. Even hours after the attack the Japanese government didn't even know what had happened. All radio and telegraph communications were paralized at 8:15 that morning. Eventually a Japanese staff officer was dispatched by plane to do an aerial survey of the city. Sixteen hours later it was confirmed that the incident had been caused by the United States bombing the city. By then, the situation was being stabilized by relief workers from outside the city and by August 7th, the undamaged areas of the city had power again. But even while the city was healing itself from this horrible disaster, more and more survivors had started to show signs of radiation sickness. People who appeared to be healing suddenly died and deaths from radiation sickness peaked about three or four weeks after the bombing and did not level out until about seven or eight weeks after the attack. Those who survived were affected by the long-range health problems of radiation exposure, such as increased chance of getting cancer. They had to live with the psychological effects of the attack as well. Some say around 70,000 people died as a result of the initial blast, which included twenty American airmen being held prisoner in the city, and throughout a five year period after the attack, an estimated 200,000 people died because of the long-term effects.user:raetay

__Occupation by the U.S. __

President Truman threatened that if Japan did not surrender, then the United States would keep attacking. Truman claimed in a leaflet that the United States was "in possession of the most destructive explosive ever devised by man." Beginning on August 30th 1945, the U.S. Navy began to take control of Japan's Naval bases and ports all along the Pacific Coast. The total occupation of Japan was completed on April 28th 1952.user:SimoneRadliff24

__Bibliography__

"The Atomic Bombing of Hiroshima, August 6, 1945." //Department of Energy - CFO Home//. Web. 30 Mar. 2010. . "Attack on Pearl Harbor -." //Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia//. Web. 30 Mar. 2010. . "Explanations of Japan." //Home Page of Bill Gordon//. Web. 30 Mar. 2010. . "JAPAN CAPITULATES--Initial Occupation of Japan." //Naval History and Heritage Command//. Web. 30 Mar. 2010. . "Occupation of Japan -." //Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia//. Web. 30 Mar. 2010. .