Historium

This will be a blog where I will post on any topic of history or satire.

Battle of Wake Island

    Most people will know the significance of the date December 7. Even if they don’t at first, they probably will after you mention World War II, and maybe the mention of Hawaii still would have to be required. The attack on Pearl Harbor was the first battle that the fought in the Second World War, and it was also its first defeat in the war.

Most people, however, do not know what happened just 4 days later, on December 11, today. Most people wouldn’t know that on today’s date, in 1941, won its first victory in the war. The victory can be dubbed, The First Attack on Wake Island.

As the victorious Japanese main fleet was sailing home after the Pearl Harbor attack it sent a detachment to take the strategically important island of Wake, located in the center of the Pacific. There were just about 500 marines on the island led by Winfred S. Cunningham, and a number of civilian contractors. The Japanese force consisted of destroyers, light cruisers, and several other small warships. They also had two transports carrying a total of 450 Japanese marines. Some days before, on December 8, an attack by Japanese carrier-planes had taken out 8 of the 12 American planes on the island.

Equipped with 6 5-inch shore guns, the marines fought a battle with the Imperial Japanese ships off-shore. The remaining 4 Marine Air Corps planes also did their part. The day ended with the guns sinking the destroyer Hayate and the aircraft sending another one, the Kisaragi, below the waves. Practically all the other ships were damaged,

For the first time the Americans had something to boost their morale. Not only was this their 1^st victory, but also the Hayate was the 1^st Japanese ship to be sunk in the war. It was also the 1^st and only time in the entire war that an amphibious invasion was turned back by shore guns. Wake proved a Godsend in a time when the disaster at Pearl Harbor still loomed over the country.

The victory did not stay so, the Japanese now decided to send more ships in the directions of Wake, including two carriers. From then until December 23, the island was under a constant siege, being attacked by Japanese planes night and day.

Eventually the Japanese launched a second invasion, this time with 1,500 marines. The fighting was fierce and bloody lasted the whole night and the next morning. Eventually however the marines could not continue fighting, and surrendered.

An American attempt to retake the island was turned back, and Wake was never recaptured until after the official Japanese surrender. All the military personnel were taken prisoner and shipped to Japanese prisoner camps. The civilian contractors stayed behind to do forced labor.

Still, the value of Wake being the site of the first American victory in the most major war in the 20^th had just barely started mobilizing, it proved that the Americans could win a battle. And if a battle can be won, so can a war.

posted by: Scriptor at 21:11 | link | comments (2) |
war and peace, world war ii, american history

Comments:

#1  15 December 2005 - 17:40

 

One of my Uncles was killed in action while serving on the USS South Dakota on June 19, 1944. It is my understanding that he signed up the day after Pearl Harbor was attacked. I don't know if he was involved in the battle for Wake Island or not. From looking up his ship I have found out that it was nicknamed Battle Ship X and it was the first United States ship to open fire on mainland Japan.

Happy Bill Of Rights Day!

God Bless America, God Save The Republic

Mo'nonymous

#2  15 December 2005 - 17:46

 

I think I left that last post anonymous. Sorry.

God Bless America, God Save The Republic

Mo'nonymous

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