Changes

Spanish sovereignty was established in 1885.  

Spanish sovereignty was established in 1885.  

After losing the Spanish-American War in 1898, Palau, was sold to Germany the following year along with the other islands in the chain.  

After losing the Spanish–American War in 1898, Palau, was sold to Germany the following year along with the other islands in the chain.  

In 1914 during [[World War I]], Palau was taken over by the Japanese.  It remained in Japanese control until it was captured and occupied by the United States in 1944 following Japan's loss during the battle of Peleliu in World War II.

In 1914 during [[World War I]], Palau was taken over by the Japanese.  It remained in Japanese control until it was captured and occupied by the United States in 1944 following Japan's loss during the battle of Peleliu in World War II.

== Facts and Figures ==

== Facts and Figures ==

Size: land area 177 sq mi(458 sq km) - roughly 2.5 times the size of [[Washington D.C.]]

Size: land area 177 sq mi(458 km²) - roughly 2.5 times the size of [[Washington D.C.]]

== Palau during World War 2 ==

== Palau during World War 2 ==

By 1944 Palau had lost all strategic significance both to the U.S. and to the Japanese. Admiral Chester Nimitz made the decision not to bypass the scheduled invasion of Palau over senior staff recommendations. Denying the Japanese the use of Palau's tiny airfield so that they could not threaten General [[Douglas MacArthur]]'s upcoming Phillipine campaign was offered as a reason not to cancel the invasion. The codename for the battle was Operation Stalemate.<ref>Peleliu: Tragic Triumph: The Untold Story of the Pacific War’s Forgotten Battle,  Bill D. Ross</ref>  

By 1944 Palau had lost all strategic significance both to the U.S. and to the Japanese. Admiral Chester Nimitz made the decision not to bypass the scheduled invasion of Palau over senior staff recommendations. Denying the Japanese the use of Palau's tiny airfield so that they could not threaten General [[Douglas MacArthur]]'s upcoming Philippine campaign was offered as a reason not to cancel the invasion. The codename for the battle was Operation Stalemate.<ref>Peleliu: Tragic Triumph: The Untold Story of the Pacific War’s Forgotten Battle,  Bill D. Ross</ref>  

Three days prior to the ground invasion, beginning on September 12, 1944 United States  battleships Pennsylvania, Maryland, Mississippi, Tennessee, Idaho; heavy cruisers Columbus, Indianapolis, Louisville, Minneapolis, and Portland; light cruisers Cleveland, Denver and Honolulu bombard the island of Peleliu with several thousand pounds of naval ordinace. This lasts for two days until Admiral Oldendorph declares that he has run out of targets and ceases the bombing of the island a day earlier then planned.  Most of the naval fleet was then reassigned to the Philippine invasion and departed the area.  As a result, several targets were missed and only a handful of the 11,000 Japanese soldiers defending the island were killed during the initial bombing.  

Three days prior to the ground invasion, beginning on September 12, 1944 United States  battleships Pennsylvania, Maryland, Mississippi, Tennessee, Idaho; heavy cruisers Columbus, Indianapolis, Louisville, Minneapolis, and Portland; light cruisers Cleveland, Denver and Honolulu bombard the island of Peleliu with several thousand pounds of naval ordinace. This lasts for two days until Admiral Oldendorph declares that he has run out of targets and ceases the bombing of the island a day earlier then planned.  Most of the naval fleet was then reassigned to the Philippine invasion and departed the area.  As a result, several targets were missed and only a handful of the 11,000 Japanese soldiers defending the island were killed during the initial bombing.