Editing Pohnpei (section)

===Japanese rule===
[[File:Tanks on Pohnpei Island.jpg|thumb|Relics of WW2, derelict tanks]]
With the [[Treaty of Versailles]], Japan as [[League of Nations mandate|mandatory power]] assumed control of all German colonial possessions north of the equator, having occupied Pohnpei along with the rest of the [[Caroline Islands|Carolines]], the [[Marshall Islands|Marshalls]], the [[Marianas]] (except for American-owned [[Guam]]) and [[Kiautschou Bay concession|Kiautschou Bay]] during [[World War I]]. In subsequent years and during [[World War II]] the Japanese garrison strength was composed of about 2,000 men of the [[Imperial Japanese Navy|IJN]] under Captain Jun Naito and 5,984 [[Imperial Japanese Army|IJA]] men under Lieutenant General Masao Watanabe.<ref name=Takizawa>{{cite web |first1=Akira |last1=Takizawa |first2=Allan |last2=Alsleben |url=https://warfare.gq/dutcheastindies/japan_garrison.html |title=Japanese garrisons on the by-passed Pacific Islands 1944–1945 |date=1999–2000 |work=Forgotten Campaign: The Dutch East Indies Campaign 1941–1942 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160106231303/http://www.dutcheastindies.webs.com/japan_garrison.html |archive-date=6 January 2016}}</ref> However, Pohnpei was bypassed by the [[United States Navy]] during the [[island hopping|island-hopping]] amphibious campaigns of 1943–1945.<ref name=Takizawa/>

The island was shelled on several occasions, including by the battleships [[USS Massachusetts (BB-59)|USS ''Massachusetts'']], USS ''Alabama'', and {{USS|Iowa|BB-61|6}}, as well as air attacks launched from [[USS Cowpens (CVL-25)|USS ''Cowpens'']]. Japan surrendered in 1945, and the Pohnpei was turned over to the United States without a battle. After the war, Japanese nationals were repatriated to Japan by the US Navy. The people on Pohnpei would be in a United Nations trusteeship to determine their own fate.