Makin and Tarawa

Makin and Tarawa

The Marines at Makin

The Marines Wade Ashore at Makin Island

After the Aleutians Campaign, the Joint Chiefs of Staff decided that Admiral Nimitz should strike the first part of the long, bloody road to Japan in the central Pacific, the Gilbert Islands.By November 1943, a sufficient force had been built up to attack and take the Giberts.Major General Holland Smith was in charge of the forces going ashore.The attack was divided into two parts; a force of 7000 would invade north at Makin and a force of 18,000 would hit Tarawa.These two islands were the main islands in the Gilbert chain, and the Japanese had built them up as part of their new defensive ring around the Pacific, ranging from the Kuriles to the Solomans.
On November 20th, Operation:Galvanic was initiated.The 27th Infantry Division invaded Makin.They found a weak garrison defending the island, only 800 strong.The island fell into Allied hands in four days, with all resistance being crushed for a loss of 65 men.
The other part to Operation:Galvanic was the bombardment of Betio, a small island fortress off of Tarawa.After the 2nd Marines landed.When they went ashore, it looked to them like the defences had been destroyed, but they met heavy fire while they hit the beach.Nearly one-third of them were hit.Some 5000 Marines managed to wade ashore under all that, and pushed the Japanese into the interior.The garrison on Tarawa was 5000 strong and they were some of the best units the Empire had to offer.They fought fiercely, doing suicidal charges at the Marines.Although the Marines took heavy casualties, the Japanese got the worst of it.All of these charges were stopped and nearly every Japanese soldier invovled was cut down.By the next evening, the island was secured, but the Marines paid a heavy price for the ground they gained; 1009 dead and 2101 wounded.By November 26th, the Gilberts had fallen into Allied hands.

Some Afterthoughts

In my opinion, the U.S. Marines fought with supreme courage.From this battle forward, the Japanese threw everything they had at them, even themselves! Both sides fought bravely but the Marines were going to win.They were too determended.

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