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| − | In the [[Pacific Theater of Operations|Pacific Theater]] of [[World War II]], the '''Gilbert''' and '''Marshall Islands campaign''', from November 1943 through February 1944, were key strategic operations of the [[United States Pacific Fleet]] and [[United States Marine Corps|Marine Corps]] in the [[Pacific Ocean Areas (command)|Central Pacific]]. |
+ | In the [[Pacific Theater of Operations|Pacific Theater]] of [[World War II]], the '''Gilbert''' and '''Marshall Islands campaign''', from November 1943 through February 1944, were key strategic operations of the [[United States Pacific Fleet]] and [[United States Marine Corps|Marine Corps]] in the [[Pacific Ocean Areas (command)|Central Pacific]]. The purpose was to establish airfields that would allow land based air support for the upcoming operations across the central pacific. The campaign began with a costly three-day battle for the island of [[Battle of Tarawa|Betio at the Tarawa atoll]]. The campaign was preceded a year earlier by a diversionary [[Makin Island raid|raid on Makin Island]] by U.S. Marines in August, 1942. |
Japanese bases in the Gilbert and [[Marshall Islands]] were the outer perimeter of eastern defenses for the [[Empire of Japan|Japanese Empire]]. The [[Mariana and Palau Islands campaign|Marianas campaign]] followed the next summer. |
Japanese bases in the Gilbert and [[Marshall Islands]] were the outer perimeter of eastern defenses for the [[Empire of Japan|Japanese Empire]]. The [[Mariana and Palau Islands campaign|Marianas campaign]] followed the next summer. |
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==Background== |
==Background== |
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| − | [[File:Yanks Invade the Marshall Islands.ogv|thumb|left|1944 US |
+ | [[File:Yanks Invade the Marshall Islands.ogv|thumb|left|1944 US newsreel about the invasion]] |
| − | The [[Imperial Japanese Navy|Japanese forces]] occupied the Gilbert Islands 3 days after the attack on [[Pearl Harbor]], |
+ | The [[Imperial Japanese Navy|Japanese forces]] occupied the Gilbert Islands 3 days after the attack on [[Pearl Harbor]], Hawaii. As a provided token defense of [[Tarawa]], they built a seaplane base on Makin and dispersed troops along the coastlines of the atolls to monitor the [[Allies|Allied forces]] movement in the [[South West Pacific theatre of World War II|South Pacific]].<ref name="Morison">Samuel Eliot Morison, ''History of United States Naval Operations in World War II,'' Vol. 7; ''Aleutians, Gilberts and Marshalls: June 1942-April 1944,'' (Edison, NJ: Castle Books, 2001).</ref> Following [[Evans Carlson|Carlson's Raiders]] diversionary [[Makin Island raid]] of August 1942, the Japanese command was made aware of the vulnerability and strategic significance of the Gilbert Islands.<ref name="Meyers">Bruce F. Meyers, ''Swift, Silent, and Deadly: Marine Amphibious Reconnaissance in the Pacific, 1942-1945,'' (Annapolis, MD: Naval Institute Press, 2004).</ref> The largest and most strategically important islands of the Gilberts was [[Tarawa]]. Fortifications were quickly built up by the Japanese starting in March 1943 with nearly 5,000 troops stationed abroad. An additional 3,000 [[Japanese Special Naval Landing Forces|Special Naval Landing Force]] and base force troops and 940 naval construction units were supplemented by 1,247 laborers. |
| − | By comparison, the Makin islands were held by only a total of 798 combat troops, including some 100 isolated Japanese aviation personnel.<ref name="Frank and Shaw">Benis M. Frank and Henry I. Shaw, Jr., ''History of U.S. Marine Corps Operations in World War II,'' Vol. 5; ''Victory and Occupation,'' (New York, NY: Penguin Books, 1990).</ref> [[General (United States)|General]] [[Holland Smith|Holland M. Smith]], Commanding General of [[V Amphibious Corps]] blamed the Carlson raid for the rapid build-up of Japanese forces and staunchly felt, even long after his retirement, that Tarawa should have been bypassed, instead of incurring heavy Marine casualties during the seizure.<ref name="Morison"/><ref name="Smith and Finch">Gen. Holland M. Smith and Perry Finch, ''Coral and Brass,'' (New York: Viking, 1974, 1976).</ref> [[Admiral (United States)|Admirals]] [[Chester W. Nimitz]], [[Ernest King]] and [[Raymond A. Spruance]] did not agree, and believed that retaking the Gilberts to provide an air base for the next step, the battle for the Marshall Islands, was essential for continued movement toward Japan across the Pacific. |
+ | By comparison, the Makin islands were held by only a total of 798 combat troops, including some 100 isolated Japanese aviation personnel.<ref name="Frank and Shaw">Benis M. Frank and Henry I. Shaw, Jr., ''History of U.S. Marine Corps Operations in World War II,'' Vol. 5; ''Victory and Occupation,'' (New York, NY: Penguin Books, 1990).</ref> [[General (United States)|General]] [[Holland Smith|Holland M. Smith]], Commanding General of [[V Amphibious Corps]] blamed the Carlson raid for the rapid build-up of Japanese forces and staunchly felt, even long after his retirement, that Tarawa should have been bypassed, instead of incurring heavy Marine casualties during the seizure.<ref name="Morison"/><ref name="Smith and Finch">Gen. Holland M. Smith and Perry Finch, ''Coral and Brass,'' (New York: Viking, 1974, 1976).</ref> [[Admiral (United States)|Admirals]] [[Chester W. Nimitz]], [[Ernest King]] and [[Raymond A. Spruance]] did not agree, and believed that retaking the Gilberts to provide an air base for the next step, the battle for the Marshall Islands, was essential for continued movement toward Japan across the Pacific. The code name for the capture of the Gilberts was '''Operation Galvanic''',<ref name="Frank and Shaw"/><ref name="Smith and Finch"/> which called for the seizures of [[Tarawa]], Makin and [[Abemama|Apamama]]. |
==References== |
==References== |
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| year = 1998 |
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| chapter = An Allied Interpretation of the Pacific War |
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| year = 1956 |
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| url = http://www.ibiblio.org/hyperwar/USN/ACTC/index.html |
| url = http://www.ibiblio.org/hyperwar/USN/ACTC/index.html |
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| title = The Amphibians Came to Conquer: The Story of Admiral Richmond Kelly Turner |
| title = The Amphibians Came to Conquer: The Story of Admiral Richmond Kelly Turner |
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| publisher = United States Government Printing Office |
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| year = 1978 |
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| title = Storm Over the Gilberts: War in the Central Pacific 1943 |
| title = Storm Over the Gilberts: War in the Central Pacific 1943 |
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| publisher = Mason/Charter |
| publisher = Mason/Charter |
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| id = ASIN B001RSIDF8 |
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Latest revision as of 01:25, 19 April 2016
In the Pacific Theater of World War II, the Gilbert and Marshall Islands campaign, from November 1943 through February 1944, were key strategic operations of the United States Pacific Fleet and Marine Corps in the Central Pacific. The purpose was to establish airfields that would allow land based air support for the upcoming operations across the central pacific. The campaign began with a costly three-day battle for the island of Betio at the Tarawa atoll. The campaign was preceded a year earlier by a diversionary raid on Makin Island by U.S. Marines in August, 1942.
Japanese bases in the Gilbert and Marshall Islands were the outer perimeter of eastern defenses for the Japanese Empire. The Marianas campaign followed the next summer.
Background
1944 US newsreel about the invasion
The Japanese forces occupied the Gilbert Islands 3 days after the attack on Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. As a provided token defense of Tarawa, they built a seaplane base on Makin and dispersed troops along the coastlines of the atolls to monitor the Allied forces movement in the South Pacific.[1] Following Carlson's Raiders diversionary Makin Island raid of August 1942, the Japanese command was made aware of the vulnerability and strategic significance of the Gilbert Islands.[2] The largest and most strategically important islands of the Gilberts was Tarawa. Fortifications were quickly built up by the Japanese starting in March 1943 with nearly 5,000 troops stationed abroad. An additional 3,000 Special Naval Landing Force and base force troops and 940 naval construction units were supplemented by 1,247 laborers.
By comparison, the Makin islands were held by only a total of 798 combat troops, including some 100 isolated Japanese aviation personnel.[3] General Holland M. Smith, Commanding General of V Amphibious Corps blamed the Carlson raid for the rapid build-up of Japanese forces and staunchly felt, even long after his retirement, that Tarawa should have been bypassed, instead of incurring heavy Marine casualties during the seizure.[1][4] Admirals Chester W. Nimitz, Ernest King and Raymond A. Spruance did not agree, and believed that retaking the Gilberts to provide an air base for the next step, the battle for the Marshall Islands, was essential for continued movement toward Japan across the Pacific. The code name for the capture of the Gilberts was Operation Galvanic,[3][4] which called for the seizures of Tarawa, Makin and Apamama.
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Samuel Eliot Morison, History of United States Naval Operations in World War II, Vol. 7; Aleutians, Gilberts and Marshalls: June 1942-April 1944, (Edison, NJ: Castle Books, 2001).
- ↑ Bruce F. Meyers, Swift, Silent, and Deadly: Marine Amphibious Reconnaissance in the Pacific, 1942-1945, (Annapolis, MD: Naval Institute Press, 2004).
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Benis M. Frank and Henry I. Shaw, Jr., History of U.S. Marine Corps Operations in World War II, Vol. 5; Victory and Occupation, (New York, NY: Penguin Books, 1990).
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Gen. Holland M. Smith and Perry Finch, Coral and Brass, (New York: Viking, 1974, 1976).
Further reading
- Drea, Edward J. (1998). "An Allied Interpretation of the Pacific War". In the Service of the Emperor: Essays on the Imperial Japanese Army. Nebraska: University of Nebraska Press. ISBN 0-8032-1708-0.
- Dyer, George Carroll (1956). "The Amphibians Came to Conquer: The Story of Admiral Richmond Kelly Turner". United States Government Printing Office. http://www.ibiblio.org/hyperwar/USN/ACTC/index.html. Retrieved May 5, 2011.
- Hoyt, Edwin P. (1978). Storm Over the Gilberts: War in the Central Pacific 1943. Mason/Charter. ASIN B001RSIDF8.
- Wright III, Burton. Eastern Mandates. World War II Campaign Brochures. Washington D.C.: United States Army Center of Military History. CMH Pub 72-23. http://www.history.army.mil/brochures/eastman/eastman.htm.
Coordinates: 6°55′34″N 168°39′43″E / 6.926°N 168.662°E
The original article can be found at Gilbert and Marshall Islands campaign and the edit history here.