"Just What Did You Expect of the Marines, Anyway?"
It is unimaginable that any reader will not know the basic story of the gallant defense of Wake Island by its Marine defenders in the 15 days that covered the period December 8-23, 1941. Immortalized by the media of the period (and later depicted in a patriotic Hollywood film), the defense of Wake was every bit as epic as the fabled stands at Thermopylae or the Alamo. And every bit just as pre-ordained to failure. What may not be as clear though, are the conflicting goals and objectives of the two combatants which led to the Japanese attack on this relatively isolated American outpost.
WHY WAKE?
The Japanese saw the American presence at Wake as an on-going threat to their control of the mandates located some 560 miles to the south. Seizure by the Japanese would also sever the most direct supply line used by the United States to its possessions in the Philippines. Additionally, control of Wake added another bastion in its outer defense perimeter.
This forward outpost could be used to harass attacking American fleets. Long range reconnaissance by Japanese flying boats could alert the Imperial Japanese Naval Staff of advancing U.S. naval forces. More importantly it might also yield a useful forward base for the conquest of Midway which was seen as the first step in forcing the U.S. defense zone to the shores of our Pacific Coast. Midway eventually would become the key in the battle to control Hawaiian territorial waters.
But why was there any U.S. presence at Wake atoll at all. Certainly neither Pan American Airways stopover facility nor the rather peculiar fauna (short legged rats and "gooney" birds) warranted hundreds of American military servicemen. The real reason was far more subtle - Wake was to be the bait in a very ingenious plan. Various war plans created by the War Department foresaw Japan as our principal opponent in a war which would stretch across the reaches of the Pacific. The Rainbow 5 plan, in particular, opted for a strategy that would result in a series of decisive encounters in the central Pacific the area around Wake.
The major problem facing the US Navy on December 8, 1941 was that there was - effectively no navy capable of fighting the anticipated fleet action in the Central Pacific. The attempt to reinforce Wake, when it was blatant that she could not hold without help, was called off because, on balance, the risk to the remaining ships could not be justified. This will be the last time we visit this sad episode in which a failure of will and seamanship will cause Wake to be written off as a necessary "casualty of war". It will be a decision which will make the defense of Wake that much more poignant.
The Terrain
The atoll which is commonly referred to as Wake Island actually is a vee-shaped formation consisting of three islands - Wilkes, Peale, and the largest, Wake.
The inner lagoon is large enough and generally calm enough to accommodate a sea plane such as the Pan American Airways clipper of the '30's which stopped over on the route to Hawaii from Asia. No higher than 21' at its highest point, it covers about two and a half miles of territory with an overall exterior perimeter of about ten miles.
The fauna is restricted to several species of birds and a strangely put together rodent - a rat with very short front legs. The vegetation is relatively low lying and at points particularly dense. It was so difficult to clear that several times the Marines defaulted building a gun position in a tactically advisable spot.
The beaches, especially those on the north side of Wake, are particularly narrow and unsuited to boat landings. At best the invaders could hope to avoid the reef which could bottom out a deep draft boat and come into shore to deploy quickly into the underbrush which at points came down within a few feet of the waterline.
Wake Island An Epic Battle Its Defenders Couldn't Win
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© Copyright 1996 by Mike Vogell and Phoenix Military Simulations.
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