Japs’ Giant Base

At Truk

flow a Place of Ghosts and Decay

TEN years ago, Truk, in the Caro line Islands, was Japan’s big m gest and most powerful base in the Pacific Ocean. Among the 245 islets, within the 40-miles-wide Jagoon, the Japanese built all kinds of airfields and workshops, mighty naval installations, safe harbours for a most powerful fleet, and accom jmodation for huge military forces.

I This was planned and started be tween 1920 (when Japan was given the Mandate over the Caroline and Marshall Islands) and 1932 (when Japan walked out of the League of Nations and annexed the Islands); but the major work was done bet ween 1932 and 1941, when Japan hurled her forces upon all the Paci fic nations.

I All Japan’s operations eastward of Indonesia and southward of the Philippines were based on Truk.

Habaul was Truk’s advanced sub case —the Jap communications with Southest Indonesia, New Guinea, Solomons and the Gilberts radiated from Truk. [ When the American forces, after Clearing the southwest Pacific, swept northwards towards Japan, Truk was isolated from Japan, and took a fearful beating; but the Americans did not actually land at the Jap headquarters at Dublon, and examine the base, until after Japan surrendered.

A recent visitor reports that, al though much of the huge fortress and workshop still is intact, it is a deserted and decaying place of ghosts. Most of the concrete and stone structures are holding their shape; but all the machinery that has not been salvaged—like the giant unloading cranes—is rusting away, and its complete collapse is only a matter of time.