On 10 December 1941, three days after the attack on Pearl Harbor, 300 Japanese troops plus laborers of the Gilberts Invasion Special Landing Force had arrived off Makin Atoll and occupied it without resistance.
Pada tanggal 10 Desember 1941, tiga hari setelah serangan ke Pearl Harbor, 300 tentara Jepang ditambah pekerja dari Pasukan Pendarat Khusus Invasi Kepulauan Gilbert telah tiba di Atol Makin dan mendarat disana tanpa perlawanan.