Certain moments in our history leave such a strong imprint on our collective consciousness that you can’t help but be aware of them. You don’t have to be a history buff to know about Pearl Harbor, D-Day, or the Battle of the Bulge. However, you might not know about an important WWII battle that is often forgotten: the Battle of Attu.
In June 1942, Imperial Japanese forces captured Attu, a remote island at the western tip of Alaska’s Aleutian chain. The invasion shattered the lives of the Unangax̂ people, who were taken as prisoners of war to Japan. Nearly half of them perished, and those who survived were never allowed to return to their homeland.
When American troops arrived in 1943, they launched a fierce 18-day campaign to reclaim Attu. The battle was brutal, with 2,351 Japanese soldiers and 549 American troops losing their lives.
Despite its deadly toll, and the unique fact that it’s the only land engagement U.S. and Japanese forces fought in snowy conditions, the Battle of Attu has long been overshadowed by larger Pacific conflicts, earning it the nickname “the forgotten battle.”
Today, a team of American and Japanese researchers aims to bring this overlooked conflict back into focus. Last month, during a five-day expedition, underwater archaeologists discovered three WWII shipwrecks near Attu—one American and two Japanese. These vessels, unseen for nearly 80 years, may hold new clues to this tragic chapter of history.
Read more about the remarkable discoveries and the history they may unlock here.
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