This course, a bookend to last year’s course War in the Skies: The Air War in Europe 1939-45, covers the War in the Pacific, with a particular focus on the air war. It traces the development of Japan as a modern military power, its early triumphs in Asia and the South Pacific and how the Allies – particularly the US – turned the tide, mainly using air power launched from carriers or air bases captured during the “island hopping” campaigns of 1943-45. It concludes with the ultimate immolation of Japan under the weight of American firebombing and – eventually – two atomic bombs. This course has extensive images, animated graphics and embedded video from historical sources, TV miniseries and Hollywood films. Participants also receive an Aircraft Encyclopedia, a cast of characters list, note-taking grid, atlas, and complete bibliography of sources.

Buck Beasom teaches courses for OLLI programs across the country. He has a two-track career that includes four decades in data management and applications development while he also taught courses in business, accounting and economics. He also spent five years teaching history at the middle and high school levels. He holds a BS in Management Science, with additional majors in History and Economics and an MBA in Accounting.

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