Major area of military events, 1942–1945
For naval operations in the Southwest Pacific area, including the Dutch East Indies, the Philippines, the Solomon Islands, and New Guinea, see
South West Pacific theatre . For the overall military theater in Asia and the Pacific, see
Pacific War . For other uses, see
Pacific Theatre
The Western Allies' command structure in the Pacific
Japanese naval aircraft prepare to take off from an aircraft carrier
U.S. 5th Marines evacuate injured personnel during actions on Guadalcanal on November 1, 1942
An SBD Dauntless flies patrol over USS Washington and USS Lexington during the Gilbert and Marshall Islands campaign , November 12, 1943
USS Bunker Hill hit by two Kamikazes in thirty seconds on 11 May 1945 off Kyushu
The Pacific Ocean theater of World War II was a major theater of the Pacific War , the war between the Allies and the Empire of Japan . It was defined by the Allied powers ' Pacific Ocean Area command, which included most of the Pacific Ocean and its islands, while mainland Asia was excluded, as were the Philippines , the Dutch East Indies , Borneo , Australia , most of the Territory of New Guinea , and the western part of the Solomon Islands .