[Poohbah]

Are you sure the Tarawa campaign was 31 days? IIRC, the island was declared "secure" in 76 hours, mostly because there wasn't anyone left alive to shoot back.

Peleliu was one of Nimitz's few mistakes, IMNHO.

[RaceBannon]

As I remember, the fighting never ended for 31 days. Iwo was declared secure in a week, too, I think, but only 5000 had died by then, with another thousand to die after. Funny how fighting can go on and the place becalled secure. I guess secure just means it is safe to walk around somewhere without being shot right away.