The Attack on Tarawa: Early in the war the road to victory against Japan apparently lay along the Solomons-New Guinea axis through the southern Philippines, thence on to Singapore, Burma and China (which would furnish bases to bomb Japan out of the war.) The seizure of the Marshall Islands and Truk in the Carolines was scheduled, but its purpose was to tighten the communications line to Australia and break into Japan’s inner defense line. By the middle of 1943, however, it was obvious that Rabaul, which was holding up the New Guinea advance, was tougher than anybody had envisioned. The U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff, to whom the Allies had delegated Pacific responsibility, gave top priority to a westward advance across the great ocean. As a preliminary Admiral Nimitz was instructed in July of 1943 to seize the Gilbert Islands, a string of coral atolls that lie across the equator some 2,200 miles southwest of Hawaii.

The new underwater demolition teams went in first to blow paths in the reefs and to clear beach obstacles. Artillery was set up on nearby small islands before the principal targets were assaulted. The Army introduced the wonderful amphibious truck, DUKW (duck). Thus the lessons of indispensable Tarawa, written in the blood of 3,000 marines, saved other thousands. Although those of the 8,500 Japanese who survived the gunfire fought to the death, Kwajalein Atoll cost the lives of only 356 soldiers and marines. Such success caused Rear Admiral Richmond Kelly Turner, the operations amphibious commander, to move on to Eniwetok, westernmost of the Marshalls, on February 17 — three months ahead of the Pacific timetable. Eniwetok’s 3,400 defenders were killed at a cost of 247 Americans. From the new Marshalls bases heavy bombers were soon bombing the Marianas to the west and Truk to the south.