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HONG KONG, GUAM, WAKE CAMPAIGNS

    Hong Kong, Wake Island, and Guam were territories occupied by the Britain and the United States respectively, and lay within the defensive perimeter established by Japanese planners prior to the outbreak of the Pacific War. The small garrison at Guam was easily overrun but even staunch resistance at Hong Kong, and especially at Wake Island, did little to delay the thrust of overall plans.

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Campaign name

Hong Kong, Wake, Guam

Campaign dates

10/12/1941 25/12/1941

Campaign codename

Hong Kong: C Operation
Wake Island: ?
Guam: G Operation

Campaign overview

Frame 1Dec 1941
Concurrent with attacks elsewhere, Japanese forces move to secure valuable bases in Hong Kong, Wake Island, and Guam, in the Pacific.
Frame 28 Dec 1941
The 38th Division moves into British China, breaching the “Gin Drinker’s Line” and occupying Kowloon by 13 December.
Frame 38 Dec 1941
The Chitose Air Corps begins three days of bombings of US facilities on Wake Island. The 18th Air Corps attacks Guam.
Frame 410 Dec 1941
Japanese naval troops attempt to land on Wake Island but are forced back after two Japanese destroyers are sunk by artillery and US fighters.
Frame 510 Dec 1941
The South Seas Force lands on Guam and quickly overruns the small US marine garrison on the island.
Frame 615 Dec 1941
Japanese troops attack Hong Kong, where British troops have retreated. The British surrender on 25 December after spirited resistance.
Frame 721 Dec 1941
Aircraft from the Japanese carrier task force, which has reinforced the invasion force, begin attacks in a second attempt on Wake Island.
Frame 823 Dec 1941
A strengthened task force begins a second landing and, after stiff resistance, occupies Wake Island by the evening.

Notes


Campaign strength

Hong Kong campaign

Army

23rd Army
Lt Gen Sakai Takeshi (Chief of Staff: Maj Gen Kuribayashi Tadamichi)
    38th Division
    Lt Gen Sano Tadayoshi
      228th Infantry Regiment
      229th Infantry Regiment
      230th Infantry Regiment
      38th Mountain Artillery Regiment
      38th Engineer Regiment
      38th Supply and Transport Regiment
      Signals Unit
      Munitions Duty Unit
      Medical Unit
      1st, 2nd Field Hospital
      Veterinary Workshop
    Attached Units
      10th Independent Mountain Artillery Regiment
      20th Independent Mountain Artillery Battalion
      19th Independent Engineer Regiment
      20th Independent Engineer Regiment
      14th Independent Engineer Regiment 2nd Company
    Army Units
      Araki Detachment
      Col Araki Katsutoshi
        66th Infantry Regiment
        14th Field Artillery Regiment 1st Battalion
        51st Engineer Regiment 20th Battalion
        51st Supply and Transport Regiment (including one motor car platoon)
        51st Division Medical Unit (one-third strength)
        51st Division 1st Field Hospital
      1st Artillery Unit
      Lt Gen Kitajima Kineo
        1st Heavy Artillery Regiment
        2nd Independent Heavy Artillery Battalion
        3rd Independent Heavy Artillery Battalion
        5th Artillery Intelligence Regiment
      1st Artillery Unit attached units
      Col Satō Takeaki
        14th Field Heavy Artillery Regiment 1st Battalion
        2nd Independent Mortar Battalion
      23rd Army Air Unit
      Col Habu Hideji
        45th Sentai
        10th Independent Squadron
        18th Independent Squadron (one formation)
        44th Sentai 3rd Direct Support Unit
        47th Airfield Battalion
        57th Airfield Battalion
        67th Airfield Company
        15th Air Signals Unit (part strength)

Navy

2nd China Expeditionary Fleet
Vice Adm Niimi Masaichi (Chief of Staff: Rear Adm Yasuba Yasuo)
    Main Force
      Isuzu (light cruiser)
      Tsuga (destroyer)
    Surveillance Fleet
      6th Destroyer Squadron 2nd Platoon
      11 Torpedo Squadron
      Tōshōmaru
    Canton Area Fleet
      Hashidate
      Uji
      Saga
      4th Minesweeper Flotilla
      Naval landing party

Wake campaign


Navy

South Seas Fleet
Vice Adm Inoue Shigeyoshi

1st offensive
    Invasion Force
    Rear Adm Kajioka Sadamichi
      Yūbari
      29th Destroyer Squadron
      30th Destroyer Squadron
      No. 32 Patrol Boat
      No. 33 Patrol Boat
      Kinryū Maru, Kongō Maru
      17th Air Corps detachment
      Maizuru Special Naval Landing Party Uchida Company
      6th Base Force Special Naval Landing Party Takano Company
    Covering Force
    Rear Adm Marumo Kuninori
      18th Squadron (Tenryū, Tatsuta)
    Air Unit
    Rear Adm Gotō Eiji
      24th Air Flotilla
        Chitose Air Corps
        Yokohama Air Corps
    Submarine Unit
    Rear Adm Ōnishi Shinzō
      7th Submarine Squadron (27th Submarine Group)
    2nd offensive
      Invasion Force
      Rear Adm Kajioka Sadamichi
        Yūbari
        29th Destroyer Squadron
        30th Destroyer Squadron
        No. 32 Patrol Boat
        No. 33 Patrol Boat
        Kinryū Maru, Kiyokawa Maru
        17th Air Corps detachment
        Kinryū Maru, Ten’yō Maru
        Combined special naval landing party
    Covering Force
    Rear Adm Marumo Kuninori
      18th Squadron
    Air Unit
    Rear Adm Gotō Eiji
      24th Air Flotilla
        Chitose Air Corps
        Yokohama Air Corps
    Submarine Unit
    Rear Adm Ōnishi Shinzō
      7th Submarine Squadron
        Jingei
        26th Submarine Group
        27th Submarine Group
        33rd Submarine Group
    Reinforcement Force
    Rear Adm Abe Hiroaki
      8th Squadron
        2nd Air Flotilla
        Tone, Chikuma
        17th Destroyer Squadron
    Support Force
    Rear Adm Gotō Aritomo
      Aoba, Kinugasa, Kako, Furutaka


Guam campaign

Army

South Seas Force
Maj General Horii Tomitarō
    144th Infantry Regiment (Col Kusunose Masao)
    55th Cavalry Regiment (part strength)
    55th Mountain Artillery Regiment 1st Battalion
    55th Engineer Regiment (part strength)
    55th Division Signals Unit (part strength)
    55th Supply and Transport Regiment (part strength)


Navy

South Seas Fleet
Vice Adm Inoue Shigeyoshi
    Invasion Force
    Rear Adm Kasuga Atsushi
      5th Base Force
        Tsugaru
        23rd Destroyer Squadron
        7th Gunboat Squadron
        Oboro, Kiyokawa Maru, Shōei Maru
        18th Air Flotilla
        59th Submarine Chaser Squadron
        60th Submarine Chaser Squadron
        15th Minesweeper Flotilla
        5th Signals Unit
        5th Base Force Special Naval Landing Party Hayashi Battalion
    Support Group
    Rear Adm Gotō Aritomo
      6th Squadron (Aoba, Kinugasa, Kako, Furutaka)

Campaign casualties

Hong Kong campaign: 2,000 killed and wounded
Wake Island campaign: 820 killed, 1,153 wounded
Guam campaign: No casualties

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Campaigns
Malaya
Philippines
Hong Kong, Pacific
Borneo
Celebes, Ambon, Timor
New Britain
Sumatra, Java


Reference links
Show details for Dispositions–DeathsDispositions–Deaths
Show details for CampaignsCampaigns
Sources



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