The Aleutian Islands Campaign was a military campaign during the Pacific War over the Aleutian Islands between the nation of Alaska and the nations of the US Pacific-Asiatic Zone, and the Empire of Japan beginning on 9 June 1939. During the early days of the campaign a small Japanese force occupied the islands of Attu and Kiska, but the remoteness of the islands and the difficulties of weather and terrain meant that it took nearly a year for a far larger Allied force to combat them. The Aleutian Islands served as an important strategic location, if held allowing Japanese forces a base of operations to assault further into American remnant territory and also launch deadly bombing raids on American cities in the area. The campaign was launched to coincide with the larger Battle of Midway tak