Tony Palomo After Captain George McMillin surrendered to the Japanese Imperial Army, Guam spent two and a half years under Imperial Japanese control. Caught in a war they didn't start, the CHamoru endured a harsh military occupation from December 10, 1941 until July 21, 1944. Early OccupationFor the first few months, the island the Imperial Japanese Army controlled the island. The civilian affairs section of the Imperial Japanese Army (Minseisho) handled the civil government. The 6,000 Japanese troops on the island stayed in public buildings, private homes, and even the cathedral in Hagåtña (Agana). The island was renamed Omiya Jima (Great Shrine Island) and the Japanese yen became the currency. Japanese soldiers required the CHamoru to learn the Japanese custom of bowing as a sign of respect. Signs were posted on public buildings throughout the island with the order "You must stop here and bow to us." Failure to bow, bowing too low, or not low enough was punishable by slapping, kicking, or hitting. Japanese officials required residents to have a pass from Japanese officials in order to move about the island. CHamoru referred to this pass, a strip of cloth identifying the wearer in Japanese, as lisiensan ga'lago or dog tag. The Minseisho confiscated cars, radios, and cameras and required a strict 10:00 p.m. to 4:00 a.m. curfew. Food was rationed until supplies became exhausted. CHamoru suspected of hiding family members wanted by the Japanese or helping the Americans were harassed, beaten, tortured, and even executed. The Japanese Army evacuated the village of Sumai and turned it into a Japanese garrison. Five CHamoru women were raped during the takeover. 
War in the Pacific National Historical Park Life under Imperial Japanese RuleBy mid-January 1942, Guam was under Japanese control, and the Imperial Japanese Army troops departed. The Keibitai, a Japanese naval militia with less than 500 soldiers, took charge of the island. The Navy’s Department of Civil Administration (Minseibu) was in charge of the day-to-day administration of the island. While Guam remained under martial law, life under the Minseibu was relatively calm as long as the CHamoru obeyed the Japanese officials. People remained on their farms and traded for products they needed. They took attended church, Japanese movies, sports competitions, and other social activities. Mass meetings were held in Hagåtña to reinforce the Nippon Seishen (spirit of Japan). Military parades celebrated Japanese victories in the Pacific and Asia. A popular float showed a young boy dressed in an Imperial Japanese Army uniform aiming a display rifle at a child dressed in an American military uniform. 
War in the Pacific National Historical Park The Minseibu reopened public schools. CHamoru children and adults were required to learn the Japanese language and customs and not allowed to speak English or CHamoru. Despite their best efforts, the Japanese education programs were not popular. The Japanese school system never had more than 600 students. The Lead-Up to the Battle of GuamAs WWII dragged on, the situation in Guam changed dramatically. In 1943, the United States launched twin offensives. By the middle of the year, Japanese forces found themselves on the defensive. The Imperial High Command declared that the Marianas, including Guam, were Japan's final line of defense and must be held at all costs. This triggered a rapid build-up of military personnel and defenses on Guam. In early 1944, 18,500 troops arrived in Guam. The Imperial Japanese Army took control of the island. The army closed schools and churches. Other social activities were forbidden. Civilian women and children were forced to work long hours in the fields, growing food for the Japanese Army. Japanese soldiers forced CHamoru men to build airstrips and defense installations. Laboring at bayonet point, the Chamoru were mistreated and, in some cases, executed after completing defense installations. Most of the island's food supply was seized by the army, and the CHamoru were reduced to subsistence rations. 
War in the Pacific National Historical Park As their situation became more desperate, the Japanese troops became more brutal. Dozens of CHamoru were beaten, beheaded, or raped in the final days of the Japanese occupation. Massacres took place at Fena, Tinta, Faha, and Yigo. On July 10, 1944 , Takashina ordered approximately 18,000 people, nearly the entire civilian population of Guam, to relocated to concentration camps in the jungles in the interior of the island. Manenggon was the largest of the camps. Most CHamoru spent the Battle of Guam in the concentration camps. Troops from the 77th Division reached Manenggon on July 31, killing the Japanese guards who didn't run away, and helping the CHamoru to return to what was left of their villages. Babauta, Leo. "War Atrocities: Manenggon Concentration Camp." Guampedia, May 28, 2024. Learn More!
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Last updated: October 25, 2024