Is this true? The Japanese occupied part of Alaska during WWII? If it is, this has got to be one of the best kept secrets in highschool because I had no idea. We owned Alaska in the 1850's right, which means it was a U.S. territory at the time. We bought it for 7 million according to NBC from Russia.
IIRC, they occupied a couple of the Aleutian (sp?) Islands off the coast of western Alaska. The U.S. planned a mission to retake the islands & spent 6 months or so training a special commando squad, but when we got there the Japanese had abandoned their positions. I can't really remember why they "invaded" in the first place, or why they just packed up & left.
That is just strange. Who would have thought. I was amazed when I first heard this. Thanks for the info.
So the claim that we've never had a foreign army on American soil is bunk twice over: in the War of 1812 and WWII?
Alaska was not US soil during WWII. So the claim you say is bunk is probably considered referring to States, no?
Wasn't it tho? I mean if we bought it in the 1860's it had to be U.S. soil/territory. And Supposedly we had like 150,000 troops stationed in Alaska even tho it wasn't a state.
I suppose you're right; they didn't have statehood until after the war. By the same token, the War of 1812 doesn't stick either since the city the British burned down was in the District of Columbia and not in any state. Seriously, you're right; I'd forgotten how late Alaska became a state (1959).
For our Canadian posters: The War of 1812 Come back oh proud Canadians To before they had TV No Hockey Night in Canada There was no CBC (oh my god!) In 1812 Madison was mad He was the President, you know He thought he'd tell the British Where they ought to go He thought he'd invade Canada He thought that he was tough Instead we went to Washington... And burned down all his stuff (Chorus) And the White House burned, burned, burned And we're the ones that did it! It burned burned burned While the President ran and cried It burned burned burned Things were very historical and the Americans ran and cried like a bunch of little babies, wah wah wah in the war of 1812! Now some hillbillies from Kentucky dressed in green and red left home to fight in Canada but they returned home dead It's the only war the Yankees lost Except for Vietnam And also the alamo right, and the Bay of Ham! The loser was America The winner was ourselves So join right in and gloat about The War of 1812 CHORUS In 1812, we were just sitting around, minding our own business putting crops into the ground We heard the soldiers coming and we didnt like that sound So we took a boat to Washington And burned it to the ground. Oh, we fired our guns But the Yankess kept a comin, The wasnt quite as many as there was a while ago We fired once more And the Yankees went a runnin Down the Mississippi to the Gulf of Mexico They ran through the snow, They ran through the forest, They ran through the bushes, where the beavers wouldnt go. They ran so fast, They forgot to take their culture, back the America, and Gulf, and Texico So, If you go to Washington, its buildings clean and nice, Bring a pack of matches, and We'll burn the White House twice! When the White House burned burned burned But the Americans won't admit it It burned burned burned It burned and burned and burned It burned burned burned I bet that made them mad And the Americans ran and cried like a bunch of little babies wah wah wah! In the war of 1812!
Thanks! =) My American half agrees with you...but my Japanese half and my Canadian half find it quite amusing! For those of you who think I have a weird personality, please take the above as some kind of small explanation. =)
