In this gallery of 75 images, we examine the key features of WWII's Pacific War. After the 1941 attack on Pearl Harbor, the US naval base in Hawaii, Japan continued to expand its empire until the turning point of the Battle of Midway in mid-1942, when four Japanese aircraft carriers were sunk. The US air, sea, and land forces then went on the offensive and proceeded over the next three years to liberate successive Pacific island groups. Japan itself was attacked but did not surrender until the dropping of two atomic bombs in August 1945.

Presented in chronological sequence, the gallery highlights the key battles and strategies used, ranging from amphibious landings to incendiary bombing campaigns. The Pacific War changed global warfare as air power replaced naval guns and the US Marines became expert at amphibious landings. With iconic images of the people, places, and weapons involved, this is the story of one of the most brutal theatres of the Second World War.

Mitsubishi A6M Zero Fighters

by Henry Sakaida
published on 25 September 2024

Japanese Mitsubishi A6M Zero fighter, photo taken on 26 May 1941, published in Imperial Japanese Navy Aces, 1937-45, p. 15, by Henry Sakaida.

These planes saw extensive service during the Second World War (1939-45). With a lifetime production of over 10,000 aircraft, the "Zero" is touted as one of the most capable all-round fighter planes of the war, and saw action over the skies of China, the Pacific, and in the attack on Pearl Harbor.