1. The United States began a trade embargo against Japan because Japan needed resources such as oil, steel, and rubber to maintain its military expansion in Asia, and the United States withheld these goods to limit Japan's expansion.
2. U.S. forces in the Philippines struggled unsuccessfully to hold off Japanese forces and eventually had to retreat, resulting in the surrender of around 75,000 troops on the Bataan Peninsula and Corregidor Island. This led to the infamous Bataan Death March where more than 7,000 American and Filipino troops died while being forced to march many miles by Japanese troops.
As Japan expanded its empire throughout Asia, its relationship with the United States worsened. Japan needed resources such as oil, steel, and rubber to maintain its military. The United States began to withhold these goods to limit Japan's expansion. The United States
• also instituted a trade embargo against Japan.
At first, Hideki Tojo, the Japanese prime minister, tried to keep the United States neutral. However, when a trade agreement with the United States failed, Tojo decided on a decisive military strike.
On December 7, 1941, hundreds of Japanese airplanes bombed the site of the United States Navy's main base in the Pacific at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. Nearly 2,500 people were killed in this devastating surprise attack. Many ships were sunk, and hundreds of aircraft were destroyed or damaged.
Congress immediately declared war on Japan. Germany and Italy then declared war on the United States. Men joined the military by the millions. Thousands of women joined the Women's Army Corps (WAC) as clerical workers, truck drivers, instructors, and lab technicians. The government also created agencies to ensure the production of military equipment. These agencies allocated scarce materials to the proper industries.
In Asia, United States Army General Douglas MacArthur struggled unsuccessfully to hold the Philippines against the Japanese forces. U.S. forces finally had to retreat, and MacArthur evacuated to Australia. Some 75,000 U.S. troops fell back to the Bataan Peninsula and Corregidor Island where, in May 1942, they had to surrender.
Japanese troops forced these sick and malnourished men to march many miles. More than 7,000 American and Filipino troops died on the march, which is known as the Bataan Death March.
By the summer of 1942, Japan controlled Southeast Asia and the western Pacific. Then in May 1942, the United States Navy finally began to stop the Japanese advance. At the Battle of Coral Sea, the United States Navy prevented Japan from taking a key spot in New Guinea. The impressive Japanese offensive was over.
Review Questions
1. Why did the United States begin a trade embargo against Japan?
2. What happened to U.S. forces in the Philippines?
(Use the text from the passage to answer the questions.)
9 answers
Shorten the answers
1. The United States began a trade embargo against Japan because Japan needed crucial resources like oil, steel, and rubber for its military expansion in Asia, and the U.S. withheld these goods to limit Japan's growth.
2. U.S. forces in the Philippines were unsuccessful in holding off Japanese forces, leading to their retreat, surrender, and the Bataan Death March where over 7,000 American and Filipino troops died while being forced to march by Japanese troops.
2. U.S. forces in the Philippines were unsuccessful in holding off Japanese forces, leading to their retreat, surrender, and the Bataan Death March where over 7,000 American and Filipino troops died while being forced to march by Japanese troops.
Shorten answer
1. The trade embargo was imposed because Japan needed oil, steel, and rubber for its military expansion in Asia.
2. U.S. forces in the Philippines retreated and surrendered, leading to the Bataan Death March where many troops died while being forced to march by the Japanese.
2. U.S. forces in the Philippines retreated and surrendered, leading to the Bataan Death March where many troops died while being forced to march by the Japanese.
READING CHECK
Why was the Battle of Coral Sea so important to the United States?
VOCABULARY STRATEGY
What does the word allocated mean in the underlined sen-tence? What clues can you find in the surrounding words, phrases, or sentences? Circle the words in the underlined passage that could help you learn what allocated means.
READING SKILL
Identify Causes and Effects
What was the United States' immediate reaction to the attack on Pearl Harbor?
Why was the Battle of Coral Sea so important to the United States?
VOCABULARY STRATEGY
What does the word allocated mean in the underlined sen-tence? What clues can you find in the surrounding words, phrases, or sentences? Circle the words in the underlined passage that could help you learn what allocated means.
READING SKILL
Identify Causes and Effects
What was the United States' immediate reaction to the attack on Pearl Harbor?
READING CHECK:
The Battle of Coral Sea was important to the United States because it prevented Japan from taking a key spot in New Guinea, halting the Japanese advance.
VOCABULARY STRATEGY:
The word "allocated" means to assign or distribute resources to a particular purpose. Clues in the surrounding words or phrases in the text include "scarce materials" and "proper industries," which suggest that materials were distributed to specific industries.
READING SKILL:
The United States' immediate reaction to the attack on Pearl Harbor was to declare war on Japan.
The Battle of Coral Sea was important to the United States because it prevented Japan from taking a key spot in New Guinea, halting the Japanese advance.
VOCABULARY STRATEGY:
The word "allocated" means to assign or distribute resources to a particular purpose. Clues in the surrounding words or phrases in the text include "scarce materials" and "proper industries," which suggest that materials were distributed to specific industries.
READING SKILL:
The United States' immediate reaction to the attack on Pearl Harbor was to declare war on Japan.
Shorten the answers.
READING CHECK:
The Battle of Coral Sea was important to the United States because it halted the Japanese advance in New Guinea.
VOCABULARY STRATEGY:
"Allocated" means to distribute resources. Clues in the text include "scarce materials" and "proper industries."
READING SKILL:
The immediate reaction of the United States to the attack on Pearl Harbor was declaring war on Japan.
The Battle of Coral Sea was important to the United States because it halted the Japanese advance in New Guinea.
VOCABULARY STRATEGY:
"Allocated" means to distribute resources. Clues in the text include "scarce materials" and "proper industries."
READING SKILL:
The immediate reaction of the United States to the attack on Pearl Harbor was declaring war on Japan.
1 answer