"Bloody, Bloody Tarawa-- Part 7: A Learning Process

Even with the heavy casualties and miscalculations, American forces inflicted a tremendous amount of casualties on the Japanese defenders on Tarawa.  A total of 4,836 Japanese troops died, with only 17 survivors.

The lessons learned at Tarawa were applied to later invasions of the Marshall Islands at the beginning of 1944.  The Navy and Marine Corps were better prepared by having "improved naval gunfire and air support, ...waterproof radios and underwater demolition teams," as well as more amphibious landing vehicles and flamethrower tanks.

This would prove to be vital for Allied success in later Pacific battles.

"Tarawa doesn't get the respect that Iwo Jima, Okinawa or other Pacific battles get, but, in my opinion, it is right up there with them," said Annette Amerman.  "It was a smaller and shorter battle, but it was just as crucial as the alter fights in the war."

--GreGen