Battle of Kwajalein in World War II

The Battle of Kwajalein occurred January 31 to February 3, 1944 in the Pacific Theater of World War II (1939-1945). Moving forward from victories in the Solomons and Gilbert Islands in 1943, Allied forces sought to penetrate the next ring of Japanese defenses in the central Pacific. Attacking into the Marshall Islands, the Allies occupied Majuro and then commenced operations against Kwajalein. Striking at both ends of the atoll, they succeeded in eliminating the Japanese opposition after brief but fierce battles. The triumph opened the way for the subsequent capture of Eniwetok and a campaign against the Marianas.   Background In the wake of the American victories at Tarawa and Makin in November 1943, Allied forces continued their island-hopping campaign by moving against Japanese positions in Marshall Islands. Part of the Eastern Mandates, the Marshalls were originally a German possession and were awarded to Japan after World War I. Considered part of the outer ring of Japanese territory, planners in Tokyo decided after the loss of the Solomons and New Guinea that the islands were expendable. With this in mind, what troops were available were shifted to the area to make the islands capture as costly as possible. Japanese Preparations Led by Rear Admiral Monzo Akiyama, Japanese forces in the Marshalls consisted of the 6th Base Force which initially numbered approximately 8,100 men and 110 aircraft. While a sizable force, Akiyamas strength was diluted by the need to spread his command over the entirety of the Marshalls. In addition, many of Akiyamas troops were labor/construction details or naval forces with little ground combat training. As a result, Akiyama could only muster around 4,000 effectives. Believing the assault would strike one of the outlying islands first, he positioned the bulk of his men on Jaluit, Mili, Maloelap, and Wotje. In November 1943, American airstrikes began whittling down Akiyamas air power, destroying 71 aircraft. These were partially replaced over the next several weeks by reinforcements flown in from Truk. On the Allied side, Admiral Chester Nimitz originally planned a series of assaults on the outer islands of the Marshalls, but upon learning of Japanese troop dispositions through ULTRA radio intercepts altered his approach. Rather than strike where Akiyamas defenses were strongest, Nimitz directed his forces to move against Kwajalein Atoll in the central Marshalls. Armies Commanders Allies Rear Admiral Richmond K. TurnerMajor General Holland M. Smithapprox. 42,000 men (2 divisions) Japanese Rear Admiral Monzo Akiyamaapprox. 8,100 men Allied Plans Designated Operation Flintlock, the Allied plan called for Rear Admiral Richmond K. Turners 5th Amphibious Force to deliver Major General Holland M. Smiths V Amphibious Corps to the atoll where Major General Harry Schmidts 4th Marine Division would assault the linked islands of Roi-Namur while Major General Charles Corletts 7th Infantry Division attacked Kwajalein Island. To prepare for the operation, Allied aircraft repeatedly struck Japanese airbases in the Marshalls through December. This saw B-24 Liberators stage through Baker Island to bomb a variety of strategic targets including the airfield on Mili. Subsequent strikes saw A-24 Banshees and B-25 Mitchells mount several raids across the Marshalls. Moving into position, US carriers began a concerted air offensive against Kwajalein on January 29, 1944. Two days later, US troops captured the small island of Majuro, 220 miles to the southeast, without a fight. This operation was conducted by the V Amphibious Corps Marine Reconnaissance Company and 2nd Battalion, 106th Infantry.    Coming Ashore That same day, members of the 7th Infantry Division landed on small islands, dubbed Carlos, Carter, Cecil, and Carlson, near Kwajalein to establish artillery positions for the assault on the island. The next day, the artillery, with additional fire from US warships, including USS Tennessee (BB-43), opened fire on Kwajalein Island. Pummeling the island, the bombardment allowed the 7th Infantry to land and easily overcome the Japanese resistance. The attack was also aided by the weak nature of the Japanese defenses which could not be built in depth due to the islands narrowness.   Fighting continued for four day with the Japanese mounting nightly counterattacks. On February 3, Kwajalein Island was declared secure. Roi-Namur At the north end of the atoll, elements of the 4th Marines followed a similar strategy and established fire bases on islands dubbed Ivan, Jacob, Albert, Allen, and Abraham. Attacking Roi-Namur on February 1, they succeeded in securing the airfield on Roi that day and eliminated Japanese resistance on Namur the next day. The largest single loss of life in the battle occurred when a Marine threw a satchel charge into a bunker containing torpedo warheads. The resulting blast killed 20 Marines and wounded several others. Aftermath The victory at Kwajalein broke a hole through the Japanese outer defenses and was a key step in the Allies island-hopping campaign. Allied losses in the battle numbered 372 killed and 1,592 wounded. Japanese casualties are estimated at 7,870 killed/wounded and 105 captured. In assessing the outcome at Kwajalein, Allied planners were pleased to find that the tactical changes made after the bloody assault on Tarawa had bore fruit and plans were made to attack Eniwetok Atoll on February 17. For the Japanese, the battle demonstrated that beachline defenses were too vulnerable to attack and that defense in-depth was necessary if they hoped to stop Allied assaults.

The Crucible By Arthur Miller - 1474 Words

Arthur Miller wrote The Crucible in 1953. He wrote this because he wanted to give out a central message to people all around the world. In the play, Miller presented many issues like how individual freedom was being taken away because of how society sets their laws and standards for what they believe was right or wrong. Also, he shows that there many people who do not believe in the same ideas or practices as anyone else and are forced to deal with the external pressures from society. Around the time Miller wrote the play, a lot of people in America were being accused of anything that society believed was wrong. Most people were being accused by Senator Joseph McCarthy, of being a communist and Miller was one of them. McCarthy was a man who led investigations to find unwanted communists. He accused Miller because of the political atmosphere in the 1950’s and the witchcraft that was going on in Salem. Eventually, Miller had to go to the House Committee on Un-American Activities and was forced to give up the names of the other communists. In The Crucible, there are two symbolic terms; crucible and witchcraft. A crucible is a receptacle that is used to melt down metals with the heat and separate them from whether it’s valuable or less valuable. Whereas, witchcraft is when people cast spells to conjure up spirits so that it can make bad things happen. The title of Arthur Miller’s play The Crucible is symbolic of both of these terms. In act 1 of The Crucible, Abigail was theShow MoreRelatedThe Crucible By Arthur Miller1269 Words   |  6 PagesAt first glance, the playwright Arthur Miller in The Crucible highlights the historical significance of the Salem Witch Trials of 1692, but in fact it is an allegorical expression of his perception of McCarthyism. If the reader has some background information on Arthur Miller’s victimization as a communist, it is evident that the play is a didactic vessel illustrating the flaws of the court system in the 1950’s. The communist allegations were launched at government employees, entertainers and writersRead MoreThe Crucible By Arthur Miller1681 Words   |  7 Pagesof their way to the last dying breath to make sure they leave with a good or bad reputation. In one of the recent literature study in class â€Å"The Crucible† by Arthur Miller, Miller uses characterization to illustrate reputation throughout the play. â€Å"The Crucible† takes place in Salem, Massachusetts. It is based upon the Salem witch trails. In â€Å"The Crucible†, we journey through the life of three characters who reputations plays a major role in the play. The three characters are John Proctor, AbigailRead MoreThe Crucible By Arthur Miller1333 Words   |  6 PagesAs the various characters in The Crucible by Arthur Miller interact, the dominant theme of the consequences of women’s nonconformity begins to slide out from behind the curtains of the play. Such a theme reveal s the gripping fear that inundated the Puritans during the seventeenth century. This fear led to the famous witch-hunts that primarily terrorized women who deviated from the Puritan vision of absolute obedience and orthodoxy. Arthur Miller presents his interpretation of the suffering by subtlyRead MoreThe Crucible By Arthur Miller998 Words   |  4 Pagesmotivated by jealousy and spite. The Crucible is a four-act dramatic play production that was first performed on January 22, 1953. Arthur Miller used dialogue within the characters to cover the multiple themes; conflicts and resolutions, plus the few directions for the different actions of the play. The Salem Witch Trials were intended to be performed as the play however, when read, it can be more carefully examined and broken down to analyze the techniques. Miller, the playwright, uses literaryRead MoreThe Crucible By Arthur Miller1145 Words   |  5 PagesUnbalance Through The Centuries In Arthur Miller’s play, The Crucible, the author reflects the persecution of communists in America in the 1950’s through a recount of the Salem witch trials. It is often presumed that Miller based his drama directly off of events that were particularly prevalent in the years surrounding the publication of The Crucible- which was released in the year 1953, towards the conclusion of the Korean War. Although there was not a literal witch hunt occurring during this timeRead MoreThe Crucible By Arthur Miller1063 Words   |  5 PagesIn the English dictionary, there are three definitions of the word crucible. One is a metal container in which metals are mixed and melted. Another is a severe test. But the third definition, and the one that I think fits the best for this book, is a place or situation in which different elements interact to create something new. In my mind, this fits because all of the characters had their little grudges and dirty secrets. But when all th ose seemingly little things interact, they formed somethingRead MoreThe Crucible By Arthur Miller1285 Words   |  6 Pages Rationale, Morality, Stereotypes, Pressure, Self-Censorship, Unanimity, and Mindguards. Groupthink has also taken place in our history a a country. The play, The Crucible by Arthur Miller is about a the real-life Salem Witch Trials that happened in 1692 - 1693, in Salem, Massachusetts. Some symptoms of Groupthink found in the Crucible are Rationale, Pressure, and Self-Censorship. The Groupthink symptom, Rationale, is described as when victims of Groupthink ignore warnings: they also collectivelyRead MoreThe Crucible By Arthur Miller811 Words   |  4 Pages While The Crucible, by Arthur Miller, is only a four act play, it still resembles the format of a five act play. The five-act structure evolved from a three-act structure, which was made famous by Roman Aelius Donatus. Donatus came up with three types of plays: Protasis, Epitasis, and Catastrophe. The five-act structure helped to expand the three act structure, mainly made famous by Shakespeare through his many tragedies. Even though The Crucible contains only four acts, it still has the commonRead MoreThe Crucible By Arthur Miller1052 Words   |  5 PagesBuddy Al-Aydi Ms.Healy English 9 CP 14th October 2014 The Crucible Essay The Crucible was a novel written by Arthur Miller in the 1950’s. It was written in a format of the play, portraying an allegory of the Salem Witch-Hunts led by Senator Joseph McCarthy. The book is known to have a inexplicable plot. This plot is advanced by multiple characters in the book in order to ensure that the reader maintains interest with the material that is being read. The farmer, John Proctor, would be theRead MoreThe Crucible By Arthur Miller841 Words   |  4 PagesThe Crucible is a chaotic play, throughout this American classic Arthur Miller takes the reader through multiple events of terror and insanity. While creating a great on-stage play, Arthur Miller portrays his life through the events, the characters, and plot of The Crucible. Using vivid imagery and comprehensible symbolism, Miller manipulates the real personalities of the characters and events in 1600 Salem, Massachusetts to create a symbolic autobiography. Throughout this play, the reader experie nces

Legal Lynching in Alabama - The Scottsboro Boys free essay sample

A look at the 1930 Alabama lynching of nine black youths accused of rape. This paper reports on the Scottsboro lynching of 1930. The case of the Scottsboro Boys was one that showed the tensions between Northerners and Southerners, blacks and whites, poor and wealthy, Communists and Capitalists. The author argues that in midst of these important issues that surrounded this case, many forget the nine young boys, the real victims of this tragedy, a battle of passions, prejudices and propaganda. Few cases stirred up as much controversy and high emotions among the American people in the 1930s as the one of the Scottsboro Boys. The case of the nine black boys accused of raping two white women in Alabama produced many retrials, convictions and reversals that followed for two decades after the first trial. The proceedings of the case embodied many issues existing in the country during this period of the Great Depression. We will write a custom essay sample on Legal Lynching in Alabama The Scottsboro Boys or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page The struggle for justice of the innocent young men heightened the major tensions and illustrated the threat of a social, Communist revolution, unrest along race lines, and divisions and hostility between the North and South, the core themes of the decade.

Vincent Romano Essays (692 words) - Economy, Education, Money

Vincent Romano Dr. Myers English 1301.4033 February 13, 2017 Chasing the Dream Going to college is a dream for most American citizens. Imagine knowing that such a dream could become a reality but without the financial burden of having to pay for it. Tennessee and Oregon are two states that help residents get a little closer to that reality. Currently, there are the only two states in the U.S. that offer free community college education for eligible students. Additionally, some countries offer free college education to their citizens with great success, and in some countries, international students can come for a free education. The U.S. Government should pay for the first, two years of college education for every American citizen for the following reasons: government funding for higher education will help close the economic gap; it will position the very best people into the right places to create a more prosperous economy; and, assisted funding will help alleviate the amount of student debt for young adults. The first major reason the government should pay for the first, two years of college is that it will help close the gap in economic inequality. Many disadvantaged Americans fear the price tag for college. As it is now, talented but underprivileged students are not afforded college opportunities. Therefore, they are not primed for higher paying jobs. People that are in a lower income bracket are then not able to spend leisure money in the economy, invest and do other things extra capital provides. However, allowing students free access to a college education will allow them to have a hand up in economic justice. As more underprivileged Americans move up the financial ladder, the economic gap will begin to narrow. Many top high school students will never get the chance to attend college even though they have the ability to succeed and contribute to society, because many students come from minority and low-income homes that cannot afford college. It is not fair for somebody born into a bad financial situation to be blocked from their dream of going to college. The second major point is that a free, two-year college will position the very best people into the right places to create a more prosperous economy. America wants to be strong and elite. That means it must have a strong economy. Many Americans hope to land a dream job in which they both are passionate about and can make a nice living. For this reason, the government should limit funding for programs that place people into labor and low income jobs. The government could reallocate money into higher education programs that spring people who are qualified into higher paying jobs. Therefore, they will help the economy grow by making more money, spending more money, and investing more money. In other words, if someone thrives in one area that requires a degree which he/she cannot afford, they are most likely going to take a less qualified, lower paying job where they can start earning income right away. Lastly, assisted funding will help to alleviate the amount of student debt for young adults. Currently, the student loan debt in America is extremely high and there are no signs of it slowing down. If students are focused more on the amount of debt they are accumulating in college rather than focusing on their studies, this could be a major road block for them to succeed. This financial burden could easily detract a young student from their ultimate dream and force his/her hand in making the hard choice of continuing their current path in college. All in all, if America wants to close the economic gap, increase economic growth, and alleviate student loan debt then the U.S. Government should pay for the first, two years of college education for every American citizen. America was built as the land of opportunity and the chance to chase one's dream could be made more feasible to all. In the end, if citizens had a free education instead of debt, they could plan their family's future more wisely, and spend time living instead of chasing debt.