Description Of Truk Island Essays - Chuuk Lagoon, Chuuk State

Description Of Truk Island Essays - Chuuk Lagoon, Chuuk State Description Of Truk Island The island of Truk was 800 square miles of sheltered lagoons and strong defensive capabilities. (1) In 1944 the island became vulnerable to allied attacks.(2) All of the warships were subsequently moved away from the island leaving all the forces on the island without warship protection. Truk was still considered one of Japans greatest naval bases. Vice Adm. Chuichi Hara was in command of the forces on the island. At this point in the war the allied forces were just moping up the Japanese as they proceeded to mainland Japan. There was no point in an amphibious assault on an island that had no military significance. Especially when you could just bomb the island form afar. The allied forces were not out to crush every Japanese stronghold. They were making the move towards Japan. It was not necessary to stop at every island and waste lives. Truk was to be neutralized. Carrier aircraft from task force 58 attacked Truk. And shot down everything that was thrown at them. And when they had nothing left to throw at them it was a duck shoot. They pounded the island. 31 ships were sunk(3). 270 aircraft destroyed(4). The forces on the island were reduced to nothing in a few short months. Of the forces that were left instead of fighting the allies they were fighting starvation and disease. 2,000 died of starvation(5) Bibliography Work Cited Hagen, Jerome, War in the Pacific (Ohio: Book Masters, Inc. 1988) 270 Hagen, Jerome, War in the Pacific (Ohio: Book Masters, Inc. 1988) 270 Hagen, Jerome, War in the Pacific (Ohio: Book Masters, Inc. 1988) 270 Hagen, Jerome, War in the Pacific (Ohio: Book Masters, Inc. 1988) 270 Hagen, Jerome, War in the Pacific (Ohio: Book Masters, Inc. 1988) 271