Wake Island
Wake Island is a remote coral atoll in the western Pacific Ocean, and an unincorporated territory of the United States. Located in the western Pacific Ocean, it is strategically positioned between Hawaii and the Philippines. It comprises three separate islets around a central lagoon, and has a total land area of 1,821 acres, or 2.73 square miles. It has no indigenous population but has US Army and Air Force garrisons.
Wake Island was discovered by the Spanish explorer Álvaro de Mendaña in 1568, but it remained largely uninhabited and unnoticed until the late 19th and early 20th centuries when it became significant for its strategic location. In 1899, following the Spanish-American War, the United States formally claimed the island. During the early 20th century, Wake Island became a crucial stopover for the Pan American World Airways Clipper planes, serving as a refueling point for transpacific flights.
During World War II, Wake Island gained prominence for its role in the Pacific theater. In December 1941, shortly after the attack on Pearl Harbor, Japanese forces launched an assault on Wake Island.
The Battle of Wake Island in the Second World War lasted from 8 December 1941 to 23 December 1941, when the US defenders - Marines and Naval personnel supplemented by civilian volunteers - were overwhelmed by greatly superior Japanese forces following a heroic defense.
The outnumbered U.S. military personnel and civilian contractors put up a fierce defense but eventually surrendered on December 23, 1941 after their resupply ships were stopped only a few hundred miles away. The Japanese occupation of Wake Island lasted until September 1945, following Japan’s surrender in World War II. The Battle of Wake Island remains a significant episode, symbolizing resistance and resilience.
Today, Wake Island serves primarily as a military base and a launch support facility. It is under the operational control of the U.S. Air Force and used for missile testing and space operations by the U.S. Department of Defense. Although access is restricted, Wake Island's historical significance and its role in aviation and military strategy continue to be of interest to historians and military scholars.
