The
Battle of Kwajalein was fought as part of the
Pacific campaign of
World War II. It took place from 31 January-3 February 1944, on
Kwajalein Atoll in the
Marshall Islands. Employing the hard-learned lessons of the
battle of Tarawa, the United States launched a successful twin assault on the main islands of Kwajalein in the south and
Roi-Namur in the north. The Japanese defenders put up stiff resistance, although outnumbered and under-prepared. The determined defense of Roi-Namur left only 51 survivors of an original garrison of 3,500.