Battle of Tarawa (World War 2 Battles)

"It's hell out there" was how one Marine described the assault on Tarawa, the U.S. Navy's first amphibious landing in World War II's arduous Pacific Campaign to bring the Empire of Japan to its knees. In 76 hours of fighting, the Marines lost nearly as many men as had died during the six months of the Guadalcanal campaign. Military intelligence had failed to take into account the reefs around Betio, the target of the assault, or the low tides which prevented transport vehicles from bringing...