Kammala jumla mai zuwa: A lokacin Yakin Pacific (Yakin Duniya na II) an yi amfani da Ellice Islands a matsayin tushe don shirya don hare-haren da aka kai a tsibirin Gilbert (Kiribati) wanda aka yi a lokacin.
sojojin Japan suka mamaye shi. Rundunar Sojan Ruwa ta Amurka ta sauka a Funafuti a ranar 2 ga Oktoba, 1942. A Funafuti an tura tsibirin zuwa ƙananan tsibirin don ba da damar sojojin Amurka su gina filin jirgin sama (yanzu Funafuti International Airport), asibiti mai gadaje 76 da sansanonin sojan ruwa da kuma tashar jiragen ruwa a tsibirin Fongafale.