# Battle of the Aleutians



## pardus (Sep 17, 2006)

The invasion of Attu was the costliest invasion of the war in terms of people lost, after Iwo Jima.


http://ublib.buffalo.edu/libraries/e-resources/ebooks/images/efd2929.pdf

http://www.nps.gov/archive/aleu/WWII_in_the_Aleutians.htm


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## Frank S. (Nov 6, 2007)

*Japanese invasion of Attu*

Tonight my local PBS station has an Independent Lens program on this titled "Red, white, black & blue". Looking for ward to watching this, here's an excerpt:

http://www.pbs.org/independentlens/redwhiteblackandblue/film.html

"“The reason you didn’t hear anything—the American government didn’t want the American people to know that the Japanese were on American soil. Attu, of course, being American soil.” 
—Bill Jones, World War II veteran 

In June 1942, less than a year after Pearl Harbor, the Japanese army invaded the remote Alaskan island of Attu, in preparation for a larger advance into Canada and the lower 48 states. Although thousands of soldiers died in the ensuing battle, the American public was not informed of the attack in fear that widespread panic would occur. 

Sixty years later, RED WHITE BLACK & BLUE escorts veterans Bill Jones and Andy Petrus back to the wind-swept terrain of Attu. The 80-something-year-old men confront ghosts from their pasts as they retrace their steps over a former battlefield littered with unexploded bombs, collapsed buildings and crashed airplanes. 

Through intimate interviews with Bill and Andy, the film explores what it means to be a soldier then and now. And for Bill, that means continuing the battle—even at the cost of his own peace of mind."


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## Gypsy (Nov 6, 2007)

Thanks for the heads up on this, I'll have to check my local programming...


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## RackMaster (Nov 6, 2007)

I'm found it here, it's playing on PBS-W at 1AM EST and an hour long.  The DVD says it's total play length is 86 mins, the DVD must have some extras on it.  I'm going to PVR it and watch it tomorrow.


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## Gypsy (Nov 6, 2007)

For anyone in the Chicago area, it's on WTTW (Channel 11) at 22:00 and repeats on 8 November at 03:00.


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## RackMaster (Nov 6, 2007)

Yah, I'm on satellite and the PBS broadcast I have is not specific to any location.


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## Roycroft201 (Jul 16, 2008)

An excellent article related to this thread is in the current issue of _Veritas: The Journal of Army Special Operations History.
_
It traces Operation COTTAGE: First Special Service Force, Kiska Campaign.


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## QC (Jul 17, 2008)

What a find and very interesting. It is similar to the fact that the Japanese got as far south as Melbourne on reconnaissance. This was only brought to light recently. Not really off topic as it discussed the same issue, the closeness an the enemy to the nation. Not three clicks from where I live the Japanese lobbed a couple of rounds from a sub. An old bloke I know had his out-the-back shitter and roof blown off and related the tale.


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## car (Jul 17, 2008)

Frank S. said:


> “The reason you didn’t hear anything—the American government didn’t want the American people to know that the Japanese were on American soil. Attu, of course, being American soil.”
> —Bill Jones, World War II veteran



Uhh...was Alaska part of the United States then? Although, I guess it was still North America.


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## HoosierAnnie (Jul 17, 2008)

car said:


> Uhh...was Alaska part of the United States then? Although, I guess it was still North America.



You are correct SGM, Alaska did not become a state until 1959.  Though if memory serves, it was something akin to a "territory" and as such, belonged to us.


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## SgtUSMC8541 (Jul 17, 2008)

car said:


> Uhh...was Alaska part of the United States then? Although, I guess it was still North America.


 



> The *Alaska Purchase* (otherwise known as *Seward's Folly* or *Seward's Icebox*) by the United States from the Russian Empire occurred in 1867 at the behest of Secretary of State William Seward. The territory purchased was 586,412 square miles (1,518,800 km²) of the modern state of Alaska.


 
Seems to have been.


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## Trip_Wire (Jul 18, 2008)

I have had the pleasure of talking to some Veterans from the FSSF that took part in that campaign, very interesting too. One of the benefits of attending a Menton Day event.


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