Dragon 1/35 Japanese Army Infantry Peleliu 1944 | 6555

The Battle of Peleliu took place on the small Pacific coral island (its present-day name is Palau) from 15 September to 27 November 1944. Defending the island were approximately 11,000 Japanese soldiers, primarily from the 14th Infantry Division. The amphibious assault was initiated by the 1st Marine Division. The commander of the USMC division predicted Peleliu would be secured within four days, but the dug-in defenders put up fierce resistance that protracted the operation to 73 grueling days. In fact, the Japanese soldiers created the highest casualty rate for US forces in any battle in the Pacific campaign. The 1st Marine Division lost about a third of its strength on Peleliu, and this battle set a pattern for future Japanese island defense in places like Iwo Jima and Okinawa. Dragon's newest 1/35 scale figure set portrays Imperial Japanese Army (IJA) soldiers fighting on Peleliu. In fact, they form the perfect accompaniment to Dragon's newly released Type 95 "Ha-Go" light tank.