▁the ▁government ▁strategy ▁not ▁only ▁in ▁the ▁Marshall ▁Islands , ▁but ▁on ▁all ▁the ▁other ▁mand ated ▁territ ories ▁in ▁Mic ron esia . ▁On ▁March ▁ 2 7 , ▁ 1 9 3 3 , ▁Japan ▁gave ▁notice ▁of ▁withdraw al ▁from ▁the ▁League ▁of ▁Nations , ▁but ▁continued ▁to ▁manage ▁the ▁islands , ▁and ▁in ▁the ▁late ▁ 1 9 3 0 s ▁began ▁building ▁air ▁bases ▁on ▁several ▁at oll s . ▁The ▁Marshall ▁Islands ▁were ▁in ▁an ▁important ▁ge ographic ▁position , ▁being ▁the ▁eastern most ▁point ▁in ▁Japan ' s ▁def ensive ▁ring ▁at ▁the ▁beginning ▁of ▁World ▁War ▁II . ▁ ▁World ▁War ▁II ▁ ▁In ▁the ▁months ▁before ▁the ▁attack ▁on ▁Pear l ▁Har bor , ▁K w aj ale in ▁At oll ▁was ▁the ▁administrative ▁center ▁of ▁the ▁Japanese ▁ 6 th ▁Fle et ▁Forces ▁Service , ▁whose ▁task ▁was ▁the ▁defense ▁of ▁the ▁Marshall ▁Islands . ▁ ▁In ▁World ▁War ▁II , ▁the ▁United ▁States , ▁during ▁the ▁Gilbert ▁and ▁Marshall ▁Islands ▁campaign , ▁inv aded ▁and ▁occupied ▁the ▁islands ▁in ▁ 1 9 4 4 , ▁destroy ing ▁or ▁isol ating ▁the ▁Japanese ▁g arr isons . ▁In ▁just ▁one ▁month ▁in ▁ 1 9 4 4 , ▁Americans ▁captured ▁K w aj ale in ▁At oll , ▁Maj uro ▁and ▁E new et ak , ▁and , ▁in ▁the ▁next ▁two ▁months , ▁the ▁rest ▁of ▁the ▁Marshall ▁Islands , ▁except ▁for ▁W ot je , ▁M ili , ▁Mal o el