U.S. Moved to Revive Major WWII-Era Military Bases in 2023 to Prepare for Face off With China

The U.S. began resuscitating major World War II-era military sites in the Pacific in 2023 amid a sweeping pivot toward preparation for a potential China conflict.

Earlier in December, a U.S. Air Force general said the U.S. has made “significant progress” toward reclaiming the Tinian North airfield on the Marianas island chain from which the U.S. launched its strategic bombers against Japan during WWII, Japanese newspaper Nikkei reported. The plan, which has not been officially declared by the Department of Defense (DOD), reflects a trend of expanding and repositioning U.S. troops in the Pacific region as the Pentagon promises to deter China and, if necessary, confront threats to the U.S.

“If you pay attention in the next few months, you will see significant progress, especially at Tinian North,” Gen. Kenneth Wilsbach, commander of the Pacific Air Forces, told Nikkei.

The airfield “has extensive pavement underneath the overgrown jungle. We’ll be clearing that jungle out between now and summertime,” Wilsbach said, adding that the structure will be “extensive” once completed, but did not say when that would occur.

Access to the airfield will support the Air Force’s strategy to disperse aircraft throughout the Indo-Pacific and ensure better survivability of assets against China’s missile threat, a shift from Cold War posturing, Nikkei reported. U.S. Army Air Forces abandoned the strip after the war, although the U.S. still claims territorial control of the Northern Mariana Islands.

Secretary Austin said it best at the Reagan National Defense Forum: in a decisive decade, 2023 has been a decisive year for implementing U.S. defense strategy in the Indo-Pacific.

And we’re going to keep delivering in 2024. https://t.co/eq0EWy73Go

— Dr. Ely Ratner (@ASD_IndoPacific) December 27, 2023