Did you know that the USA has been invaded by the japanese during world war 2 ? They haven't been invaded since the 2nd war of independance in 1812 ! Of course, it was just a few islands of the Aleutian Islands in the state of Alaska. But tacticly, this position is very important. The Earth is a globe, which makes it shorter to bomb the USA from the Aleutian Islands than the Pacifique Islands. "Hopefully", the main battles were in the Pacific. Hopefully because the weather in the nortic Islands is aweful. Imagine fighting in strong blizzard, huge fogs and with your feet and arms froze.
6 and 7 June 1942 : Japanese troops invade Attu and Kiska, the only american territories invaded during WW II. They tell the population "Now, you are japanese". The fact a part of the USA has been invaded is the cause of this oblivion
Auguste 1942, the american build an air base and start bombing the 2 islands.
Attu and Kiska were supplied by boat. And when the american gouverment discovered a date of one of those supplies, they send cruisers to intercept them. The battle took place on the 27 march 1943.You would tell me "yea, just another boat battle, nothing interesting". Yes, but this is an unsual battle. A VERY unsual battle. Only surface ships attent this battle. No planes or submarines. This is the only case in the hole pacific war. It was exactly as ship battles were in the XVIII centurie ! Only the power of the guns and the accuracy were important. No ships were sink but it is a strategical victory for the USA. The japanese decided to supply Attu and Kiska only by submarines after this battle.
After this unsual fight, a terrible battle was going to happen. The battle for retaking of Attu.It took place the 11th of May to the 30th of May 1943. This is the only battle in the hole war fought in the USA lands. With a very rough climat, the conditions of the fights were horrible. On the top of that, the japaneses were more defented then expected. The retaking should have last 72 hours but it took praticly a month. 2100 american soldiers were evacuated for disease or climate-related injury. And on the last day of the battle, the 2900 japanese soldier execute a banzai attack. This final attack shocked a lot the american. Only 29 japaneses survived the battle.
After the retaking of Attu, the retaking of Kiska began with the Operation Cottage. The american led the assault but the japanese had left the island secretly 2 weeks ago. 313 soldier died from friendly shot or from the remaining japanese traps.
Finally more than 5000 men died in something that could be called hell.Today, it's a peacefull land which stills contains sign of the war. I wanted to make a post for them because this campaign of the Aleutian Islands remains forgotten by everybody. I think they deserved it .
