During World War II, the United States forcibly relocated and incarcerated at least 125,284 people of Japanese descent in 75 identified incarceration sites. Most lived on the Pacific Coast, in concentration camps in the western interior of the country. These actions were initiated by president Franklin D. Roosevelt via executive order 9066 shortly after Japan's attack on Pearl Harbor. Of the 127,000 Japanese Americans who were living in the continental United States at the time of the Pearl Harbor attack, 112,000 resided on the West Coast. Japanese Americans were placed in concentration camps based on local population concentrations and regional politics. We viewed some rare footage of this period in American during class today.
The Japanese strategy for winning the Pacific war considered the island geography and perceived weakness of the opponent. The Allied air forces in the Pacific were small and weak. Japan planned to launch attacks from their bases in the Pacific and take out the Allied forces there and then develop those island resources to use as their own. In reaction to the U.S. attempt to conduct island-hopping, the Japanese made use of under-trained Japanese pilots who deliberately crashed into Allied ships, carried out balloon bomb missions, and engaged in hand-to-hand combat determined to fight to the death. Japanese kamikaze pilots during WWII flew a suicide missions, by loading their planes with explosives, targeting the enemy, and then deliberately crashing into the enemy. Americans and Allies who fought in the Pacific and were captured by the Japanese faced horrific conditions as prisoners of war. They were forced to work in mines, factories, railroads, and other places. Prisoners were beaten and starved. The Pacific Theater was important because winning in the Pacific opened up additional bases for the victor and ultimately success.
Given the geography of the war in the Pacific in WWII, the United States adopted a strategy of island-hopping. This strategy called for gaining control of islands that were occupied by the Japanese and then using these islands as staging areas to prepare for the next invasion. The Allied strategy in the Pacific was successful because it allowed for the U.S. to achieve the main goal of an attack on mainland Japan. The Battle of Midway was a critical U.S. victory. Japan lost about 3,000 men, planes, and ships, resulting in Japan giving up the idea of Pacific expansion and from this point on, Japan was placed on the defensive. American general, Douglas MacArthur, had command of the southwest Pacific theater in WWII. In 1935, MacArthur had helped create armed forces for the Philippines. In December 1941, President Roosevelt ordered MacArthur to vacate the island, resulting in MacArthur and his staff fleeing the Philippines. MacArthur had stated that the 'Gateway to Asia' was now in the hands of the enemy and he promised, ''I shall return.'' MacArthur was responsible for the operation that freed the Philippines in 1944 and MacArthur went on to lead an island-hopping campaign in the Pacific, returning to the Philippines two and half years later where he landed on Leyte and liberated the Philippines. Jaydn learned about the Bhatan Death March and the great suffering of American POWs and the people of the Philippines until the U.S. was able to return and liberate the country from Japanese occupation during WWII.
During today's Chemistry class, we continued working on Chapter 6. We continued working on solving practice problems about molar concentrations and dilutions.
In Act I, the stage manager observes that the townspeople are burying a time capsule and indicates what the characters in the play feel will best represent their society to the future. Jaydn discussed what she would place in a time capsule and what she felt would best represent her-her personal journal. We then examined how the playwright would concur that a personal journal of one's everyday triumphs and disappointments best repesents a society, even more than an important historical document. We further discussed how and why the characters in the play ignore the town's obvious social problems. Last, Jaydn discussed the role of the image of moonlight in highlighting the play's theme of appreciating all of the quotidian things in life.
Today we discussed President Biden's surprise visit to see President Zelensky in Kyiv, Ukraine over the weekend. The president did this to demonstrate the United States' commitment to Ukraine nearly one year after the Russian invasion. Jaydn perceptively asked if this was a good thing for the president to have done as wouldn't it antagonize Russia? It did. In Moscow today, President Putin said he is suspending participation in New START - the only remaining major nuclear arms control treaty with the U.S. Putin sought to blame the West for the Ukraine conflict in his national speech today. Jaydn asked a great question and indeed, it's hard to answer, but we discussed the pros and the cons of the situation.
