-January 1941, the american president Roosevelt send the major part of is fleet to Pearl Harbor (Hawaiian islands), send reinforcement to the Philippine islands (under the orders of General MacArthur) and send volontary pilots to help China.
-The Japaneses increase the French Indochina region under their control by instauring a french-japanese protectorate to protect the colony. To attain that goal, the Japaneses take the rights (without France consent) to occupy completely the territory and to build bases anywhere. The american riposte is to freeze the japanese wealth in North America, Britain follows the move.
-Konoe (Japan leader) try to negociate with the United-States but the US don't respond so that Britain gets the maximum time to reinforce their position at Singapour. But October 15, negociations are over: Konoe resignate from his leader position rather than declaring war to the United-States. General Tojo becomes the new leader of the japanese government and the navy assures him that it can get and keep the control of the Pacific Ocean for at least one year.
-November 26, american diplomate Hull asks Japan to retreat from their newly acquired positions (Indochina and China), to accept the chinese government and to break their association with the Axis (Italy and Germany). The Japanese take this as an ultimatum and so 10 days later war starts.
- On the Japanese side, admiral Yamamoto (since he gots its pilot license) suggest an air attack from carriers to sink the american ships at Pearl Harbor (before they move). November 11th 1940, 21 Swordfish bombers that had taken off a brittish carrier, sunk, using torpedos, three Italian battleships in their home harbor Tarente. The Japaneses will follow this new tactic to plan the Pearl Harbor attack: 360 planes on 6 carriers will attack simultaneously with a few minisubmarines. The japanese goal is to sink the 8 battleships and the 3 carriers and to destroy most of the airplanes on the island.
-In the morning of December 7th, an american patrolship signals probable submarines but is unable to comfirm. At 07h am, a radar station detects the enemy airplane formation, but once again no comfirmation is given and so nobody takes notice. It is at 08h am that the japanese attack on Pearl Harbor begins. During the next 2 hours, 2 battleships (Arizona and Oklahoma) and 159 american airplanes are destroyed and 6 others battleships are disabled. Admiral Nagumo, who is leading the attack, withdraw before sending a second airwave that would have destroyed the gas tanks and seek the american carriers that are yet unfound. By this withdrawal, Nagumo leaves Pearl Habor operational.
- The japanese diplomats in the USA declare war 50 minutes after the actual attack on Pearl Harbor, which has the effect of increasing the hate against the Japanese, thus uniting the american people and so, when the next morning Roosevelt ask the Congress the autorisation to fight back, everyone is eager to do so. Even more, by destroying the american battleships, the Japaneses oblige the US naval brains to find new tactics of naval combat which in a near future, involving mainly the carrier, will turn out to be very effective.
- The United State of America goal is then to maintain a communication line with Hawaii and Midway and another with Australia.
-After that initial attack, the Japaneses start their project of South expansion. December 8th they bomb and siege Victoria-Hong Kong which is defended by 14 000 britain soldiers. They will have to wait until February 15 to finally see Percival (the leader of the resistance) capitulate without conditions; 9000 deads and 100 000 prisonners on the britanic side against 10 000 japanese deads.
-Also on the 8th, the Japaneses attack Malaysia from the North and take Jitra.
-By december 22 the Philippine Islands are under the japanese control: the fightings had begun the 10th when Appari, Vigan and Manila were attacked by troops carried from Formosa and also Davao and Jolo were attacked by troops from the Palaos Island. The Americans stationed near the capital Manila retreat in the Bataan peninsula where is the fortified island Corregidor which controls the access to the harbor of the city. There is 80 000 american soldiers in that peninsula and they will resist until May 6th, after what the survivors will have to hide in the jungle and take part in guerillas. March 12th, MacArthur was leaving the peninsula and taking refuge in Australia.
-December 10th, the Japaneses take over Guam and go for Wake which will resist the enemy until the 25th.
-Always on December 10th, Britain loses its naval power in the Pacific when japanese airplanes sink their battleships Repulse and Prince of Wales near Singapore.
-December 16, the Japaneses reach Borneo and spread from Miri on the North coast: they take control of North Borneo-Sarawak (Malaysia), Brunei, Borneo and the Celebes (Indonesia). In January 1942, they will reach Amboine.
Introduction Chronologie Biographie Liens Glossaire
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