Japanese occupation of Kiska

The Japanese occupation of Kiska took place between 6 June 1942 and 28 July 1943 during the Aleutian Islands Campaign of the American Theater and the Pacific Theater of World War II. The Japanese occupied Kiska and nearby Attu Island in order to protect the northern flank of the Japanese Empire. Along with the Attu landing the next day, it was the first time that the United States was occupied by a foreign power since the War of 1812, and was one of the two invasions of the United States during World War II.

Background

For the Imperial Navy, the North Pacific had a vast frontage from North-Kuril Islands to Minami-Tori-shima, and patrols in this vast sea area with few islands had not been easy. The Imperial Navy Fifth Fleet, which conducted patrols of the ocean off east of Japan, had begun to advocate since the end of January 1942 that the Imperial Navy occupy the western Aleutian Islands and advance the patrol line. In addition, the air raid on Minami-Tori-shima by the US Task Force in March 1942 raised concerns about the north Pacific Ocean throughout the Japanese military.

Although, it is not clear how the Navy General Staff requested the Combined Fleet Command to plan the Aleutian Operation (AL Operation) to occupy Attu and Kiska Islands, the Navy General Staff seemed to have acknowledged the necessity of AL Operation in response to the proposition of the Fifth Fleet when considering the Midway Operation.

Purpose of AL Operation

The plan of Imperial Navy's AL Operation was consulted with the Imperial General Headquarters Army Section on April 15. The plan was that "In early June, the Navy will attack Dutch Harbor and Adak Island, occupy Kiska Island and Attu Island. However, the Imperial Army was reluctant to occupy the Aleutian Islands and responded to the Navy on April 16 that the Army would not dispatch troops to the AL Operation.

However, the Doolittle raids on Japan from the north Pacific Ocean on April 18, 1942 had a great influence on the AL Operation. After the air raids on Japan by the Doolittle bombers, the Army also acknowledged the need to set up patrol bases on the western Aleutian Islands and agreed to dispatch troops on April 21.

The Navy General Staff promoted the Midway Operation and the AL Operation with the primary purpose of advancing the bases for patrol line, and the Combined Fleet Command also followed it. In other words, the purpose of the AL Operation is to build a patrol network in the North Pacific by establishing bases on the three islands of Midway, Attu, and Kiska to monitor attacks on Japan mainland by US Task Forces. At the same time, it was intended to prevent advances of US air bases.

Eventually, it was determined that the Imperial Army would invade Attu Island and the Imperial Navy (Navy Maizuru Third Special Naval Landing Force) would invade Kiska Island. For the AL Operation, the Army established the North Sea Detachment (Hokkai-shitai) on May 5, headed by Major Matsutoshi Hozumi, consisted of approximately 1,000 men.

Details of the AL Operation

The order of operation was announced on May 5, 1942. The Great Naval Ordinance (Daikai-rei), Great Naval Instruction (Daikai-si), and Army and Navy Central Agreement on the AL Operation are as below.

The Great Naval Ordinance No. 18, May 5, 1942.
# Commanders-in-Chief of the Combined Fleet shall secure the western key points "AF" and "AO" with the Army.
# Details are instructed by the Chief of the Imperial Navy General Staff.
(Note: "AF" means Midway, and "AO" means Aleutian)

The Great Naval Instruction No. 94, May 5, 1942.

The operations under the Great Naval Ordinance No. 18 shall comply with the Army and Navy Central Agreement on Operation "AF" and the Army and Navy Central Agreement on Operation "AO".

The Army and Navy Central Agreement about the operation on Aleutian Islands.

1. Purpose of the operation

To secure or destroy key points in the western part of the Aleutian Islands, and to make enemy mobility and air power advance in this area difficult.

2. Policy of the operation

To invade Kiska and Attu Islands and destroy Adak's military facilities in corporate with Army and Navy.

3. Procedure of the operation

(1) The Army and Navy destroy Adak's military facilities in cooperation and then withdrew. Next, the Army troops invade Attu, and the Navy troops invade Kiska, and secure them until before winter.

(2) The Navy supports the invasion troops by the fleet with sufficient power. Before landing, the Navy raids Dutch Harbor area by the air units from the carriers in order to destroy the air force there.

"secure them until before winter" in the Procedure of the operation can be taken to mean withdrawing from Aleutian and not patrol in winter. However, it was guessed that the Navy would intend to remain in winter and continue patrols.

Occupation

Initially, the only American military presence on Kiska was a twelve-man United States Navy weather station—two of whom were not present during the invasion—and a dog named Explosion. The Japanese stormed the station, killing two Americans and capturing seven. After realizing that Chief petty officer William C. House had escaped, a search was launched by the occupying forces. The search ended in vain, with House surrendering some fifty days after the initial seizure of the weather station, having been unable to cope with the freezing conditions and starvation. After 50 days of eating only plants and worms, he weighed just 80 pounds. Beforehand, the prisoners of war had been sent to Japan.

The attack on Pearl Harbor and beginning of the Pacific Theater in World War II, coupled with Japanese threats to mainland Alaska along with the rest of the United States West Coast, had already made the construction of a defense access highway to Alaska a priority. On 6 February 1942, the construction of the Alaska Highway