| 20 November 1943 U.S. Forces Land in the Gilbert Islands |
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| As Allied forces under the command of Douglas MacArthur
pushed slowly through the Solomon Islands and New Guinea, a new offensive—codenamed Operation
Galvanic, and commanded by Admiral Chester Nimitz—aimed a blow directly at the Gilbert Islands.
The Japanese had taken only two days after the attack on Pearl Harbor, and since they considered
the islands an essential part of their defensive perimeter, they fortified them heavily against
enemy attack. The invasion fleet sailed from Hawaii on November 10, and landings took place on
the islands of Makin and Tarawa ten days later. Realizing that they had no hope of reinforcement,
resupply, or rescue, Japanese forces on those islands fought to the death, and succeeded in inflicting
heavily casualties on the invaders in the process. After three days of vicious fighting, both Makin
and Tarawa were secured, but at high cost—U.S. losses were 218 on Makin and 3,500 on Tarawa,
while the Japanese suffered 555 casualties on Makin and 5,000 on Tarawa.
Histories: Campaign Map: Personal Accounts: Photograph: |
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