Guam USA: America's Forward Fortress In Asia Pacific

Colonel Jerry M. Rivera

• Éditeur: Verdun Press
• Année: 2014
• ISBN:
  9781782896777
• Sujet: History
• Sous-sujet: Military & Maritime History

During the final stages of World War II, Japan was finally defeated through the strategic use of the Marianas Islands as a jumping-off point for power projection into the heart of Japan. The main island, Guam, and her northern sister islands, Saipan and Tinian, were the hub from which American forces inched northward towards Japan. Admiral Chester W. Nimitz, USN, believed in the strategic value of the Marianas because he moved his Pacific Ocean Areas headquarters to Guam where he could better direct joint forces operations closer to Japan.
Guam, Saipan, and Tinian were used as staging bases from which over 500, 000 troops and approximately 1, 500 ships were readied for their move on Okinawa. It was from these islands where U.S. B-29's took off for bombing raids on Japanese cities and where the Enola Gay began its mission to drop atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki.
Like World War II, the U.S. military should withdraw all its foreign bases in the Asia Pacific region and return to Guam and possibly, the Marianas which are United States soil and make it their hub of operations. We can still maintain a strategic forward military presence from Guam and feasibly project our military power deep into Asia to protect America's vital interests in peace and regional stability. We will be near, yet far enough away from Asia to do so.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

"Arroyo Won't Take Sides in U.S.-China Rift." Hagatna (GU) Pacific Daily News. 23 May 2001, p. 10.

Burns, Robert. "Army Transferring Weapons from Europe to Asia." Raleigh Durham Herald Sun. 31 August 2001, sec. A, p. 11.

Carano, Paul and Sanchez, Pedro C. A Complete History of Guam. Rutland, VT: Charles E. Tuttle Company, 1964.

Chao, Julie. "President Courts Asian Countries to Back U.S. War." Harrisburg (PA) Patriot News. 20 October 2001, sec. A, p. 9.

"China-U.S. Relationship Redefined." Available from STRATFOR. Accessed 15 September 2000.

Clinton, William J. A National Security Strategy for a New Century. Washington, D.C.: The White House, December 1999.

Daleno, Gaynor Dumat-ol. "Officer Sees Hope in Future of Guam." Hagatna (GU) Pacific Daily News. 21 March 2002, p. 1.

Farrell, Don. Guam: A Brief History. Taiwan, Republic of China, 1991.

Gertz, Bill and Scarborough, Rowan. "China Upgrades Su30's." The Washington Times. 25 January 2002, p. 1.

---------------. "Bomber Debate." The Washington Times. 12 November 2001, p. 1.

Gutierrez, Carl. "Tiny Pacific Island of Strategic Military Importance: An Exclusive Interview with the Governor, U.S. Territory of Guam." Interview by Defense News, 14 October 2001, p. 22.

"Japan: Anti-terror Support Will Fuel Neighbors' Fears." Available from STRATFOR. Accessed 2 October 2001.

Khalilzad, Zalmay, et al. United States and Asia—Toward a New U.S. Strategy and Force Posture. Santa Monica, CA: RAND, May 2001.

Limtiaco, Steve. "Senators Meet with Defense Leaders in Washington, P.C." Hagatna (GU) Pacific Daily News. 30 October 2001, p. 1.

---------------. "Military in Okinawa, Guam Discussed." Hagatna (GU) Pacific Daily News. 9 February 2002, p. 1.

Mannion, Jim. "Pentagon Moves Cruise Missiles to Guam." Space Daily. 25 August 2000, p. 1.

Merto, Therese. "More Submarines May Move to Guam." Hagatna (GU) Pacific Daily News. 28 March 2002, p. 1.

Mulvihill, Diana. "Navy Port Visits Planned." Hagatna (GU) Pacific Daily News. 13 May 2001, p. 1.

[email protected]. "U.S. Military Deployments in Asia." electronic mail message to [email protected]. 31 August 2001.

"New Japan Leader Urges Stronger Military." The Honolulu Advertiser. 18 April 2001, sec. A, p. 2.

Nolt, James H. "The China-Taiwan Military Balance." Taiwan Security Research. January 2000, p. 1.

Pieper, Mark Alexander. "Air Force Mission Brings B-2 Bombers to Guam." Hagatna (GU) Pacific Daily News. 30 March 2002, p. 1.

Plate, Thomas. "Would a Militarized Japan Benefit Asia?" The Honolulu...

Table des matières

• Title page
• TABLE OF CONTENTS
• ABSTRACT
• GUAM: PAST, PRESENT AND FUTURE
• NATIONAL SECURITY AND MILITARY STRATEGIES FOR ASIA-PACIFIC
• POSSIBLE STRATEGIC COURSES OF ACTION
• CONCLUSION
• BIBLIOGRAPHY