World war 2 Battle of Tarawa: how the battlefield looks today! (Pacific war tour in Kiribati)

Discovering the historical battle site of Tarawa, Betio island, in Kiribati. In this tropical
paradise in November 1943 the US for the first time in the war went on a full frontal attack on heavily fortified beaches. The second Marines suffered enormous losses as the majority of the landing crafts got stuck on the reef and the soldiers had to wade in the water unprotected, towards Japanese machine gun fire. Three days later the small island and the Tarawa atoll was liberated but the beaches and waters were covered in blood.

[@PedroTovar-dg9tm]

This took a lot of effort. Thank you. My dad and uncle were in the Pacific at about the same time.

[@grumpyvet7670]

I'm an old Marine vet. Tarawa is one of MANY sacred places for Marines. It pisses me off that our government doesn't do a damn thing to preserve these sites! 🤬🤬🤬

[@bobloblaw2958]

Our government doesnt even support our vets, what would you expect.

[@Jakal-pw8yq]

Seems to become an unofficial garbage dump and that on Hallowed Ground.😢😔💔🇺🇲⚓️💯

[@timp.6127]

The politicians care more about illegal immigrants than US citizens. Vets are even lower on priority list.

[@Rangerluck]

It’s not American territory.

[@freedfree7933]

It’s not American.. wouldn’t that defeat the point of sovereignty?

[@Freepr411]

The place is a real dump

[@snakeplisken4119]

This looks just like our Indian reserves in Canada with garbage everywhere.

[@964cuplove]

I guess all the plastic waste is coming from us polluting the oceans and they are just stuck with it

[@joe5st817]

What a hole that place has turned into, reminds me of the 3rd world countries I was in during service 2003-07. Good video!

[@Kilty007]

@joe5st817, The Republic of Kiribati, is a 3rd world country; it's one of the poorest places in the Pacific. It's sad to see garbage strewn all over the place but you'll find the same thing in the so-called "developed world" in places such as the Bahamas (take a drive through Nassau sometime), the Virgin Islands, Hawaii, etc.

[@joelmonkley6177]

Your right it is a third world country but it's better than many places in the untied states of America

[@gordontyree4308]

TOTAL SHIT HOLE…LITERALLY! SICKENING AND DISGRACEFUL HOW THIS SACRED BATTLEFIELD AND MEMORIALS ARE BEING TOTALLY NEGLECTED BY THE US GOVERNMENT! THE JAPANESE GOVERNMENT SHOULD BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE ALSO! PATHETIC!

[@bobloblaw2958]

Don't forget San Francisco.

[@mikefoley3508]

I am currently reading 'Twilight of the Gods' by Ian Toll. One of the best books on the Pacific War and just finished watching 'With the Marines at Tawara' on U-tube. Thank you for your video as I was curious as to what Betio looked liked today.

[@mrpirate3470]

If you want some more on the Tarawa battle I'd recommend: Tarawa 20-23 November 1943: A Hell of a Way to Die by Derrick Wright

[@lesliesawyer3224]

I appreciate your work. The way you filmed it all gave my imagination a boost.

[@Booze_Rooster]

Europe rebuilt after two world wars. This island rebuilt itself from a war torn battlefield into a landfill.

[@mtshasta4195]

Its wonderful that you took the time and effort to commemorate these campaigns. Much appreciated. By the way, who is the artist and song in the background? Thnx in advance.

[@eoghanoconnell2842]

Very interesting and well-made. Thank you

[@normanbuffett4642]

Outstanding work, well done. The "aligators aka water buffalos" are amphibious tractors. The links you see are called tracs. Thanks for your efforts.

[@seandoolittle6144]

From looking at this video it's obvious that the residents treat the island as a giant garbage dump. It was amazing how much trash was strewn all over

[@Str8Bidness]

22.30. That a piece of the Cannon that was on the adjacent turret. The long spring is the shock absorber on the base.

[@austinnicholl8891]

Utmost savagery. The most vicious battle of the entire war.

[@getoffenit7827]

Excellent video whats the music in the background?

[@michaelgallen1333]

The weekend before I went to Kiribati I just happened to watch a documentary on the battle of Tarawa. It showed the Americans using flame throwers and Japanese soldiers running out of the bunkers on fire. It was so weird to go into the bunkers after seeing that. Did you go there just to see the war relics or did you have some other reason for going? Lovely people there too. It is one of the most densely populated places in the world because the islands are only 100 or 200m wide. Even Betio is less than a kilometer wide. Thanks again for your film.

[@davidroyer8512]

My father fought there, someday i will go there, my father a decorated marine, lived this war along with saipain and guadalcanal, till he died in 2004.

[@keithdavis9897]

God Bless the U.S. Marines, my Dad was in the Army in the Pacific. The Marines fought gallantly. My concern is how the Marine command seemed to be so cavalier with their forces, on Tarawa. Peleliu is another good example. Seems they should have been more probing in their initial assault and when it went so bad, pull back and ADAPT. Bad intelligence, bad planning or both.

[@thenadonation2664]

16:35 thats an old loading port for supplies that eventually filled in with sand.

[@yyz4761]

I had no idea that the island was even inhabited

[@gilbertrogers8965]

My dad was there!

[@wolfganggugelweith8760]

Brave Japanese soldiers!

[@tobydrewyou]

The rusting pontoon at 7.34 mins in is not WW2 related, must have happened after mid - 1970s. ( I lived there 68-74 )

[@thenadonation2664]

Higgins boats dude.........

[@thenadonation2664]

The bunker doesnt look badly damaged.....

[@surfdocer103]

I think that plane wa a Hellcat

[@964cuplove]

Don’t think they died when getting stuck on the reef, they died fighting their way through the island

[@gordontyree4308]

As i watched your video, two things came to mind. One, leave the relics exactly as you find them! This is SACRED GROUND YOU ARE WALKING ON! MARINES DIED THERE AND SOME ARE STILL BURIED THERE! PLEASE BE RESPECTFUL! And two, WHERE IN THE HELL IS OUR GOVERNMENT? WHY ARE THESE SITES NOT BEING TAKEN CARE OF AND PRESERVED? IT SICKENS ME TO SEE THIS MESS! THE UNITED STATES NEEDS TO GET THEIR SHIT TOGETHER AND DO SOMETHING ABOUT THIS! SUCH BLATANT DISRESPECT FOR THOSE FALLEN MARINES! IT BREAKS MY HEART! DISGRACEFUL! I AM CONTACTING WASHINGTON, DC TO SEE WHO OVERSEES BATTLEFIELDS CLEANUP AND PRESERVATION. I AM A USAF VIETNAM ERA VETERAN AND IT’S THE LEAST I CAN DO FOR THOSE WHO GAVE ALL AT TARAWA! MAY GOD BLESS AND KEEP THEM. SEMPER FI! 🇺🇸 THANK YOU FOR THE VIDEO SIR! I HOPE THE VIDEO LIGHTS A FIRE UNDER A LOT OF VETERANS TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT THIS SHAMEFUL MESS….IT DID ME!

[@rufusmedrano2962]

Sad how these people live. Don’t take any pride in their island

[@brewmonsta6413]

Nothing like russians bunkers these are still standing

[@alkatmerc5156]

As dirty as the locals are, maybe we should have let japan keep it.

[@maetaakesamteetak909]

every mess was only made by homeless people who had no restroom or toilets to use, instead, they sneaked using beautiful beaches dumping their mess. So sad especially using a sacred memorable place.

[@964cuplove]

I guess all the plastic waste is coming from us polluting the oceans and they are just stuck with it

[@minnieee123]

Go back to playing your video games. Islands were clean before y’all started capitalism. Now poverty is the result and overpopulation on the capital island with people seeking non existent jobs.

[@pippaul4279]

Tidy up the rubbish some one ..please

[@geoffjones4285]

ZZZZZZzzzzzz

[@rollotomassi6374]

My dad was a first day lander, 2nd Marines, Red 2…..wounded on the third day…..very dangerous battle for the USMC…God bless them all, Semper Fi.

[@mariorodrigues5796]

Parabéns pelo serviço prestado por seu Pai meus Respeitos meu Tio-avô lutou na Itália Monte Castelo 👊👊👊👊

[@ag358]

Possibly you dad knew My dad, marine 2 div, Tarawa, Saipan tinian and Okinawa.

[@JimDandy49]

That place looks like a dump now. Literally.

[@dougtheviking6503]

Although quite an awesome historical perspective. As an American our government and the Japanese government should help clean up that country . live ordinance, equipment, and importantly, the fallen.

[@jaman878]

Very little was known about amphibious operations back then. Yea, there was poor planning because we didn’t know better. There was also an intelligence failure as the Japanese had reinforced the island. We got lucky. Had the Japenae Commander survived the first days battle and counter attacked during the night of the first day, the Marines could have been wiped out. As it was hundreds of Marine and Navy sailors lost their lives in just 3 days of battle. We learned how to and how to not conduct amphibious landings. We also learned that the Japanese were not going surrender.

[@davehconner]

It's a beautiful place, but it looks like the locals just drop their trash wherever they happen to be finished with it

[@michaelgallen1333]

Very interesting film Martin. I have been to Tarawa a couple of times, so it was nice to see stuff in your film that I have seen in real life.

[@petefinnegan3873]

b24 plane

[@douglasstreet7304]

LET'S MAKE IT VERY CLEAR. HISTORY has been screwed up by MANY so called professionals. THIS Sherman tank is an M4A2-Diesel engine and WAS NOT KNOCKED OUT. It drove into a shell hole and got stuck, the crew bailed. WHY they left her there is a mystery and WRONG ! Someone with some cash needs to bring her home. BRING HER HOME !!!!!!!!!!!!

[@Laotzu819]

Great videos. And they are called "tracks'. Gave you a like and suscribed for your troubles :-) thanks!

[@mariorodrigues5796]

Tenho um livro sobre Tarawa por um Fuzileiro do 6° Regimento "Grito de Guerra" muito bom Parabéns pelo vídeo 🗡🗡🗡🗡👊👊👊👊

[@yonghyunyoun]

36:54 한국인 강제 징용자들이 강제 노동으로 건설한 타라와섬 군사 시설.. 일본 제국주의에 의해 많은 희생을 당했다.

[@terryporche9059]

Should leave items like you find it. I would say engine ( heads)parts scattered around wing of plane

[@jotann6430]

Perhaps the island people leave the debris so as to NEVER forget history

[@pittsburghwill]

general holland m smith said "eventually the sands of time will erase all traces of battle"

[@localbod]

Thank you for posting this informative video. It is appreciated.

[@keithdavis9897]

what was that music playing at the 2:30 mark....haha. I'd like to get the C.D or find it on Apple, or something

[@wlhjr77]

Very well made video, thank you for posting this.

[@thenadonation2664]

22:20 AA gun or anti ship gun in the samd that came off the blown turret.

[@MrJodyh54]

Can't believe he put his under that piece of steel on the beach. In the desert/tropics or any warm place, never ever reach under something as there may be snakes and scorpians under them!!

[@lesmoore6443]

Thanks for visiting these WWII sites in the Pacific. I might not get to many of them, so your videos are of special interest. The word you were looking for in relation to the amphibious tractors/"alligators" was "track", or "tread". Track, as in tracked vehicles. That one piece of track out in the water was incredibly intact, considering. Someone who knows WWII aircraft engines better than I might be able to take a guess at the aircraft type. Obviously radial engines, and it looked like 4 of them. Recall that Betio's airfield was used by US forces for some time after the island was taken in November '43, so it's likely the aircraft remains are from a crashed or abandoned plane from later, not during the battle.