Battle of Kwajalein
Kwajalein Atoll, Marshall Islands
What happened
US Army and Marine forces under Richmond K. Turner and Holland M. Smith fought the Japanese garrison of Kwajalein Atoll under Monzo Akiyama. The US 7th Infantry Division landed on Kwajalein Island in the south of the atoll, while the 4th Marine Division landed on Roi-Namur in the north. Both first seized smaller islets nearby to support the landings. The islands were declared secure within four days.
Why it matters
Why it matters: It was the first time US forces broke into Japan's 'outer ring' of Pacific territory. It showed that the changes made after the costly Battle of Tarawa worked.
What came next
The US went on to capture Eniwetok and other atolls in February 1944. After the war, Kwajalein became a US missile testing site.
Did you know?
Kwajalein surrounds one of the largest lagoons in the world, covering 2,174 square kilometres.
Timeline
- 1922Japan takes over the Marshall Islands under a League of Nations mandate.
- 31 January-3 February 1944The US captures Kwajalein.
- 19-21 February 1944US forces land on Eniwetok.
- 1946Kwajalein serves as a base for the Operation Crossroads nuclear tests.