At noon on 15 August 1945, people gathered near radios and hastily setup loudspeakers in homes, offices, factories, and on city streets throughout Japan. Even though many felt that defeat was not far off, the vast majority expected to hear new exhortations to fight to the death or the official announcement of a declaration of war on the Soviet Union. The muted strains of the national anthem immediately followed the noon time-signal. Listeners then heard State Minister Hiroshi Shimomura announce that the next voice they would hear would be that of His Imperial Majesty the Emperor. In a solemn...

This historical publication is the eighth in a series of regimental histories. This series covers in similar fashion each of the infantry and artillery regiments in the Fleet Marine Force, active and reserve. The present narrative not only highlights the significant actions of the 12th Marines, but also furnishes a general history of the developments in Marine Corps artillery. "A Brief History of the 12th Marines" is a concise narrative of the regiment from its initial activation close to half a century ago through its participation in the Vietnam conflict.

The first half of the 19th century saw little dramatic change in military technology or in military and naval tactics. Marines, formally organized by an act of Congress in 1798, would perform the same functions they had assumed during America's fight for independence. In May 1798, in response to the depredations of French privateers, President John Adams instructed American frigate captains to make reprisals upon the commerce of France. Initially, Marine units were based upon the size of the ship and appointed directly, but on 11 July 1798, an act of Congress authorized "establishing and...