The battle of Tarawa, which began on November 20th, 1943, was one of the bloodiest in American history, with the Marines facing their toughest test yet. The Japanese had boasted that a million Americans couldn't take the island in a hundred years, but the Marines were determined to succeed.
As It Happened: Tarawa
The US Marines launch a daring invasion of the heavily fortified Japanese-held island of Tarawa in November 1943, where every step forward will require a heroic and grueling fight.
