Over the Seawall with the US Marines. Bloody Tarawa

 Painting by U.S.M.C. Sgt. Tom Lovell.

The Battle of Tarawa, fought from November 20 to November 23, 1943, was one of the most intense and pivotal engagements of the Pacific War during World War II. Part of the larger Allied strategy of "island hopping," the battle aimed to secure the Gilbert Islands, a stepping stone for future campaigns in the Marshall and Mariana Islands. It marked the first time the United States faced significant Japanese resistance in an amphibious assault.

Background and Strategic Importance

Tarawa Atoll, located in the Gilbert Islands, was strategically significant due to its central location in the Pacific Ocean. The Japanese heavily fortified Betio Island, the largest and most crucial landmass within the atoll, with airstrips, bunkers, pillboxes, and coastal artillery. Defended by approximately 4,800 Japanese troops, including elite naval forces, the island was considered nearly impregnable. Japanese Rear Admiral Keiji Shibazaki famously claimed that "a million men could not take Tarawa in a hundred years."

For the Allies, capturing Tarawa was essential for establishing airfields and securing supply lines for future operations.

Preparations and Planning

The U.S. Navy and Marine Corps spearheaded the assault, with the 2nd Marine Division tasked with the operation. Planning emphasized heavy pre-landing bombardment and the use of amphibious vehicles to breach the island's formidable defenses. However, intelligence underestimated the challenges posed by Tarawa’s shallow reefs and the ferocity of Japanese resistance.

The Japanese, meanwhile, had transformed Betio into a fortress. They constructed an extensive network of interconnected bunkers, trenches, and machine gun nests, supported by over 40 artillery pieces.

The Assault Begins: November 20, 1943

The battle commenced with an intense naval and aerial bombardment, intended to neutralize Japanese defenses. While this assault inflicted significant damage, many Japanese positions remained operational, as their bunkers were designed to withstand heavy shelling.

Robert Sherrod, a war correspondent for Time magazine, provided vivid and harrowing accounts of the Battle of Tarawa. His reports captured the brutality of the fight and the experiences of the U.S. Marines during the invasion. In his words: "They had to wade ashore, unprotected, waist-deep, for hundreds of yards, under fire from Japanese rifles, machine guns, and mortars. No man who waded ashore that morning will ever forget it."

At 9:00 AM, the first wave of U.S. Marines attempted to land. They used amphibious tractors (LVTs) to cross the coral reefs surrounding the island. Many of these vehicles were destroyed by Japanese fire or became stranded on the reefs, forcing Marines to wade through waist-deep water under heavy machine gun and artillery fire. This resulted in devastating casualties before even reaching the shore.

The seawall on Betio Island during the Battle of Tarawa was a critical feature of the terrain and played a significant role in the Marines’ landing. Constructed primarily of compacted coral and debris, the seawall stood approximately 4 to 6 feet high and ran parallel to the shoreline. Originally built to prevent erosion, it was repurposed by the Japanese as a defensive fortification. Machine gun nests and small artillery emplacements were positioned nearby, turning the seawall into a formidable obstacle for the invading forces. Located just beyond the tide line, it separated the shallow waters from the flat, open beach that led to the island’s interior, including the critical airstrip.

For the Marines, reaching the seawall was a deadly ordeal. Many amphibious vehicles became stranded on coral reefs, forcing troops to wade through chest-deep water under relentless fire. Those who made it to the seawall used it as a rallying point, a place to regroup and find cover from the intense Japanese gunfire. However, scaling the barrier and advancing further inland was fraught with danger, as the Japanese had pre-sighted their weapons to cover the approaches to the wall. While it offered some protection, the seawall was also a killing ground, with heavy casualties sustained in its vicinity. Despite these challenges, the Marines eventually breached the seawall and pushed forward, but the brutal fighting around it highlighted the ferocity of the battle and the grim realities of amphibious warfare.

Amphibious tractors, known as LVTs (Landing Vehicle Tracked), played a crucial but limited role in the invasion of Tarawa. Designed to transport troops and supplies from ships to shore, these vehicles were intended to overcome the challenges posed by coral reefs that surrounded the island. At Tarawa, the shallow reef created a significant obstacle for traditional landing craft, which often became stranded far from the shore. The LVTs, with their ability to move over both water and rough terrain, were the only vehicles capable of crossing the reefs and delivering troops directly to the beaches during the initial assault. However, the LVTs were lightly armored and vulnerable to Japanese fire, with many destroyed by concentrated machine gun, mortar, and artillery attacks before reaching the shore. Those that survived provided critical support by ferrying wounded soldiers back to ships and carrying supplies forward to the embattled Marines. Despite their limitations, the amphibious tractors proved indispensable in the chaotic and deadly landing at Tarawa, and their performance underscored the importance of such vehicles in future amphibious operations.

By nightfall, the Marines had established a tenuous beachhead but suffered from heavy losses. Communication breakdowns, logistical issues, and relentless Japanese counterattacks added to the chaos.

Fierce Fighting: November 21-22, 1943

The battle quickly devolved into a brutal, close-quarters struggle. Marines faced well-camouflaged Japanese defenders who launched suicidal counterattacks and employed hidden sniper nests. Each fortified position required painstaking efforts to destroy, often involving grenades, flamethrowers, and satchel charges.

Despite these challenges, the Marines steadily expanded their beachhead, capturing critical positions, including Japanese artillery emplacements and command posts. Over the course of these two days, U.S. forces effectively cut off Japanese reinforcements and eliminated their remaining strongholds.

The Final Push: November 23, 1943

By the morning of November 23, the Japanese garrison was nearly annihilated. The remaining defenders launched a final banzai charge, which the Marines repelled with heavy losses on both sides. By the end of the day, organized Japanese resistance had ceased, and Betio was declared secure.

Aftermath and Legacy

The battle resulted in staggering casualties on both sides. The U.S. suffered approximately 1,000 killed and 2,100 wounded, while nearly all of the Japanese defenders were killed, with only 17 soldiers and 129 Korean laborers captured alive.

Tarawa demonstrated the ferocity of Pacific warfare and highlighted the need for improved tactics and equipment in amphibious operations. The high American casualties shocked the public back home, as this was one of the first battles where graphic images and accounts of war reached the U.S. media.

Despite the bloodshed, the battle was a strategic victory, as it secured the Gilbert Islands and paved the way for further offensives in the Central Pacific. The lessons learned at Tarawa informed future operations, such as the battles for Saipan, Iwo Jima, and Okinawa.

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Significance

The Battle of Tarawa is remembered for its brutality and the heroism displayed by the U.S. Marines and Navy. It underscored the challenges of amphibious warfare and marked a turning point in the Pacific Theater, showcasing both the resilience of American forces and the formidable nature of Japanese defenses.