The Pacific War Online Encyclopedia
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Central Intelligence Agency. Via Perry-Castañeda Library Map Collection
The Spratly Islands are a group of atolls located in the South China Sea.
Spratly Island itself (111.921E
8.644N) is barely large enough for an airstrip, and the islands were not
known to have any important economic resources in 1939. However, they
are strategically located, and the Japanese
laid claim to the islands in March 1939, ignoring a French claim dating from 1930, and establishing a forward submarine base. Since the South
China Sea became a Japanese lake with the destruction of Force Z, and
remained so almost until the end of the war, the islands ended up
playing little role in Pacific strategy. However, their seizure
contributed to the deterioration
of relations between Japan and
the western powers.
References
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