War in the Pacific

On Friday we learned about the war between the Americans and the Japanese in the Pacific Ocean.  The Japanese made their first attack in Pearl Harbor, which officially brought the Americans into the war.  By the time Japan attacks Midway in 1943, Americans had figured out their code, and knew of their upcoming attack.  At Midway, the Japanese lost four carriers, and the Americans only lost one.  This is where America switched from defense to offense.  The goal of America was to gradually approach the main Japanese islands, and take them over.  After the Americans attacked Leyte Gulf, the victory was so overwhelming that the Japanese knew they had no chance winning the war.  This was the beginning of the kamikaze.  These were Japanese suicide missions, to blow up any American supplies or weapons that they could, before Japan was completely out of the war.