Japanese occupation of Attu
Encyclopedia
The Japanese occupation of Attu was the result of an invasion of the Aleutian Islands during World War II
. Imperial Japanese Army
troops landed on 6 June 1942 at the same time as the invasion
of Kiska
. The occupation ended with the Allied
victory in the Battle of Attu
on 30 May 1943.
, their objective was to occupy the islands and destroy the remaining United States Navy
forces in the Pacific
. In order to deceive the American Pacific Fleet
, a diversionary attack was ordered to take place in the Aleutians, thus beginning the Aleutian Islands Campaign. During the Battle of Midway
, Japanese forces were repulsed in a decisive action, meanwhile on 6 June, Japanese naval forces under Boshirō Hosogaya
landed troops unopposed at Kiska and Attu islands. A force consisting of 1,140 infantry
under Major
Matsutoshi Hosumi took control of the island and captured forty-five Aleut civilians and a school teacher. The school teacher's husband was killed during the invasion; the Japanese Army was suspected of executing him. All of the prisoners were eventually removed to Japan.
After landing, the soldiers began constructing an airbase
and fortification
s. The nearest American forces were on Unalaska Island
at Dutch Harbor and at an airbase on Adak Island
. Throughout the occupation, American air and naval forces bombarded the island. Initially the Japanese intended to hold the Aleutians only until the winter of 1942, however, the occupation continued into 1943 in order to deny the Americans use of the islands. In August 1942, the garrison
of Attu was moved to Kiska to help repel a suspected American attack. From August-October 1942, Attu was unoccupied until a 2,900-man force under Colonel
Yasuyo Yamazaki arrived. The new garrison of Attu continued constructing the airfield and fortifictations until11 May 1943, when a 15,000 man army of American and Canadian
troops landed. On 12 May, was forced to surface five miles northeast of Chichagof Harbor
, she was then sunk in a surface engagement with .
Allied forces under General
John L. DeWitt
took control of the island on 30 May after the remaining Japanese troops conducted a massive banzai charge
. American and Canadian forces lost 549 killed and 1,148 wounded, another 2,100 evacuated due to weather related injuries. During the Battle of Attu, all but 29 men of the Japanese garrison were killed. The occupation ended with the Allied victory and American forces used the Japanese built airfield to launch bomber
attacks against the Japanese home islands.
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. Imperial Japanese Army
Imperial Japanese Army
-Foundation:During the Meiji Restoration, the military forces loyal to the Emperor were samurai drawn primarily from the loyalist feudal domains of Satsuma and Chōshū...
troops landed on 6 June 1942 at the same time as the invasion
Japanese occupation of Kiska
The Japanese occupation of Kiska took place between 6 June 1942 and 28 July 1943 during the Aleutian Islands Campaign of the Pacific War. The Japanese occupied Kiska and nearby Attu Island in order to protect the northern flank of the Japanese Empire....
of Kiska
Kiska
Kiska is an island in the Rat Islands group of the Aleutian Islands of Alaska located at . It is about long and varies in width from - Discovery :...
. The occupation ended with the Allied
Allies of World War II
The Allies of World War II were the countries that opposed the Axis powers during the Second World War . Former Axis states contributing to the Allied victory are not considered Allied states...
victory in the Battle of Attu
Battle of Attu
The Battle of Attu, which took place from 11-30 May 1943, was fought entirely between forces of the United States and the Empire of Japan on Attu Island off the coast of Alaska. The action, which was part of the Aleutian Islands Campaign during the Pacific War, was the only land battle of World War...
on 30 May 1943.
Occupation
In May 1942, the Japanese began a campaign against MidwayMidway Atoll
Midway Atoll is a atoll in the North Pacific Ocean, near the northwestern end of the Hawaiian archipelago, about one-third of the way between Honolulu, Hawaii, and Tokyo, Japan. Unique among the Hawaiian islands, Midway observes UTC-11 , eleven hours behind Coordinated Universal Time and one hour...
, their objective was to occupy the islands and destroy the remaining United States Navy
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
forces in the Pacific
Pacific Ocean
The Pacific Ocean is the largest of the Earth's oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic in the north to the Southern Ocean in the south, bounded by Asia and Australia in the west, and the Americas in the east.At 165.2 million square kilometres in area, this largest division of the World...
. In order to deceive the American Pacific Fleet
United States Pacific Fleet
The United States Pacific Fleet is a Pacific Ocean theater-level component command of the United States Navy that provides naval resources under the operational control of the United States Pacific Command. Its home port is at Pearl Harbor Naval Base, Hawaii. It is commanded by Admiral Patrick M...
, a diversionary attack was ordered to take place in the Aleutians, thus beginning the Aleutian Islands Campaign. During the Battle of Midway
Battle of Midway
The Battle of Midway is widely regarded as the most important naval battle of the Pacific Campaign of World War II. Between 4 and 7 June 1942, approximately one month after the Battle of the Coral Sea and six months after Japan's attack on Pearl Harbor, the United States Navy decisively defeated...
, Japanese forces were repulsed in a decisive action, meanwhile on 6 June, Japanese naval forces under Boshirō Hosogaya
Boshiro Hosogaya
, was an admiral in the Imperial Japanese Navy during World War II.-Biography:Hosogaya was born to a farming family in Nozawa, Nagano prefecture in 1888. He graduated from the 36th class of the Imperial Japanese Naval Academy in 1908. He was ranked 16th in a class of 191 cadets. As a midshipman, he...
landed troops unopposed at Kiska and Attu islands. A force consisting of 1,140 infantry
Infantry
Infantrymen are soldiers who are specifically trained for the role of fighting on foot to engage the enemy face to face and have historically borne the brunt of the casualties of combat in wars. As the oldest branch of combat arms, they are the backbone of armies...
under Major
Major
Major is a rank of commissioned officer, with corresponding ranks existing in almost every military in the world.When used unhyphenated, in conjunction with no other indicator of rank, the term refers to the rank just senior to that of an Army captain and just below the rank of lieutenant colonel. ...
Matsutoshi Hosumi took control of the island and captured forty-five Aleut civilians and a school teacher. The school teacher's husband was killed during the invasion; the Japanese Army was suspected of executing him. All of the prisoners were eventually removed to Japan.
After landing, the soldiers began constructing an airbase
Airbase
An airbase is a military airfield that provides basing and support of military aircraft....
and fortification
Fortification
Fortifications are military constructions and buildings designed for defence in warfare and military bases. Humans have constructed defensive works for many thousands of years, in a variety of increasingly complex designs...
s. The nearest American forces were on Unalaska Island
Unalaska Island
Unalaska is an island in the Fox Islands group of the Aleutian Islands in the U.S. state of Alaska, at . The island has a land area of . The city of Unalaska, Alaska, covers part of the island and all of neighboring Amaknak Island where the Port of Dutch Harbor is located...
at Dutch Harbor and at an airbase on Adak Island
Adak Island
Adak Island is an island near the western extent of the Andreanof Islands group of the Aleutian Islands in Alaska. Alaska's southernmost town, Adak, is located on the island...
. Throughout the occupation, American air and naval forces bombarded the island. Initially the Japanese intended to hold the Aleutians only until the winter of 1942, however, the occupation continued into 1943 in order to deny the Americans use of the islands. In August 1942, the garrison
Garrison
Garrison is the collective term for a body of troops stationed in a particular location, originally to guard it, but now often simply using it as a home base....
of Attu was moved to Kiska to help repel a suspected American attack. From August-October 1942, Attu was unoccupied until a 2,900-man force under Colonel
Colonel
Colonel , abbreviated Col or COL, is a military rank of a senior commissioned officer. It or a corresponding rank exists in most armies and in many air forces; the naval equivalent rank is generally "Captain". It is also used in some police forces and other paramilitary rank structures...
Yasuyo Yamazaki arrived. The new garrison of Attu continued constructing the airfield and fortifictations until11 May 1943, when a 15,000 man army of American and Canadian
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
troops landed. On 12 May, was forced to surface five miles northeast of Chichagof Harbor
Chichagof Harbor
Chichagof Harbor is an inlet on the northeast coast of the island of Attu in the Aleutian Islands in Alaska. It is named after Russian Admiral and polar explorer Vasily Chichagov.-References:...
, she was then sunk in a surface engagement with .
Allied forces under General
General
A general officer is an officer of high military rank, usually in the army, and in some nations, the air force. The term is widely used by many nations of the world, and when a country uses a different term, there is an equivalent title given....
John L. DeWitt
John L. DeWitt
John Lesesne DeWitt was a general in the United States Army, best known for his vocal support of the internment of Japanese-Americans during World War II....
took control of the island on 30 May after the remaining Japanese troops conducted a massive banzai charge
Banzai charge
Banzai charge was a term applied during World War II by the Allied forces to human wave attacks mounted by infantry forces of the Imperial Japanese Army...
. American and Canadian forces lost 549 killed and 1,148 wounded, another 2,100 evacuated due to weather related injuries. During the Battle of Attu, all but 29 men of the Japanese garrison were killed. The occupation ended with the Allied victory and American forces used the Japanese built airfield to launch bomber
Bomber
A bomber is a military aircraft designed to attack ground and sea targets, by dropping bombs on them, or – in recent years – by launching cruise missiles at them.-Classifications of bombers:...
attacks against the Japanese home islands.