Of Water and War: Examining the Intersection of Desalination Technologies and Military Strategy on Wake Atoll During World War II

Summary

Although desalination systems saw widespread use in maritime settings throughout the 17th and 18th centuries, mechanical improvements in the mid-1800s increased the utility of this technology for military purposes – specifically, the occupation and defense of otherwise uninhabitable lands. This paper examines the implementation and impacts of desalination technologies in one such location. Situated halfway between Hawaii and the Philippines, Wake Atoll is devoid of any natural source of freshwater. Here, desalination systems transformed this remote set of islands into a strategic asset. The design and construction of battle-ready desalination systems on Wake was critical to maintaining its value as a Pacific foothold to both American and Japanese troops during World War II. Documentary and archaeological evidence reveal not only a diversity of technological systems and design methodologies undergirding desalination use on the atoll during this period, but also the limits of desalination technology implementation in creating a defensible landscape.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• Paper / Report Submission (General Sessions) 2018   •
• Society for Historical Archaeology 2018

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Individual & Institutional Roles

Contact(s): Society for Historical Archaeology

Record Identifiers

PaperId(s): 655