Pacific

1941–1942: The Japanese offensive in the Pacific

December 1941 – June 1942 · 11 battles

When the United States, Britain and the Netherlands cut off Japan’s oil supplies, its leaders concluded that the resources of South-East Asia would have to be taken by force. On 7 December 1941 (8 December by Asian time) Admiral Nagumo’s carriers attacked the American fleet at Pearl Harbor, and almost simultaneously Japanese troops landed in Malaya and Thailand and struck at Hong Kong, the Philippines, Guam and Wake. Within six months Japan had taken Malaya, Singapore, the Dutch East Indies, the Philippines and Burma, and for several months its fleet held sway from Hawaii to the Indian Ocean. The offensive was halted only by the Battle of the Coral Sea and the defeat at Midway in May and June 1942.

7 December 1941Key battleAttack on Pearl HarborOn 7 December 1941 aircraft from Nagumo's six carriers struck the Pacific Fleet at Pearl Harbor. 2,403 Americans were killed and four battleships sank.
8–25 December 1941Battle of Hong KongOn 8–25 December 1941 the Japanese 23rd Army took Hong Kong. British, Canadian, Indian and local troops held out for 18 days and surrendered at Christmas.
8–23 December 1941Battle of Wake IslandOn 8–23 December 1941 the Wake Atoll garrison repulsed a first Japanese landing and sank two destroyers, but, with no relief, fell to a second landing.
8 December 1941 – 8 May 1942Philippines campaign (1941–1942)From 8 December 1941 to May 1942 Japan conquered the Philippines. The defenders of Bataan and Corregidor held out longer than planned but were taken prisoner.
8 December 1941 – 15 February 1942Key battleMalayan campaignBetween 8 December 1941 and 15 February 1942 Yamashita's 25th Army took Malaya and Singapore. Some 130,000 soldiers of the British Empire were taken prisoner.
11 January – 9 March 1942Key battleDutch East Indies campaignBetween 11 January and 9 March 1942 Japan conquered the Dutch East Indies and their oil. The ABDA fleet perished in the Java Sea, and Java capitulated.
20 January – 20 May 1942Burma campaign (1942)Between 20 January and 20 May 1942 the Japanese 15th Army conquered Burma, cut the Burma Road and drove British, Indian and Chinese forces back to India.
8–15 February 1942Key battleBattle of SingaporeFrom 8 to 15 February 1942 the Japanese 25th Army took Singapore. Percival surrendered some 80,000 men in the largest capitulation in British military history.
31 March – 10 April 1942Indian Ocean raidFrom 31 March to 10 April 1942 Nagumo's carriers struck Ceylon and sank Hermes and two cruisers, but Somerville's Eastern Fleet survived.
4–8 May 1942Key battleBattle of the Coral SeaOn 4–8 May 1942 carriers fought carriers for the first time in the Coral Sea. The Americans lost Lexington, but Japan called off the landing at Port Moresby.
3–7 June 1942Key battleBattle of MidwayOn 3–7 June 1942 off Midway Atoll American aircraft sank Nagumo's four carriers. Japan abandoned the operation; the United States lost Yorktown.