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Second World War History > Japan WW2 Events Timeline
 

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

  The Japanese naval fleet leaves home port and heads to Hawaii.

1941
Saturday
December 6th

  American President sends a final peace appeal to the Empire of Japan to which there is no answer.

1941
Saturday
December 6th

  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

  An attack against American is now deemed imminent though the consensus being that it will occur against interests somehwere in Southeast Asia.

1941
Sunday
December 7th

  The Imperial Japanese Navy attack commences with their assault. The force is made up of 423 aircraft and converges on the Hawaiian Islands.

1941
Sunday
December 7th

  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.

1941
Sunday
December 7th

  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.

1941
Sunday
December 7th

  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.

1941
Sunday
December 7th

  At approximately 7:15AM, the second wave of 167 Japanese Navy planes takes off from their carriers towards Pearl.

1941
Sunday
December 7th

  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.

1941
Sunday
December 7th

  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.

1941
Sunday
December 7th

  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.

1941
Sunday
December 7th

  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.

1941
Sunday
December 7th

  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.

1941
Sunday
December 7th

  At 9AM, the final Japanese message is broken down. It essentially directs its Washington envoy to break off diplomatic relations with America.

1941
Sunday
December 7th

  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.

1941
Monday
December 8th

  The United States, along with Britain, formally declare war on the Empire of Japan.

1941
Wednesday
December 10th

  Along the north of Luzon - at Aparri, Gonzago and Vigan - two large Japanese Army forces land via amphibious assault.

1941
Thursday
December 11th

  As expected, Germany and Italy side with Japan and officially declare war on the United States

1941
Friday
December 12th

  The airfields at Laoang and Tuguegarao fall to the Japanese invaders.

1941
Monday
December 22nd

  The Japanese 48th Division lands at Lingayen Bay on Luzon.

1941
Tuesday
December 23rd

  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

  MacArthur's forces are cut-off from further retreat by a Japanese Army force advancing from the south.

1941
Tuesday
December 23rd

  Despite an out-numbered yet heroic resistance on the part of American forces, Wake Island falls to the Japanese.

1941
Tuesday
December 23rd

  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

  The Japanese 48th Division makes substantial progress against American forces, working their way towards the capital city of Manila.

1941
Saturday
December 27th

  The Philippine capital city of Manila eventually falls to the invading Japanese Army.

1942
Friday
January 9th

  The Japanese begin their offensive against the dug-in American forces on the Bataan Peninsula.

1942
Sunday
January 11th

  Three Japanese amphibious forces take on the Dutch East Indies.

1942
Sunday
January 11th

  Kuala Lumpur, the capital of Malaya, falls to the invading Japanese 5th Division.

1942
Thursday
January 15th

  Japanese forces invade Burma beginning their assault at Victoria Point.

1942
Monday
January 19th

  The Japanese Army makes short work of the light British defenses, covering some 230 miles in reaching Tavoy.

1942
Friday
January 23rd

  The American defensive lines finally break.

1942
Saturday
February 14th

  By this time, the Japanese have captured Borneo, Celebes and Sarawak.

1942
Sunday
February 15th

  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

  The Japanese 1st Air Fleet conducts a surprise attack on Allied ships at Broome and Darwin. Twelve ships are sunk in the assault.

1942
Sunday
March 8th

  By this date, the Japanese capture the Dutch East Indies with the occupations of Bali, Timor and Java.

1942
Sunday
March 8th

  Japan invades New Guinea.

1942
Sunday
March 8th

  Rangoon, Burma falls to the Japanese.

1942
Sunday
March 8th

  The British Burma Army escapes anhilation in Burma.

1942
Thursday
April 1st

  The Japanese aircraft carrier Ryujo enters the Bay of Bengal.

1942
Friday
April 3rd

  No fewer than five Japanese Navy aircraft carriers reach the Indian Ocean.

1942
Saturday
April 4th

  A small contingent of British Royal Navy vessels operating in the Indian Ocean are warned of the arriving Japanese Navy force.

1942
Saturday
April 4th

  Admiral Sir James Somerville detaches a force to intercept the arriving Japanese fleet.

1942
Monday
April 6th

  Twenty-six Allied aircraft are destroyed.

1942
Monday
April 6th

  The British Royal Navy cruisers HMS Cornwall and HMS Dorsetshire are sunk by the Japanese air strike.

1942
Monday
April 6th

  The Imperial Japanese Navy unleashes a surprise attack, with some 120 aircraft, on British forces at Columbo Harbor, Ceylon.

1942
Monday
April 6th

  The British Royal Navy destroyer HMS Tenedos is sunk by the Japanese air strike.

1942
Thursday
April 9th

  American forces fighting on the Bataan Peninsula finally surrender to the Japanese.

1942
Thursday
April 9th

  An 85-strong Japanese Navy aircraft contingent attacks airfields and targets of opportunity at Trincomalee, Ceylon.

1942
Thursday
April 9th

  The HMS Hermes is one of four Royal Navy ships sunk by Japanese Navy aircraft.

1942
Sunday
May 3rd

  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.

1942
Sunday
May 3rd

  An Imperial Japanese Navy carrier force sets sail on patrol around the Solomons looking for American carrier battle groups.

1942
Sunday
May 3rd

  American intelligence intercepts various Japanese communications and is able to piece together the intention to invade Port Moresby, New Guinea.

1942
Monday
May 4th

  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.

1942
Monday
May 4th

  The Japanese invasion force leaves Rabaul, New Britain, heading towards Port Moresby, New Guinea.

1942
Tuesday
May 5th

  The Japanese enact an offensive to take Corregidor Island, a strategic point providing access to Manila Bay.

1942
Wednesday
May 5th - May 6th

  Foul weather limits detection of either carrier force across a two day span.

1942
Wednesday
May 6th

  Corregidor Island falls to the Japanese, giving the invaders control over Manila Bay.

1942
Thursday
May 7th

  The Japanese invasion of Port Moresby is called off.

1942
Thursday
May 7th

  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.

1942
Thursday
May 7th

  The USS Neosho and the USS Sims are sunk by Japanese aircraft.

1942
Thursday
May 7th

  The USS Lexington and the USS Yorktown launch their attack planes and sink the Japanese aircraft carrier Shoho in the process.

1942
Thursday
May 7th

  The Allies spot the Japanese Covering Group escorting the invasion force.

1942
Friday
May 8th

  The Japanese invasion force heads back to New Britain.

1942
Friday
May 8th

  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.

1942
Friday
May 8th

  Just past dawn, the Japanese and American carrier groups spot one another.

1942
Friday
May 8th

  At 9:25AM, Japanese and American warplanes take to the skies.

1942
Friday
May 8th

  At 11:40AM, US Navy warplanes manage to score devastating hits to the Japanese aircraft carrier Shokaku, severely damaging her.

1942
Friday
May 8th

  At 2:47PM, the American carrier USS Lexington is hit by a Japanese torpedo, causing a major explosion in her generator room.

1942
Friday
May 8th

  By 6:00PM that evening, nearly all of the USS Lexington's sailors have been rescued.

1942
Friday
May 8th

  At 6:10PM, the USS Lexington is a complete loss. She is scuttled and sunk.

1942
Saturday
May 9th

  The Japanese aircraft do not locate the American fleet and any further actions are called off, effectively ending the Battle of Coral Sea.

1942
Saturday
May 9th

  Despite numbers against him, Japanese Vice-Admiral Takagi is ordered to send his warplanes aloft.

1942
Friday
May 15th

  Burma falls to the Japanese.

1942
Monday
May 25th

  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.

1942
Thursday
May 28th

  The final Imperial Japanese Task Force leaves mainland Japan.

1942
Wednesday
June 3rd

  The Northern Task Force begins its operation to take the Aleutian Island chain and divert USN forces to the region.

1942
Thursday
June 4th

  The three Japanese carriers - Kaga, Soryu and Akagi - are struck with bombs and ultimately sunk.

1942
Thursday
June 4th

  At 9:00AM, USS Yorktown launches her aircraft with Nagumo's carrier force as the prime target.

1942
Thursday
June 4th

  At 4:30AM, the bombing of Midway Island begins with aircraft from Vice-Admiral Nagumo's First Carrier Strike Force.

1942
Thursday
June 4th

  American fighter aircraft take heavy losses but force the Japanese Navy to launch a second attack.

1942
Thursday
June 4th

  At 7:28AM, a Japanese reconniassance plane spots spots ten undetermined USN surface ships 200 miles northeast of the Japanese Midway invasion force.

1942
Thursday
June 4th

  At 7:52AM, USS Enterprise and USS Hornet launch their dive bombers and torpedo planes.

1942
Thursday
June 4th

  At 8:20AM, a surprised Nagumo receives his first report of American carriers in the area.

1942
Thursday
June 4th

  At 8:37AM, aircraft of the second Japanese strike force returns to their respective carriers for rearming and refueling.

1942
Thursday
June 4th

  Between 9:30AM and 10:00AM, Torpedo planes from the USS Enterprise and USS Hornet begin their attacks on the Japanese carriers.

1942
Thursday
June 4th

  At 9:18AM, Nagumo reacts to the American presence and changes the course of his Carrier Strike Force.

1942
Thursday
June 4th

  The first wave of USN carrier dive-bombers has difficulty in locating their Japanese targets.

1942
Thursday
June 4th

  All incoming USN Devastator attackers are shot down by Japanese Zero fighters in the span of six minutes.

1942
Thursday
June 4th

  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.

1942
Thursday
June 4th

  At 12:00PM, Imperial Japanese Navy bomber aircraft strike against the attacking USS Yorktown.

1942
Thursday
June 4th

  By 2:30PM, the USS Yorktown is severely damaged bu does not sink.

1942
Thursday
June 4th

  By 3:00PM, the crew of the USS Yorktown has abandoned their carrier. The damaged vessel is towed by USN ships.

1942
Thursday
June 4th

  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.

1942
Thursday
June 4th

  The initial American assault on the Japanese carrier strike force is over by 10:00AM.

1942
Friday
June 5th

  The Japanese carrier Hiryu is scuttled.

1942
Saturday
June 6th

  The island of Kiska is taken by Japanese forces.

1942
Saturday
June 6th

  The USS Yorktown, now severely damaged an in tow of US Navy forces, is targeted and sunk by a Japanese submarine.

1942
Sunday
June 7th

  The island of Attu is taken by Japanese forces.

1942
Monday
August 31st

  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.

1943
Sunday
August 15th

  The Aleutian Islands Campaign comes to a close. The Japanese invasion is ultimately repelled.

1945
Saturday
March 24th

  In preparation for the amphibious assault landings on the island of Okinawa, US Naval elements begin bombardment of shoreline positions.

1945
Saturday
March 24th

  The US 77th Infantry Division lands at the Kerama Islands to secure a staging post for the eventual invasion of Okinawa.

1945
Thursday
March 29th

  Further landings of US forces on the Kerama Islands, complete its capture for the Allies.

1945
Saturday
March 31st

  The US Navy lobs some 30,000 explosive shells on the Okinawa coastline by this time, ending a week of bombardment.

1945
Sunday
April 1st

  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.

1945
Thursday
April 5th

  Allied forces find and locate the Japanese defenders along the southern portion of Okinawa. Heavy defenses are noted.

1945
Friday
April 6th

  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.

1945
Friday
April 6th

  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.

1945
Friday
April 6th

  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.

1945
Friday
April 6th

  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.

1945
Saturday
April 7th

  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.

1945
Saturday
April 7th

  Task Force 38 launches some 380 aircraft against IJN Yamato.

1945
Saturday
April 7th

  In the early morning hours, US Navy reconnaissance aircraft spot the IJN Yamato and relay her position.

1945
Saturday
April 7th

  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.

1945
Tuesday
April 10th

  The American 27th Infantry Division lands at Tsugen. The island is just to the east of Okinawa proper.

1945
Wednesday
April 11th

  The conquest of Tsugen is completed by the 27th Infantry Division.

1945
Friday
April 13th

  US Marines reach Hedo Point in the north of Okinawa.

1945
Monday
April 16th

  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.

1945
Thursday
April 19th

  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.

1945
Friday
April 20th

  Motobu Peninsula falls to the Americans as the Japanese defenders are either killed or captured.

1945
Saturday
April 21st

  The offensive to take Ie Shima is completed.

1945
Friday
May 4th

  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.

1945
Sunday
May 27th

  Naha is officially captured by American forces. The Orouku Peninsula to the south is now within reach.

1945
Sunday
June 17th

  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.

1945
Friday
June 22nd

  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.

1945
Friday
June 22nd

  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.

1945
Friday
June 22nd

  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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