31 January 1942Capture of JapanTomoyuki Yamashita
The Japanese complete the capture of Malaya
Historical records for Japan in 1942, rendered directly from the World History Database and ordered by month, day and event.
The Japanese complete the capture of Malaya
Begins the Japanese invasion of Burma
Forces the British back as far as Singapore Island
1st day of the battle to capture Singapore
Launches an assault on Singapore Island
Singapore surrenders to Yamashita, 130,000 British are taken prisoner
Singapore falls to Japan and about 130,000 Allied personnel become prisoners.
Singapore surrenders to Yamashita, 130,000 British are taken prisoner
Leads the principal assault in the Japanese capture of southern Sumatra
Imamura's Sixteenth Army lands on Java as Japan moves to complete the conquest of the Netherlands East Indies.
The Japanese capture Rangoon
Imamura receives the capitulation of Allied forces on Java, completing the principal Japanese campaign on the island.
Renews the offensive in Burma by attacking the Chinese Army at Toungoo
Homma's forces secure Bataan after the exhausted American and Filipino defenders surrender.
Ordered by Yamamoto to sieze bases in the southern Solomons & capture Port Moresby
Orders Inouye to sieze bases in the southern Solomons & capture Port Moresby
The Japanese capture Mandalay
Ordered to capture Port Moresby in the Solomons
Captures the Island of Tulagi in the Coral Sea
Japanese forces occupy the island of Tulagi without opposition
Captures the Island of Tulagi in the Coral Sea
Japan must now concentrate on defending the Southern Resources Area. Japan loses its initiative in the Pacific
Yamamoto receives orders to conduct the occupation of Midway and key western Aleutian positions.
The Japanese capture Corregidor
The Japanese complete their capture of the Phillipines
Homma's forces capture Corregidor, ending organized Allied resistance in the Manila Bay defenses.
The Shoho is sunk
Takagi commands the Japanese carrier striking force as the Battle of the Coral Sea begins.
Hara commands Carrier Division Five, centered on Shokaku and Zuikaku, during the Coral Sea operation.
Inouye is forced to call off his planned capture of Port Moresby in the Solomons
The air-sea Battle of the Coral Sea comes out as an tactical victory but strategical defeat for Japan
Calls off the plan to sieze bases in the southern Solomons & capture Port Moresby
Japanese expansion is stopped at New Guinea
Takagi's carriers exchange major air strikes with American carriers in the first carrier battle fought beyond visual range.
Hara's Carrier Division Five loses operational strength after Shokaku is badly damaged by American dive bombers.
Kakuta sails from Ominato with the carrier force assigned to strike the Aleutians during the Midway operation.
Nagumo's four-carrier striking force sails for Midway as the principal offensive element of Yamamoto's plan.
Yamamoto sorties with the Combined Fleet main body aboard Yamato in support of the Midway operation.
Ordered to make diversionary strikes against US Alaskan bases before the Midway strike
Bombards Dutch Harbour in the Aleutians to divert the Japanese from the Midway Islands
Kakuta's carrier aircraft attack Dutch Harbor as the Aleutian diversion opens alongside the Midway operation.
Bombards Dutch Harbour in the Aleutians to divert the Japanese from the Midway Islands
Tomonaga leads the Japanese carrier strike that bombs Midway Island shortly after dawn.
Orders a 2nd attack when the Japanes are caught with their decks crowded with planes. Launches the Midway invasion believing there are no US carriers in the central Pacific. By 5:00PM Japan had lost her entire carrier force
The Americans retreat & he gives up the battle. All the Japanese carriers are lost at Midway
Yamaguchi directs Hiryu's surviving air group in two counterstrikes that badly damage USS Yorktown.
Launches the Midway invasion believing there are no US carriers in the central Pacific
Aoki commands Akagi when American dive bombers fatally damage the carrier during the Battle of Midway.
Kaku commands Hiryu when American dive bombers fatally damage the last operational Japanese carrier at Midway.
Yanagimoto commands Soryu when American dive bombers mortally damage the carrier during the Battle of Midway.
Yamamoto abandons the Midway invasion after the destruction of Nagumo's four fleet carriers.
Yamaguchi remains aboard the crippled Hiryu and dies when the carrier is abandoned and scuttled.
Kaku remains aboard Hiryu with Yamaguchi and dies after the carrier is abandoned.
Occuppies the Island of Kiska in the Aleutian Islands
Occuppies the Island of Attu in the Aleutian Islands
Horii's South Seas Detachment lands near Buna to begin the Japanese overland advance toward Port Moresby.
Mikawa assembles a cruiser force at Rabaul to attack Allied ships supporting the Guadalcanal landings.
Mikawa's cruiser force surprises the Allied screening force and wins a major night victory off Savo Island.
Ichiki lands the first echelon of his detachment east of the American perimeter on Guadalcanal.
Ichiki attacks the American perimeter near the Tenaru and is killed as his detachment is destroyed.
Leads his ships as the vanguard group at the carrier battles of the eastern Solomons
Horii directs the Japanese advance over the Owen Stanley Range toward Port Moresby.
Kawaguchi directs a major night assault against the American positions protecting Henderson Field.
Begins to build up ground forces at Guadalcanal, reaches 20,000
Sent to support the defence of Guadalcanal
Goto leads a Japanese cruiser force into the Battle of Cape Esperance and is mortally wounded.
The Japanese capture the Yenangyaung oilfields & Magwe
Maruyama's division begins a difficult jungle assault against the southern defenses of Henderson Field.
Leads his ships as the vanguard group at the carrier battles of Santa Cruz
Abes "Tokyo Express" is stopped at Ironbottom Sound & Abe is removed from command
Leads the bomardment at Midway & Wake Island
Abe withdraws after Hiei is crippled in the night battle and later lost to repeated American air attacks.
Abe leads a battleship bombardment force into a confused night action against American cruisers and destroyers.
Tanaka escorts fast transports carrying reinforcements toward Guadalcanal during the naval battle for the island.
Kondo leads a renewed Japanese bombardment force that is defeated by American battleships near Guadalcanal.
Horii dies while attempting to cross the flooded Kumusi River during the Japanese retreat in New Guinea.
Appointed Commander of the 8th Army in New Guinea
Appointed Commander of the 8th Army in New Guinea
Tanaka's destroyers launch an effective torpedo counterattack during the Battle of Tassafaronga.
Fights at the Battle of Midway
Commands the battleship Kirishima
Commands the Midway Occupation Force
Provides air cover for the capture of the Dutch East Indies
Captures Manila. Allows the Allies time to withdraw & consolidate behind the Bataan-Corregidor line
Appointed Commander in Chief, 3rd Fleet
Appointed Commander in Chief, 3rd Fleet
Appointed Commander of the First Army Group in Manchuria
Appointed Commander of the First Army Group in Manchuria
Appointed Commander of the Central Pacific Fleet
Appointed Commander of the Central Pacific Fleet
Dismissed for breing too pro-western
Appointed Commander of the First Army Group in Manchuria
Appointed Commander of the First Army Group in Manchuria
This page is generated from stored World History Database records matching the exact country and year shown above. Exact duplicate display records are collapsed. Records without a month are listed after the monthly sections. Source provenance varies by record; formal academic citation should be checked against the relevant primary source, archive or specialist historical reference.