Structure of the Imperial Japanese forces in the South Seas Mandate
This article covers the Japanese garrisons on the by-passed Pacific islands from 1944 to 1945, including the Japanese mandated territory of the South Seas Mandate. Kwajalein Atoll Detachment. Japanese positions at Kwajalein, Wotje, and Eniwetok (Enewetak) and Roi-Namur Atolls (3,600 Japanese defenders) Mili Atoll Fortress. Mili Wotje Atoll Fortress. Wotje Maleolap Atoll Fortress. Maloelap Atoll Total: 2,000 men Truk Island Unit. Japanese base at Truk, the pivot of the Japanese position in the South Seas Mandate. Truk was a huge naval complex, the "Pearl Harbor of the  Japanese". It had been under construction since 1937. Japanese aviation facilities was Dublon (Tonoas), Moen (Weno),and Eten Atolls. Palau Islands (Peleliu) Unit. There were 10,700 Japanese defenders under Colonel Kunio Nakagawa Mariana Islands Unit. Commanders in Mariana Islands Units. Saipan was defended by 29,662 Japanese army and navy troops under Lt. General Yoshitsuga Saito and Admiral Chuichi Nagumo Southern Marianas District Group. The Japanese defenders of this largest Marianas group island numbered some 19,000 troops under Lt. General Hyo Takashina Total: 276 men Japanese detachment in Makin Atoll (1943). Butaritari Fortress. Japanese Navy units. All units complete the total of : 798 men under command of Lieutenant j.g. Seizo Ishikawa. Most of aviation or labor units had no combat training and were not assigned weapons or a battle station, also the number of actual armed combat troops on Makin was no more than 300 men. A surface vessel and submarine port, with naval coastal defenses, possessed capacity to receive some Kawanishi H8K "Emily" flying boat bombers, Nakajima A6M2-N "Rufe" hydrofighters and Aichi E13A1 "Jake" recon-hydroplanes. Gilbert Islands Detachment. Tarawa Atoll Fortress. Japanese Navy units. Makin, Apamama, Betio, and Tarawa Atolls Structure of the Imperial Japanese forces in the