What happened at Kwajalein and Enewetak during World War II?

During World War II, the United States launched a major offensive to capture the Marshall Islands from Japanese forces, who had held the islands under a League of Nations mandate since after World War I.12

• Kwajalein Atoll: In January 1944, the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff directed Admiral Chester Nimitz to attack Kwajalein. Following heavy naval and air bombardment, U.S. forces—including the 7th Infantry Division and 4th Marine Division—landed on January 31, 1944. Resistance was overcome within a week, and the atoll was secured with fewer casualties than previous amphibious operations.2
• Enewetak Atoll: Following the rapid success at Kwajalein, U.S. forces moved to capture Enewetak on February 17, 1944. Once captured, the atoll’s fine anchorage was converted into a U.S. naval base to support further operations in the Pacific.23

These victories allowed the U.S. to pierce Japan’s defensive perimeter and move toward the Mariana Islands. Following the war, both atolls were incorporated into the United Nations Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands under U.S. jurisdiction.241