Battle of Kwajalein in World War II

Battle of Kwajalein in World War II The Battle of Kwajalein occurred January 31 to February 3, 1944 in the Pacific Theater of World War II (1939-1945). Moving forward from victories in the Solomons and Gilbert Islands in 1943, Allied forces sought to penetrate the next ring of Japanese defenses in the central Pacific. Attacking into the Marshall Islands, the Allies occupied Majuro and then commenced operations against Kwajalein. Striking at both ends of the atoll, they succeeded in eliminating the Japanese opposition after brief but fierce battles. The triumph opened the way for the subsequent capture of Eniwetok and a campaign against the Marianas.   Background In the wake of the American victories at Tarawa and Makin in November 1943, Allied forces continued their island-hopping campaign by moving against Japanese positions in Marshall Islands. Part of the Eastern Mandates, the Marshalls were originally a German possession and were awarded to Japan after World War I. Considered part of the outer ring of Japanese territory, planners in Tokyo decided after the loss of the Solomons and New Guinea that the islands were expendable. With this in mind, what troops were available were shifted to the area to make the islands capture as costly as possible. Japanese Preparations Led by Rear Admiral Monzo Akiyama, Japanese forces in the Marshalls consisted of the 6th Base Force which initially numbered approximately 8,100 men and 110 aircraft. While a sizable force, Akiyamas strength was diluted by the need to spread his command over the entirety of the Marshalls. In addition, many of Akiyamas troops were labor/construction details or naval forces with little ground combat training. As a result, Akiyama could only muster around 4,000 effectives. Believing the assault would strike one of the outlying islands first, he positioned the bulk of his men on Jaluit, Mili, Maloelap, and Wotje. In November 1943, American airstrikes began whittling down Akiyamas air power, destroying 71 aircraft. These were partially replaced over the next several weeks by reinforcements flown in from Truk. On the Allied side, Admiral Chester Nimitz originally planned a series of assaults on the outer islands of the Marshalls, but upon learning of Japanese troop dispositions through ULTRA radio intercepts altered his approach. Rather than strike where Akiyamas defenses were strongest, Nimitz directed his forces to move against Kwajalein Atoll in the central Marshalls. Armies Commanders Allies Rear Admiral Richmond K. TurnerMajor General Holland M. Smithapprox. 42,000 men (2 divisions) Japanese Rear Admiral Monzo Akiyamaapprox. 8,100 men Allied Plans Designated Operation Flintlock, the Allied plan called for Rear Admiral Richmond K. Turners 5th Amphibious Force to deliver Major General Holland M. Smiths V Amphibious Corps to the atoll where Major General Harry Schmidts 4th Marine Division would assault the linked islands of Roi-Namur while Major General Charles Corletts 7th Infantry Division attacked Kwajalein Island. To prepare for the operation, Allied aircraft repeatedly struck Japanese airbases in the Marshalls through December. This saw B-24 Liberators stage through Baker Island to bomb a variety of strategic targets including the airfield on Mili. Subsequent strikes saw A-24 Banshees and B-25 Mitchells mount several raids across the Marshalls. Moving into position, US carriers began a concerted air offensive against Kwajalein on January 29, 1944. Two days later, US troops captured the small island of Majuro, 220 miles to the southeast, without a fight. This operation was conducted by the V Amphibious Corps Marine Reconnaissance Company and 2nd Battalion, 106th Infantry.    Coming Ashore That same day, members of the 7th Infantry Division landed on small islands, dubbed Carlos, Carter, Cecil, and Carlson, near Kwajalein to establish artillery positions for the assault on the island. The next day, the artillery, with additional fire from US warships, including USS Tennessee (BB-43), opened fire on Kwajalein Island. Pummeling the island, the bombardment allowed the 7th Infantry to land and easily overcome the Japanese resistance. The attack was also aided by the weak nature of the Japanese defenses which could not be built in depth due to the islands narrowness.   Fighting continued for four day with the Japanese mounting nightly counterattacks. On February 3, Kwajalein Island was declared secure. Roi-Namur At the north end of the atoll, elements of the 4th Marines followed a similar strategy and established fire bases on islands dubbed Ivan, Jacob, Albert, Allen, and Abraham. Attacking Roi-Namur on February 1, they succeeded in securing the airfield on Roi that day and eliminated Japanese resistance on Namur the next day. The largest single loss of life in the battle occurred when a Marine threw a satchel charge into a bunker containing torpedo warheads. The resulting blast killed 20 Marines and wounded several others. Aftermath The victory at Kwajalein broke a hole through the Japanese outer defenses and was a key step in the Allies island-hopping campaign. Allied losses in the battle numbered 372 killed and 1,592 wounded. Japanese casualties are estimated at 7,870 killed/wounded and 105 captured. In assessing the outcome at Kwajalein, Allied planners were pleased to find that the tactical changes made after the bloody assault on Tarawa had bore fruit and plans were made to attack Eniwetok Atoll on February 17. For the Japanese, the battle demonstrated that beachline defenses were too vulnerable to attack and that defense in-depth was necessary if they hoped to stop Allied assaults.

The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Essays

The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Essays The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Essay The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Essay Each time someone stands up for an ideal, or acts to improve the lot of others, or strikes out against Injustice, he sends a tiny ripple of hope. Robert F. Kennedy The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010 Is a new law that mandates that everyone In the united States have health Insurance/coverage by year 2014 or subject to a tax. Notably, the new law is thousands of pages long which does not lend itself to easy interpretation. However, at this time, no one appears to be willing to even agree to disagree. While everyone seems to agree that there will be dramatic hanged in the delivery of healthcare and its effects on the nursing profession, no one knows for sure whether its impact will make nurses jobs better or worse. Certain segments of the population have worked themselves into a frenzy over the proposed adverse effects of the PACE on healthcare delivery system and its effects on the nursing profession but the truth of the matter Is, a lot of what healthcare experts say is pure supposition and conjecture. One has to always consider how others personal agendas fit Into an equation or view-point. No one will know the laws total Impact until the rubber actually hits the road. I would wager a guess, however, that nurses will fare far better than critics think. While some experts say that PACE will Increase the workload of nurses, there is also evidence to suggest that it will also provide greater opportunity for the nursing profession by increasing job opportunities for both nurses and nurse practitioners, allowing for increased funding for nursing education, thereby creating greater career opportunities for both. Additionally, quality of care will not be jeopardized. Yes there is much to be surmised about this much dreaded day, according to many. During reflection, I can almost liken it to the mass hysteria of the year 2000. The world broke out Into mass hysteria because of dire predictions that at the stroke of midnight January 1, 2000 everything electronic and computer driven would go haywire. However, when the clock stuck midnight nothing happened as postulated. The heart and lung machines did not stop working, aircrafts did not suddenly nose dive to the ground, your simple computer did not cease to function. The world as we knew it did not change for the worse. Similarly, the impact of the PACE will not impact the healthcare delivery system exactly how postulated by pundits and the world at large. Yes it will take the country by storm but not necessarily in an all negative or all positive way. I like to believe that with change comes great opportunity for improvement; after all, the outlaw of slavery allowed for great invention It facilitated Eli Whitney Invention of the cotton gin. A survey of Urns across the country revealed varied opinions on whether an Increase in patient workload Would negatively affect their pollen of PACE, Most agreed that It would, however, they Included many positive effects of the PACE on the nursing profession. McNealy Gloria J, April 2010. The article suggest that in order to encourage education, including grants for associate, bachelors, and advanced degree loan reimbursement. In addition to greater career opportunities, nurses will also find work opportunities in new areas of focus under the PACE. These include nurse-to-family home visit partnerships, in which specially trained nurses make home visits to first time, low income families. New opportunities will also become available in new school based health clinics that will provide expanded care to students. While more Americans may be making appointments to see a doctor, there will not be enough doctors to support the new patient load. It has been reported that the United States face a 30 percent shortage of primary care physicians as there will be a increase of new patients that now has insurance coverage. ANA, August 2009. The PACE recognizes these shortages and has allocated funding to establish nurse- managed clinics. These clinics will allow nurse practitioners (NP) to provide primary and preventatives to patients. A NP is a registered nurse who holds a masters degree and has undergone advanced clinical training to care for a wide range of patients. In some states, Naps already have the ability to treat and diagnose patients as well as prescribe medication. The penalty of success is by the people who use to snub nurses, Nancy Astor. And according to most pundits, there will be both losers and winners in the effort to remake the healthcare delivery system. However, I believe clear cut winners will include nurses. The increased demand for quality-cost efficient medical care, pulled with lower reimbursements for hospitals and doctors, greater career choices for nurses will position more nurses/Naps to be called on to provide care that was traditionally provided by physicians. It will expand the scope of what nurses can do. It will also allow nurses to work more independently, especially in places that are undeserved, such as poor inner city neighborhoods and rural areas . According to ACNE series, Petrel Poorhouse, the nursing profession is likely to thrive rather than struggle during the health care reform years that lie ahead.