Chapter 24: The United States in World War II section 1: The War in Europe and North Africa The Battle of the Atlantic
Download 8.66 Mb.
|
The island of Guadalcanal is in the Solomon Island chain, north east of Australia and east of New Guinea. The Japanese had taken these islands in the spring of 1942. On Guadalcanal they were building an airstrip which could threaten sea lanes to Australia. The Marines were sent to take the island in August 1942. In a 6 month campaign, the Marines faced abandonment by the navy, hot, humid conditions, malaria infested swamps, quicksand, poisonous snakes, crocodiles, huge spiders, and an enemy who neither asked nor gave any quarter; they considered it dishonorable to surrender so they would rather kill themselves by blowing themselves up and hopefully, some Marines with them. Or they would commit ritual Seppuku; the Marines called it Hara-kiri, by inserting a ritual knife into the abdomen then ripping it across. Since death was usually not instantaneous, a kaishaku, or attendant, would quickly behead the dying warrior. The battle took place on the land, on the sea [Iron Bottom Sound], and in the air [the Cactus Air Force]. The Japanese abandoned the island in February 1943. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KQKJY43-LmE&list=PLoutube.com/watch?v=KQKJY43- v6_G4 The victory at Guadalcanal led to more invasions and more victories. The strategy was called Island Hopping; taking vital areas and bypassing islands that were not crucial to the advance across the Pacific. It was to be a two pronged strategy: Nimitz was responsible for the central Pacific and MacArthur for the south and east Pacific. Key islands in the Gilbert, Marshall, Caroline and Mariana chains were taken by the Navy and Marines. The island of New Guinea and originally Formosa; but instead, eventually the Philippines were Macarthur’s responsibility. 
At Tarawa in the Gilberts, the charts they used were from the 1800s. The landing craft the Marines were in could not cross the coral reef that surrounded the island so they were dropped hundreds of yards off-shore and had to wade through deep water. The Japanese had zeroed in the approaches and mowed down the advancing Marines as they waded ashore. The island is at 2 degrees latitude. Bodies of the dead decayed very rapidly, creating a sickly-sweet odor that survivors said they could never forget. 
1st photo of American dead released during the war. Saipan in the Mariana group was one of the most important victories. The island was only 70 square miles in area yet it was perforated with tunnels and bunkers. The defenders had to be rooted out one tunnel at a time. There were also 20,000 Japanese civilians on the island. They had been told that if they were captured by the Americans, they would be mistreated. As a result, thousands committed suicide by jumping off the cliffs at one end of the island. The defenders massed for one last Bonzai charge in which over 5,000 of them were killed. The commander of the Japanese forces committed Seppuku. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RX6mOLgtBDU 
The capture of Saipan and nearby Tinian islands put U.S. forces within 1,300 miles of Japan; well within the range of the new B-29 bombers. One innovation the marines employed was Navajo Code Talkers. The Navajo language is very complicated and it had never been written down. The Marines recruited Navajo men to man the radios and speak in their own language-the Japanese could not break the code they developed.
Download 8.66 Mb. Share with your friends:
|