Did you know that during WWII the Japanese overtook and occupied American soil?
Did you also realize that one of our local WWII Veterans fought the Japanese on American soil?
Did you also realize that one of our local WWII Veterans fought the Japanese on American soil?
Many of you have heard about Pearl Harbor, but have you heard of the Aleutian Island Campaign? In June of 1942, just 7 short months after the attack on Pearl Harbor, the Japanese seized and occupied two Aleutian Islands, Attu and Kiska.
Attu is only 1,998 miles away from Tokyo. The seizing of the Island of Attu actually was rather strategic due to the Pacific Great Circle Routes. In fact, US General Billy Mitchell had once said "I believe that in the future, whoever holds Alaska will hold the world. I think it is the most important strategic place in the world." The Japanese reasoning was that by seizing power of the Aleutian Islands, it would help prevent a US attack across the Northern Pacific (McCormick, 2016).
June 3 and 4 of 1942, the Japanese bombed Dutch Harbor, a location with two American military bases. On June 6, the Japanese overtook Kiska Island. On June 7, the Japanese took the Westernmost Aleutian Island, Attu. In Attu, the island’s 40 Aleuts that resided there were taken prisoner. This attack was somewhat overshadowed by the Japanese attack on Midway Island, which occurred June 4-7, as well (www.history.com).
While Americans were both shocked, and worried about Japanese occupation on American soil, they were not prepared. The US was still reeling from the Pearl Harbor attack six months prior, and were building forces for the South Pacific Theater and preparing soldiers for war in Europe.
From the time that the Japanese had occupied the Islands in June, and the following January, the Armed Forces in Alaska had grew to 94,000 soldiers. Several bases had been established on other Aleutian Islands. But also, in that timespan, the Japanese became acclimated to the extreme weather and conditions on Attu and Kiska (www.history.com). Many of the Japanese that occupied the islands were already accustomed to strong winds and extreme cold, because they had currently resided in North Japan (McCormick, 2016).
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| Image found on Time.com |
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| Images of the Battle of the Aleutian Islands. Photos found on WarHistoryOnline. |
In March of 1943, the US set up a blockade to keep supplies from being delivered to the Japanese as the first means of attack. On March 26, 1943, a Japanese fleet came to bring supplies and reinforcements to Attu. They engaged in a battle with the US ships (that were outnumbered by the Japanese). The US ships were severely damaged, but Japanese fleet retreated, as they were concerned that American Bombers would soon come. After the battle, the Japanese were isolated, their supplies dwindling. They were only able to rely on occasional supplies delivered by submarines (www.history.com).
Battle of Attu
The Battle of Attu ("Operation Landgrab" would be the only land battle fought on US soil during WWII.
Attu and Kiska were bombed heavily for weeks before 11,000 US soldiers landed at the islands. Americans landed at the North and South ends of the island. The Japanese had gone to central, higher ground rather than fight the Americans as they were landing. The Americans had to make their way through the island to the Japanese (McCormick, 2016).
While the Americans had thought it would be a fairly quick process, they were ill prepared for inclimate the weather. In fact, moreso than being killed in enemy fire, the Americans had more casualties from frostbite, gangrene, trench foot, and illness (www.history.com). Americans also dealt with food shortages.
Much of the fighting was done by small groups, randomly. Because they were accustomed to the landscape, the Japanese used it to their advantage by using rocks and slopes for booby traps, snipers, and dug-in enemy troops (www.history.com).
The Americans strategic military planning, cutting off of the Japanese supplies and reinforcements, the Japanese soldiers were starving, weak, and did not have sufficient weaponry. The Japanese commander decided to make a final effort to claim victory over the island. While their banzai charge startled the unsuspecting Americans, it was ultimately a defeat for the Japanese. When the Japanese could smell defeat, they began committing suicide. Even a field doctor, before committing suicide, killed all of the wounded with a grenade. Only 30 men lived/survived to be taken as prisoners (McCormick, 2016). The Japanese lost over 2000 men when the Americans re-took Attu. Nearly 1,000 American soldiers were lost in Operation Landgrab (www.history.com).
Battle of Kiska
Many lessons were learned in the Battle of Attu. The Americans were now prepared. Soldiers went into Kiska with better gear, proper clothing, more supplies. 35,000 soldiers landed on August 15, 1943. The soldiers were unopposed and Americans searched for days, finding that the Japanese had evacuated. By August 24, Kiska was determined re-claimed by US Troops (www.history.com).
Victory
In August of 1943, America could confidently say that the Japanese had been defeated, and Attu and Kiska had been reclaimed.
References
Cosgrove, Ben (2012). LIFE in the Aleutians: Rare photos from World War II's Forgotten Front.
Found on the Time website: http://time.com/22030/aleutian-islands-campaign-rare-and-classic-photos-from-wwii/
History.Com Staff (2009). Battle of the Aleutian Islands. Found on the History.com website:
http://www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii/battle-of-the-aleutian-islands
McCormick, Jinny (2016). Battles of Attu & Kiska: Retaking the Only US Soil Lost During WWII.
Found on War History Online: https://www.warhistoryonline.com/instant-articles/battles-of-attu_kiska-m.html
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