War in the pacific
The Beginning of The Pacific War: The bombing of Pearl Harbour in 1941 by the Japanese troops was the instigating action that started the Pacific War. This part of WWII was fought primarily between the United States and Japan, along with the nations they allied with. This section of the war was fought in the Pacific and Southeast Asia, and is known as the Pacific Theatre. In 1941 Japan was determined to control Southeast Asia as it pursued resources it lacked at home; such as rubber, oil and metals. On December 7, 1941 Japan attacked the American naval base in Hawaii. This surprise attack which destroyed nearly half of the American fleet, resulted in war being declared against Japan. This declaration opened the theatre of war in the Pacific which lasted until Allied victory in 1945. During the war, no one expected fighting to ever take place so far East, and the attack on Pearl Harbour not only was unexpected, but put a new geographic region of the world at war. This bombing was not the only strike the Japanese made, as they had been planning to attack and take over islands in the Pacific and Southeast Asia area such as Hong Kong, Malaysia and Thailand. Some of the major and well known battles fought during the Pacific War include the Japanese attack at Hong Kong, the battle of the Coral Sea, the battle of Midway, and the battle of Okinawa. Canadian Involvement In The Pacific Theatre: Hong Kong Canada’s troops mostly fought in Europe, and their involvement in the Pacific Theatre was minimal. However, there were Canadian troops stationed in several locations in the Pacific Theatre, such as in Hong Kong. There were 1975 soldiers from the Royal Rifles of Canada from Quebec and the Winnipeg Grenadiers who were deployed three weeks prior to the Japanese attack with the purpose to strengthen Hong Kong’s defences. The Hong Kong garrison was unable to defend against the overpowering Japanese forces. Although the British and Canadians fought bravely, they eventually were forced to surrender on December 25, 1941. Two hundred and ninety Canadian soldiers died during the fierce battle. The remainder were taken prisoner and sent to labour camps, doing dangerous labour for construction projects and mining developments. These individuals suffered horrible cruelty at the hands of their Japanese captors as the work they were forced to perform was incessant and dangerous and they were deprived food. Two hundred and sixty four more men perished before the remaining soldiers were released in 1945, and they returned home physically and mentally traumatized. Canadian Involvement In The Pacific Theatre: The RCAF The Royal Air Force incorporated the growing Royal Canadian Air Force’s members into their own forces. These Canadians accompanied the RAF squadrons on missions, and took part in the Pacific Theatre from the beginning of the war. General Surveillance Squadron 413, a Canadian squadron, was instrumental in providing the Americans a warning of a Japanese raid during March in 1942. This allowed Allied troops to ready themselves to defend Ceylon. |
"I shall return."
-General Douglas Macarthur, Allied Commander "I have known war as few men now living know it. It's very destructiveness on both friend and foe has rendered it useless as a means of settling international disputes." -General Douglas Macarthur, Allied Commander "A gigantic fleet has amassed in Pearl Harbor. This fleet will be utterly crushed with one blow at the very beginning of hostilities. Heaven will bear witness to the righteousness of our struggle." -Imperial Japanese Navy Rear-Admiral Ito "In war there is no substitute for victory." -General Douglas Macarthur, Allied Commander "The best luck of all is the luck you make for yourself." -General Douglas Macarthur, Allied Commander Canadian and Allied Forces In Burma and India: Canadian Forces also fought with the British Army in North Burma and East India in 1943-44, participating in many battles and missions. The “Burma Bombers” used an American 13-24 Liberator bomber in the far east, and a considerable amount of these forces were Canadians. In the Fall of 1944, the Allies decided to attempt to remove opposing forces from India and Burma. To be successful, the whole ground army would be supplied by aircrafts landing or parachuting into the front lines. Two Canadian transport squadrons (435 and 436) were involved in this plan, and carried supplies and men to the front lines. Japanese and Chinese Canadians also served in the Pacific Theatre as a separate group of forty individuals. Their understanding of the enemy’s language was useful, and they intercepted enemy intelligence as well as worked to destroy their supply routes. The End Of The Pacific War: In the later years of the war, the Allies in the Pacific took on a new strategy: Island Hopping. This tactic was a military strategy used to capture and maintain islands of the Pacific, and was very effective. WWII did not end all at once, as fighting in the European Theatre was concluded first with the defeat of Nazi Germany. Troops were no longer needed in Europe, and approximately eighty thousand Canadian volunteers were sent to the Pacific. However, war in the Pacific finished before the troops reached their destination. The battle of Okinawa, the Pacific Theatre’s concluding battle began on April 1, 1945 and finished June 22, 1945. It was an extremely dangerous, gruesome and brutal battle and the Allied troops were at the disadvantage of being untrained for jungle warfare. The casualties were devastating and it was one of the bloodiest battles of the war. The US wanted to control Okinawa, as it was a major Japanese base for naval, air and land warfare. The belief that taking Okinawa would greatly improve the Allied position was proven as the Battle of Okinawa became of the most important and well known battles of World War Two. The Pacific War ended days after the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, and were the first atomic bombs ever used. The Japanese surrendered on August 15, 1945, which is now known as V-J Day. |
Throughout WWII, 10,000 individuals from the Canadian forces had served in the Pacific Theatre. Those Canadian troops fought for their country and for a better world, and their sacrifice and courage will always be remembered and appreciated. Even though Canada’s role was not a major one, Canadians still greatly impacted war in the Pacific Theatre and aided in the successes that led to victory and WWII’s end.
"It is my earnest hope - indeed the hope of all mankind - that from this solemn occasion a better world shall emerge out of the blood and carnage of the past, a world found upon faith and understanding, a world dedicated to the dignity of man and the fulfillment of his most cherished wish for freedom, tolerance and justice."
-General Douglas Macarthur, Allied Commander
a Canadian hero: Pacific war veteran
Leonard Birchall: "The saviour of Ceylon" Leonard Joseph Birchall was a veteran of the Pacific Theatre, and served in the RCAF during WWII as an Air Commodore. He is most significantly remembered for his role in warning the defence at Ceylon that a Japanese attack was coming, however, he was also stationed in several other posts with differing jobs during the war. At the beginning of WWII, Birchall was part of Squadron 5, and later in the war assisted with the apprehension of the Capo Nola, an Italian Merchant ship. He was assigned to Squadron 413 in 1942 and was deployed to Ceylon, now Sri Lanka, a few months later. On April 4, 1942, Birchall was on patrol in his RCAF Catalina in the surrounding area of Ceylon, when he saw a Japanese fleet on a path towards the unprepared and unsuspecting Allied Forces. The Japanese wanted to increase their security by disassembling the British naval and air forces in the Pacific. Birchall and his crew were able to radio a warning to the Allied forces at Ceylon, giving them time to prepare and be on the lookout for an attack. The Catalina Birchall and his crew were flying was hit and the survivors including Birchall were taken as POWs to a Japanese POW Camp. Birchall’s courage and the decisions he made on April 4th in Ceylon resulted in him being given the nickname, “The saviour of Ceylon”. While at the labour camp, Birchall caused as much difficulty as he could for the guards and protected other POWs, often resulting in his being punished. Birchall also recorded the abhorrent treatment the Allied POWs received and later testified at several war trials about what he had witnessed and documented. Birchall was held for over three years, and was released from the labour camp on August 27, 1945 shortly after V-J Day. After returning home, he received many awards for his bravery. Leonard Joseph Birchall died in September of 2004. |
"Nothing is ever free in this life or handed to you on a plate; the price you must pay is hard work, total effort and self sacrifice."
- Air Commodore Leonard Joseph Birchall, RCAF "In circumstances where only too many officers had failed to live up to their responsibilities, the tales of Birchall's leadership carried... throughout the system of camps, brought renewed faith and stregth to many hundreds of men. It is incredible how morale of disheartened men can rise behind the example of a courageous officer, Birchall came to be something of a sybmbol, to stand in the hearts of men as a true offiver." - Major-General James R. Davies, US Marine Corps |
Works cited-war in the pacific
- ([email protected]), Erik Hillis. "WWII: Canadians in the Asia & The Pacific - Canada at War." Canada at War RSS. N.p., n.d. Web. 16 Dec. 2016.http://www.canadaatwar.ca/page-32-asia-pacific.html
- "General Douglas MacArthur Quotes." Douglas MacArthur Quotes - WW2 General. N.p., n.d. Web. 16 Dec. 2016.http://www.military-quotes.com/Macarthur.htm
- "Google Images." Google Images. N.p., n.d. Web. 16 Dec. 2016.https://images.google.ca
- History.com Staff. "Battle of Okinawa." History.com. A&E Television Networks, 2009. Web. 16 Dec. 2016.http://www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii/battle-of-okinawa
- "Second World War (1939 – 1945)." Veterans Affairs Canada. N.p., 24 July 2015. Web. 16 Dec. 2016.http://www.veterans.gc.ca/eng/remembrance/history/second-world-war/southeast-asia/vfe-back
- "World War 2 Quotes." World War 2 Timelines - Covering Major Events, Quotes, War Posters and More. N.p., n.d. Web. 16 Dec. 2016.http://www.secondworldwarhistory.com/ww2-quotes.asp
- "World War II in the Pacific." United States Holocaust Memorial Museum. United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, n.d. Web. 16 Dec. 2016.https://www.ushmm.org/wlc/en/article.php?ModuleId=10005155
Works Cited-A canadian hero: Pacific war veteran
- "Leadership: A Speech Given By Air Commodore Leonard Birchall." Pdf. Web. 16 Dec. 2016.http://airforceapp.forces.gc.ca/CFAWC/eLibrary/Journal/Vol2-2009/Iss1-Winter/Sections/06-Leadership-A_Speech_By_Air_Commodore_Leonard_Birchall_e.pdf
- "Leonard Birchall And The Japanese Raid On Colombo." National Defence and the Canadian Armed Forces. N.p., n.d. Web. 16 Dec. 2016.http://www.journal.forces.gc.ca/vo7/no4/stuart-eng.asp
- "Who Was Leonard Birchall, “The Saviour Of Ceylon”?" Comox Air Force Museum Association. N.p., 2015. Web. 16 Dec. 2016.http://comoxairforcemuseum.ca/who-was-leonard-burchill-the-saviour-of-ceylon/