Japanese Infantryman vs US Marine Rifleman

Tarawa, Roi-Namur, and Eniwetok, 1943–44

Japanese Infantryman vs US Marine Rifleman cover

Description

Featuring evocative artwork plates and carefully selected photographs, this book assesses the US Marines and Japanese troops who contested the islands of Tarawa, Roi-Namur, and Eniwetok during 1943–44.

On November 20, 1943, amphibious vehicles carrying Marines of the 2d Marine Division reached the shores of Betio Island in the Tarawa Atoll, defended by a determined Japanese garrison that would fight to the last man. This began a test by combat of over two decades of US studies, analyses, and planning for capturing and defending naval bases in Micronesia. The Tarawa assault was followed in February 1944 by the rapid capture of the Kwajalein and Eniwetok atolls in the Marshall Islands.

In these battles US Marines fought a mix of Imperial Japanese Navy and Imperial Japanese Army ground units. All but a handful of the defenders, whether they were organized ground combat troops or infantry improvised from aviators and service troops, were determined to die for the Emperor while killing as many of the enemy as possible. In this study, Gregg Adams shows how the US Marine Corps and US Navy drew upon these pivotal actions to improve their tactics, organization, and equipment for the next round of amphibious operations. He also explains how their Japanese opponents – realizing that isolated island garrisons were doomed to destruction or isolation if the Imperial Japanese Navy could not defeat the US Navy at sea – moved from seeking to repel an invasion to one inflicting maximum American casualties through prolonged defensive fighting.

Table of Contents

Introduction
The Opposing Sides
Betio Island, November 20–23, 1943
Namur Island, February 1–2, 1944
Engebi Island, February 18, 1944
Analysis
Aftermath
Unit Organizations
Bibliography
Index

Product details

Published Oct 26 2023
Format Ebook (PDF)
Edition 1st
Extent 80
ISBN 9781472857927
Imprint Osprey Publishing
Illustrations Colour artwork plates and maps; black & white and colour photographs and illustrations.
Series Combat
Short code CBT 75
Publisher Bloomsbury Publishing

About the contributors

Author

Gregg Adams

Gregg Adams earned a doctorate in physics in 1983…

Illustrator

Johnny Shumate

Johnny Shumate works as a freelance illustrator li…

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