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Japan WW2 Events Timeline
Of all the Axis players of World War 2, Japan would pay the highest price for its involvement - itself being conquered by war's end.
Total Events: 129
1941
Wednesday
November 26th |
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The Japanese naval fleet leaves home port and heads to Hawaii. |
1941
Saturday
December 6th |
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American President sends a final peace appeal to the Empire of Japan to which there is no answer. |
1941
Saturday
December 6th |
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American codebreakers begin tracking down a multi-part message - made up of 14 total components. Only the first 13 are actually deciphered, each being passed on to the President and the Secretary of State. |
1941
Saturday
December 6th |
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An attack against American is now deemed imminent though the consensus being that it will occur against interests somehwere in Southeast Asia. |
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The Imperial Japanese Navy attack commences with their assault. The force is made up of 423 aircraft and converges on the Hawaiian Islands. |
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The attack on Pearl Harbor is over at 9:45AM. Over 2,400 people are killed and a further 1,178 are wounded. More die in the ensuing days while 1,104 sailors eventually perish within the hull of the battleship USS Arizona, its magazine stores ignited by a single Japanese bomb. |
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The second wave of Japanese Navy aircraft swoops in attacking targets of opportunity including auxiliary ships in the harbor and the all-important harbor facilities. |
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At 7:53AM, complete surprise by the Japanese Navy and the first wave begins their initial strike. This force is made up of 50 medium bombers, 43 A6M Zero fighters and 40 Kate torpedo bombers. Targets are the battleships hunkered down in the harbor and airfields used by the USAAF. |
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At approximately 7:15AM, the second wave of 167 Japanese Navy planes takes off from their carriers towards Pearl. |
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In conjunction with the surprise attack on Pearl Harbor, Wake Island is assaulted by a Japanese invasion force all its own - this under the command of Rear-Admiral Kajioka Sadamichi. |
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At 6:00AM, the first wave of 183 Japanese Navy aircraft takes off from their carriers, just north of Oahu, to make the 230 mile trek. The target is the US Pacific Fleet. |
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At 2:30PM Eastern Time, the Japanese diplomats in Washington finally visit with US Secretary of State Cordell Hull. With them is the Japanese declaration of war. |
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It is discovered that communication lines from Washington to Hawaii are down for the moment, forcing the US War Department to use a commercial telegraph service to warn forces on the Hawaiian Islands. |
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At approximately 10AM, a follow-up message is intercepted - meant for the Japanese diplomats in Washington - to delay handling of the previous message to the Americans until 1PM. The Americans now understand that an attack is imminent and the target is the US Naval fleet at Pearl Harbor. |
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At 9AM, the final Japanese message is broken down. It essentially directs its Washington envoy to break off diplomatic relations with America. |
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At 7:02AM, the Japanese attack wave is located on American radar by two US Army personnel who bring it to the attention of a junior officer. The officer, expecting a flight of Boeing B-17 Flying Fortresses to arrive that day, disregards the alert. |
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The United States, along with Britain, formally declare war on the Empire of Japan. |
1941
Wednesday
December 10th |
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Along the north of Luzon - at Aparri, Gonzago and Vigan - two large Japanese Army forces land via amphibious assault. |
1941
Thursday
December 11th |
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As expected, Germany and Italy side with Japan and officially declare war on the United States |
1941
Friday
December 12th |
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The airfields at Laoang and Tuguegarao fall to the Japanese invaders. |
1941
Monday
December 22nd |
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The Japanese 48th Division lands at Lingayen Bay on Luzon. |
1941
Tuesday
December 23rd |
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The order is given by American General Douglas MacArthur to retreat from Luzon and take up positions on the Bataan Peninsula. |
1941
Tuesday
December 23rd |
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MacArthur's forces are cut-off from further retreat by a Japanese Army force advancing from the south. |
1941
Tuesday
December 23rd |
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Despite an out-numbered yet heroic resistance on the part of American forces, Wake Island falls to the Japanese. |
1941
Tuesday
December 23rd |
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The American military detachment at Wake Island surrenders. During their stand, the Americans accounted for at least 1,000 Japanese casualties and 4 Japanese navy warships. |
1941
Thursday
December 25th |
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The Japanese 48th Division makes substantial progress against American forces, working their way towards the capital city of Manila. |
1941
Saturday
December 27th |
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The Philippine capital city of Manila eventually falls to the invading Japanese Army. |
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The Japanese begin their offensive against the dug-in American forces on the Bataan Peninsula. |
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Three Japanese amphibious forces take on the Dutch East Indies. |
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Kuala Lumpur, the capital of Malaya, falls to the invading Japanese 5th Division. |
1942
Thursday
January 15th |
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Japanese forces invade Burma beginning their assault at Victoria Point. |
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The Japanese Army makes short work of the light British defenses, covering some 230 miles in reaching Tavoy. |
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The American defensive lines finally break. |
1942
Saturday
February 14th |
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By this time, the Japanese have captured Borneo, Celebes and Sarawak. |
1942
Sunday
February 15th |
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Singapore eventually falls to the might of the Japanese assault resulting in the capture of some 60,000 Allied prisoners against the cost of 2,000 Japanese soldiers. |
1942
Thursday
February 19th |
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The Japanese 1st Air Fleet conducts a surprise attack on Allied ships at Broome and Darwin. Twelve ships are sunk in the assault. |
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By this date, the Japanese capture the Dutch East Indies with the occupations of Bali, Timor and Java. |
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Japan invades New Guinea. |
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Rangoon, Burma falls to the Japanese. |
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The British Burma Army escapes anhilation in Burma. |
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The Japanese aircraft carrier Ryujo enters the Bay of Bengal. |
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No fewer than five Japanese Navy aircraft carriers reach the Indian Ocean. |
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A small contingent of British Royal Navy vessels operating in the Indian Ocean are warned of the arriving Japanese Navy force. |
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Admiral Sir James Somerville detaches a force to intercept the arriving Japanese fleet. |
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Twenty-six Allied aircraft are destroyed. |
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The British Royal Navy cruisers HMS Cornwall and HMS Dorsetshire are sunk by the Japanese air strike. |
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The Imperial Japanese Navy unleashes a surprise attack, with some 120 aircraft, on British forces at Columbo Harbor, Ceylon. |
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The British Royal Navy destroyer HMS Tenedos is sunk by the Japanese air strike. |
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American forces fighting on the Bataan Peninsula finally surrender to the Japanese. |
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An 85-strong Japanese Navy aircraft contingent attacks airfields and targets of opportunity at Trincomalee, Ceylon. |
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The HMS Hermes is one of four Royal Navy ships sunk by Japanese Navy aircraft. |
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Forces of the Imperial Japanese Army land at Tulagi of the Solomons island group. Subsequent develop ensures a base of operations for Japanese logistics in the region. |
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An Imperial Japanese Navy carrier force sets sail on patrol around the Solomons looking for American carrier battle groups. |
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American intelligence intercepts various Japanese communications and is able to piece together the intention to invade Port Moresby, New Guinea. |
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USS Yorktown launched strike aircraft south of Guadalcanal. At 6:30AM, the American Navy aircraft spot and subsequently target Japanese land emplacements and sea vessels in the area. |
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The Japanese invasion force leaves Rabaul, New Britain, heading towards Port Moresby, New Guinea. |
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The Japanese enact an offensive to take Corregidor Island, a strategic point providing access to Manila Bay. |
1942
Wednesday
May 5th - May 6th |
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Foul weather limits detection of either carrier force across a two day span. |
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Corregidor Island falls to the Japanese, giving the invaders control over Manila Bay. |
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The Japanese invasion of Port Moresby is called off. |
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Allied Task Force 44, headed by Royal Navy Rear-Admiral Crace, moves in to intercept the Japanese invasion force. However, the force is prematurely spotted by Japanese reconnaissance aircraft resulting in a counter-assault of the Task Force by Japanese Navy warplanes. Crace and his force never make the intercept. |
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The USS Neosho and the USS Sims are sunk by Japanese aircraft. |
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The USS Lexington and the USS Yorktown launch their attack planes and sink the Japanese aircraft carrier Shoho in the process. |
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The Allies spot the Japanese Covering Group escorting the invasion force. |
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The Japanese invasion force heads back to New Britain. |
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Some 27 Japanese aircraft are launched under the cover of darkness in the hopes of locating the Allied Task Force. They come up empty and only six aircraft return safely home. |
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Just past dawn, the Japanese and American carrier groups spot one another. |
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At 9:25AM, Japanese and American warplanes take to the skies. |
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At 11:40AM, US Navy warplanes manage to score devastating hits to the Japanese aircraft carrier Shokaku, severely damaging her. |
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At 2:47PM, the American carrier USS Lexington is hit by a Japanese torpedo, causing a major explosion in her generator room. |
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By 6:00PM that evening, nearly all of the USS Lexington's sailors have been rescued. |
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At 6:10PM, the USS Lexington is a complete loss. She is scuttled and sunk. |
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The Japanese aircraft do not locate the American fleet and any further actions are called off, effectively ending the Battle of Coral Sea. |
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Despite numbers against him, Japanese Vice-Admiral Takagi is ordered to send his warplanes aloft. |
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Burma falls to the Japanese. |
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A large Imperial Japanese Naval force sails for Japan towards Midway Island. The force Is made up of four task forces. One is charged with the invasion of the Aleutian Islands off of Alaska while the other three are to take Midway Island itself and assail the responding USN fleet. One group contains the required four aircraft carriers. |
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The final Imperial Japanese Task Force leaves mainland Japan. |
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The Northern Task Force begins its operation to take the Aleutian Island chain and divert USN forces to the region. |
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The three Japanese carriers - Kaga, Soryu and Akagi - are struck with bombs and ultimately sunk. |
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At 9:00AM, USS Yorktown launches her aircraft with Nagumo's carrier force as the prime target. |
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At 4:30AM, the bombing of Midway Island begins with aircraft from Vice-Admiral Nagumo's First Carrier Strike Force. |
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American fighter aircraft take heavy losses but force the Japanese Navy to launch a second attack. |
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At 7:28AM, a Japanese reconniassance plane spots spots ten undetermined USN surface ships 200 miles northeast of the Japanese Midway invasion force. |
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At 7:52AM, USS Enterprise and USS Hornet launch their dive bombers and torpedo planes. |
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At 8:20AM, a surprised Nagumo receives his first report of American carriers in the area. |
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At 8:37AM, aircraft of the second Japanese strike force returns to their respective carriers for rearming and refueling. |
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Between 9:30AM and 10:00AM, Torpedo planes from the USS Enterprise and USS Hornet begin their attacks on the Japanese carriers. |
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At 9:18AM, Nagumo reacts to the American presence and changes the course of his Carrier Strike Force. |
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The first wave of USN carrier dive-bombers has difficulty in locating their Japanese targets. |
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All incoming USN Devastator attackers are shot down by Japanese Zero fighters in the span of six minutes. |
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At 10:25AM, a follow-up strike made up of 37 Dauntless dive bombers finds the Japanese carriers - now stocked with armed and fueled aircraft on their decks. |
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At 12:00PM, Imperial Japanese Navy bomber aircraft strike against the attacking USS Yorktown. |
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By 2:30PM, the USS Yorktown is severely damaged bu does not sink. |
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By 3:00PM, the crew of the USS Yorktown has abandoned their carrier. The damaged vessel is towed by USN ships. |
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At 5:00PM, the Imperial Japanese aircraft carrier Hiryu is set ablaze after being struck by no fewer than five direct bomb hits from aircraft of the USS Enterprise. |
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The initial American assault on the Japanese carrier strike force is over by 10:00AM. |
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The Japanese carrier Hiryu is scuttled. |
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The island of Kiska is taken by Japanese forces. |
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The USS Yorktown, now severely damaged an in tow of US Navy forces, is targeted and sunk by a Japanese submarine. |
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The island of Attu is taken by Japanese forces. |
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By this date, the Japanese have completed their takeovers of the Caroline Islands, the Gilbert Islands, the Marshall Islands, the Marianas Islands and a portion of the Solomon Islands. This is the farthest that the Japanese Empire would reach in the Pacific. |
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The Aleutian Islands Campaign comes to a close. The Japanese invasion is ultimately repelled. |
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In preparation for the amphibious assault landings on the island of Okinawa, US Naval elements begin bombardment of shoreline positions. |
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The US 77th Infantry Division lands at the Kerama Islands to secure a staging post for the eventual invasion of Okinawa. |
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Further landings of US forces on the Kerama Islands, complete its capture for the Allies. |
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The US Navy lobs some 30,000 explosive shells on the Okinawa coastline by this time, ending a week of bombardment. |
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Two US Army and USMC divisions land along the southwest coast of Okinawa near Hagushi, meeting little resistance. The US 10th Army is commanded by Lieutenant General Simon Bolivar Buckner. Some 550,000 personnel and 180,000 soldiers take part in the fray. |
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Allied forces find and locate the Japanese defenders along the southern portion of Okinawa. Heavy defenses are noted. |
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The IJN Yamato, Japan's pride and joy and the largest battleship ever built, sails from the Inland Sea on a suicide mission at Okinawa. She is escorted by the light cruiser Yahagi and some eight destroyers on her final voyage. |
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American forces are now amassed as two separate assault fronts. To the north are the 1st and 6th Marine divisions. To the mountainous south are the 7th and 96th Infantry divisions. |
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As American forces move further inland, the battle for Okinawa intensifies. Pockets of dug-in Japanese defenders become evermore concentrated the more inland the Allied forces go. |
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The deadly kamikaze air attack is unleashed on American Naval vessels in the Pacific. These aircraft appear as coordinated airstrikes and prove equally deadly to both sides. USN vessels off the coast of Okinawa itself are targeted. Some 34 US Navy ships fall victim. |
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With no air cover, the IJN Yamato is blasted to pieces by the American Navy warplanes. Her magazine stores explode in a fantastic display as she goes up in smoke. Most of her crew is lost with the ship in the afternoon hours. |
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Task Force 38 launches some 380 aircraft against IJN Yamato. |
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In the early morning hours, US Navy reconnaissance aircraft spot the IJN Yamato and relay her position. |
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The IJN Yamato, having already been spotted by an American submarine, makes its way to the fighting at Okinawa. The crew understand that this is a suicide mission at this point in the war. |
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The American 27th Infantry Division lands at Tsugen. The island is just to the east of Okinawa proper. |
1945
Wednesday
April 11th |
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The conquest of Tsugen is completed by the 27th Infantry Division. |
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US Marines reach Hedo Point in the north of Okinawa. |
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A five-day offensive is undertaken involving the American 77th Infantry Division and the island of Ie Shima. Ie Shima represents the tip of the Motobu Peninsula. Motobu is a defensive Japanese stronghold located to the west of Okinawa proper. |
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Japanese defenders are pushed back towards Naha by American forces. The Japanese defensive lines are reset as territory is lost. The Americans report 1,000 casualties in their assaults. |
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Motobu Peninsula falls to the Americans as the Japanese defenders are either killed or captured. |
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The offensive to take Ie Shima is completed. |
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The Japanese enact a major offensive in the south of Okinawa. A coast-to-coast defensive front is established from Naha to Yonabaru. Regardless, the line is targeted by prolonged American firepower and infantry. |
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Naha is officially captured by American forces. The Orouku Peninsula to the south is now within reach. |
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By this time, the Japanese defenders have been seperated into three major fighting groups. The more raw recruits find it somewhat easy to surrender than fight to the death. |
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Understanding that defeat is iminent, Japanese Lieutenant General Mitsuru Ushjima commits ritual suicide with his staff after reporting the loss of Okinawa to his superiors. |
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The fighting on Okinawa comes to a close as American forces overwhelm the islands determined Japanese defenders. Those that are not taken prisoner or die in the fighting, subject themselves to ritual suicides. |
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The Battle of Okinawa officially draws to a close and now represents the all-important staging area for the Allied invasion of the Japanese mainland. |
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