The Great Raid On Truk — Japan’s Pearl Harbor

Operation Hailstone

Ships ablaze in the lagoon (Public domain)

In 1943, the Japanese lagoon base of Truk was shrouded in mystery and outsized expectations. Many people including high-ranking military officers and laypersons believed that Truk was an impregnable fortress. Truk is located in the Caroline islands in a strategic position astride all of the major sea lanes connecting Japan’s mainland with their recent…