Hello, and thank you for listening to the history of World War II podcast. Episode 254,

Guam, Falls, Wake Island, the Alamo of the Pacific is next.

Last time, the Northern defenses of the Philippines and the form of MacArthur's airfields had been

ravaged by the Japanese airtacks from Formosa. The northeast coast of the Mele Peninsula at

Koutoba Rue saw the al-floating of Japanese troops while the surrounding defensive areas were

kept pinned down with airtacks and naval bombardments. Some of the landings were opposed,

some not, like at Singora Beach in southern Thailand. Meanwhile, other landings in Thailand were

joined by a land invasion force from Indochina that split into two, which would take advantage of

Thailand's transportation facilities as it was now a part of the Japanese effort. One force would

head northwest to Burma, the other south, to help mop up Commonwealth forces in southern Thailand,

then northern Malaya, and then, if all went well, the Crown Jewel Singapore. Meanwhile,

1,600 miles or 2,574 kilometers do east of the center of the Philippines. The US possession of

Guam was also to be a part of Operation No. 1 as it was the southernmost and largest island of the

Mariana's. Possession of it would help the Japanese Empire project power to the south and further

east, while guarding the eastern door to the soon to be occupied Philippines. After World War 1, due to

the 1922 Washington Naval Conference, the United States, nor Japan, would fortify the islands they

controlled in the western Pacific. As for Guam, that promise was held throughout the 1920s and 30s,

and by the time that war with Japan seemed inevitable, Washington did not think it

possible or practical to defend Guam. Hence, it was put into a category F defense rating. No

construction would be undertaken, and if attacked, the soldiers on the island would destroy anything

of military value and withdrawal. After all, the Japanese controlled other islands to the north,

south, and east of Guam, hence the decision was practically made for them. As for the quick

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