War in the Pacific Cultural Resources Inventory

PART 2a

Throughout the four years of Japanese occupation, Americans and Chamorro people associated with the U.S. Military were held as military prisoners of war. English and Chamorro languages were banned and the island was ruled by martial law. Repeated massacres and atrocities were commited against the Chamorro people. Rice on Guam was cultivated from pre-contact times. New rice paddies were developed along the coastal flats of Asan and Agat to support the Japanese troops. Historical photographs show that Asan Beach had a limited amount and Agat Beach had extensive rice paddies. As food became scarce, crops and food were seized from the Chamorro people. Local people were forced into labor with little or no subsistence rations. Limited food and medical supplies, along with harsh treatment of the young, elderly, sick resulted in the deaths of thousands of Guamanians. Japanese discipline varied from village to village depending on the personalities of those in charge. The Chamorros held fast to their American patriotism and the constant faith that American troops would return to liberate them (Rogers 1995:173).

Once the Japanese took the island, they did little to improve facilities or infrastructure. They did however recognize the suitability of the Orote Peninsula for an airstrip and constructed a 4500-foot coral-surfaced runway. In addition, the Japanese nearly completed a similar airstrip northeast of Agana and began clearing a third further north. The airstrip on the Orote Peninsula played a critical role in the American invasion strategy. Once troops secured Asan and Agat beaches, they were to advance and merge to isolate the peninsula and the airstrip. The Japanese expected this and reinforced the peninsula with defense positions and (haphazardly) placed landmines along existing roads.

As food became scarce, Chamorros reverted to subsistence farming and fishing. Carabao carts again became the primary means of transportation and eggs established a barter system between the Chamorro and Japanese. The Japanese imposed food quotas, demanding beef from ranchers and fruits and vegetables from farmers (Rogers 1995:170).

Thirty days prior to the landing on Guam in June 11, 1944, American air forces began bombing Asan and Agat beaches to clear Japanese positions. These bombings continued throughout June and July, indicating the target landing beaches to the Japanese. Thirteen days prior to the invasion, American ships and aircraft attacked in a constant 24-hour stream. This pre-invasion attack verified the American strategy to land on Asan and Agat beaches. Therefore, the Japanese concentrated their defense structures on the Orote Peninsula, between Asan and Agat beaches. This pre-war effort destroyed Japanese fortifications, most of Agana city, villages along Asan and Agat beaches as well as vegetation.

The Japanese began building defense structures in March of 1944, and so had less than three months to complete their defense strategies. General Takashina realized the natural topography and five coral rock outcroppings along Asan and Agat beaches were his best advantage. Both Asan and Agat beaches are coastal enclaves surrounded by slopes, ridges, and mountains that overlook these beaches and lagoons. These rock outcrops and high terrain became the driving force in the defensive strategy and placement of structures, obstacles, and troops. The elevated positions offered strategic viewplanes over the beaches below, and also served as superior locations for defensive military communications.

The Japanese had not planned any large-scale development on the island and therefore, had brought no construction supplies or equipment. They relied on the forced labor of the Chamorro people and hundreds of Koreans and Okinawans brought in as labor troops. American bulldozers and trucks, captured in 1941, were also put to use (Rogers 1995:175). Building materials were scarce. There were critical shortages of cement, reinforcing steel, lumber, and a wide range of needed hardware, which limited the kinds of fortification that could be built (Gailey 1988:40).

The defense structures included pillboxes, bunkers, and gun emplacements armed with machine guns, mortars, and light artillery, providing excellent fields of fire over the lagoons and beaches. These structures varied from well-built concrete-faced enclosures with multiple gun openings to crude and hurried concrete caps on holes dug in the dirt. Most structures were built into the coral rock outcroppings, using the natural features of caves and crevices. Some existing caves were extended and connected by the Japanese in order to have two or more openings, which let Japanese soldiers move undetected from the shoreline to ridge top. Many structures included inventive features (see buildings and structures section). Some pillboxes were so obviously sighted from the lagoon, they are thought to have been intentional decoys to distract attention away from well-camouflaged strongholds. Dummy cannons, made with coconut logs, were positioned in less defended areas. Offshore reefs and lagoons were laid with mines, logs, concrete, and/or barbed wire obstacles.

During the pre-invasion bombings, virtually all of the structures within Asan and Agat villages were demolished. The Japanese evacuated the Chamorros from their villages, apparently for security purposes and to prevent interference with the defense actions. It was a massive forced- march from the coastal areas inland, to concentration camps with no buildings, latrines, food or medicines. The largest camps were located at Talofofo and Manengon. Despite the continuous United States bombings, men and boys from the camps were often used as forced labor to build defense structures around the island.

Map of the planned Japanese Invasion of Guam (Rogers 1995).

Historic aerial photo of the Japanese Naval Task Force invasion of Guam in 1941 (Lodge, 1998).

Historic photo of Major General Tomitara Hori, commander of the Japanese South Seas Detach Force (Lodge, 1998).