Page "Battle of Peleliu" Paragraph 5

After their losses in the Solomons, Gilberts, Marshalls and Marianas, the Imperial Army assembled a research team to develop a new island defense strategy.

They chose to abandon the old tactic of stopping the enemy at the beach.

The new strategy would only disrupt the landings at the waters edge and depend on an indepth defense farther inland.

Colonel Nakagawa used the rough terrain to his advantage, by constructing a system of heavily fortified bunkers, caves, and underground positions all interlocked into a " honeycomb " system.

The old tactic of the banzai charge was also discontinued as wasteful of men and ineffective.

These two strategies would force the Americans into a war of attrition requiring more and more resources.