The Gilberts
Capture of Tarawa and Makin

Related: Army, Navy, and Marine Corps Doctrine for amphibious operations.

"...their only armor, a khaki shirt."

Operation GALVANIC: The opening of the Central Pacific Drive--the centerpiece of War Plan ORANGE from the beginning of planning for a potential war with Japan. After 2 years of building up forces, fighting a defensive war in the Southwest Pacific, and limited counteroffensives in the Solomons-Bismarcks and New Guinea, ORANGE would produce rapid advances thru the Gilberts (Nov 1943), Marshalls (Feb 1944), and Marianas (June-Aug 1944)--strategic victory that even the Japanese leadership recognized.

(Links to additional resources)

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Contents

General Accounts:

• Building the Navy's Bases in World War II: Chapter 27-- Bases in the Central Pacific
• HISTORY OF U.S. NAVAL OPERATIONS IN WORLD WAR II, by Rear Adm. Samuel Eliot Morison, USNR
  Vol. VII: Aleutians, Gilberts and Marshalls, June 1942--April 1944
• The Amphibians Came to Conquer--The Story of Admiral Richmond Kelly Turner, by Rear Adm. George C. Dyer, USN (Ret)
  Chapters 16-18

• U.S. ARMY IN WORLD WAR II--PACIFIC THEATER OF OPERATIONS
  Seizure of the Gilberts and Marshalls, by Philip A Crowl and Edmund G. Love

• THE ARMY AIR FORCES IN WORLD WAR II
  Vol IV: The Pacific: Guadalcanal to Saipan--August 1942 to July 1944
  Chapter 9: The Gilberts and Marshalls
• UNITED STATES STRATEGIC BOMBING SURVEY
  Campaigns of the Pacific War
  Central Pacific Operations From 1 June 1943 to 1 March 1944, Including the Gilbert-Marshall Islands Campaign

• Aerology and Amphibious Warfare: The Occupation of the Gilbert Islands

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Makin

• AMERICAN FORCES IN ACTION
  The Capture of Makin (20-24 November 1943)
• U.S. ARMY IN WORLD WAR II--PACIFIC THEATER OF OPERATIONS
  Seizure of the Gilberts and Marshalls, by Philip A Crowl and Edmund G. Love
• U.S. ARMY CAMPAIGNS OF WORLD WAR II
  Central Pacific: 7 December 1941--6 December 1943

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Tarawa

• U.S. MARINE CORPS HISTORICAL MONOGRAPH
  The Battle for Tarawa, by Capt. James R. Stockman, USMC
• HISTORY OF U.S. MARINE CORPS OPERATIONS IN WORLD WAR II
  Vol. III Central Pacific Drive, by Henry I. Shaw, Jr., Bernard C. Nalty, and Edwin T. Turnbladh
• MARINES IN WORLD WAR II COMMEMORATIVE HISTORY
  Across the Reef: The Marine Assault of Tarawa
• 2d Marine Division After Action Report

• U.S. ARMY IN WORLD WAR II--PACIFIC THEATER OF OPERATIONS
  Seizure of the Gilberts and Marshalls, by Philip A Crowl and Edmund G. Love

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The Japanese Perspective:

• UNITED STATES STRATEGIC BOMBING SURVEY
  • Campaigns of the Pacific War
    Chapter 9: Central Pacific Operations From 1 June 1943 to 1 March 1944
  • Interrogations of Japanese Officials (US Strategic Bombing Survey, Pacific)
    • #18/93: Interrogation of Lt. Comdr. Tokuno Hiroshi, IJN
    • #30/123: Interrogation of Commander Matsuura, Goro, IJN
    • #34/139: Interrogation of Commander Nakajima Chikataka, IJN
    • #38/160: Interrogation of Capt. Ohmae Toshikazu, IJN
    • #43/192: Interrogation of Capt. Ohmae Toshikazu, IJN
    • #82/396: Interrogation of Capt. Shiki Tsuneo, IJN
    • #96/445: Interrogation of Read Adm. Nabeshima Shunsaku, IJN
    • #115/503: Interrogation of Vice Adm. Fukudome Shigeru, IJN

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Additional Resources
World War II DVDs from The History Channel Marines in Action contains the work of Kerr Eby and documents that Marine landing at Tarawa, Bougainville and New Britain from an point of view of an eyewitness to these dramatic battles.

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