World War II Database

Japanese Decision to Abandon New Guinea
30 Sep 1943

On 30 Sep 1943, the Imperial General Headquarters in Tokyo, Japan endorsed a plan to reduce Japan's defense perimeter, a plan which was drew up 15 days before. This new defense perimeter went from Burma through Dutch New Guinea, the Caroline Islands, and finally to the Marshall Islands. Although it was a serious effort to consolidate conquests and to shorten supply lines, this plan meant the abandonment of 300,000 troops outside of the perimeter, who were unable to be evacuated easily due to Allied air superiority. At this time, 120,000 Japanese personnel were located in eastern New Guinea island, many groups of which were running out of food and supplies. First Lieutenant Toshiro Kuroki commanded the Third Company of the 20th Engineer Regiment attached to the 20th Division, stationed in New Guinea at the time. He recalled the rice supplies running thin as days wore on:

With the Japanese troops stranded, Allied troops began their slow movement across this second largest island in the world.

The Battle of Cape Gloucester
15 Dec 1943-22 Apr 1944

On 15 Dec 1943, American 112th Cavalry Regiment landed at Arawe on the island of New Britain in the Bismarck Islands to disrupt Japanese supply lines, paving the way for the main invasion force of Major General William H. Rupertus' US 1st Marine Division that arrived on 26 Dec. Opposite of the American landers was Major General Iwao Matsuda's Japanese 17th Division, who resisted the American advance. Although the action on New Britain lasted through the following five months, the Allies had already achieved their goal with the invasion: with American troops present on the island, the use of airfields by the Japanese were limited, therefore further contributing to the primary objective of isolating the island stronghold of Rabaul.

Admiralty Islands
26 Feb-25 Mar 1944

With a similar goal as New Britain, MacArthur wanted the Admiralty Islands to cut off Rabaul. Additionally, gaining the Admiralty Islands would secure the right flank of the Allied advance across the northern coast of New Guinea. Intelligence photos given to MacArthur showed airfields that appear abandoned, confusing his staff the actual number of defenders there; it was the tactic of Colonel Yoshio Ezaki, who wished to remain mysterious and keep his enemies guessing on his strength. All Ezaki's men were hidden in the jungles, ordered not to fire at enemy aircraft. US Army Air Forces thought the island was only held by a small number of Japanese troops, while the Army thought Ezaki's strength was somewhere between 4,000 and 5,000. Ezaki's actual strength was about 4,450.

On 29 Feb, Vice Admiral Thomas Kinkaid's ship provided transport for part of Brigadier General William Chase's First Cavalry Division, about 1,000 dismounted men, to Los Negros. Unlike typical amphibious assaults, the landing force was small, largely due to the lack of intelligence on Japanese strength. They were ordered to secure the nearby airfield, and either fall back if the airfield if it was heavily defended or hold the airfield if only moderately defended; in both cases, they would be reinforced later. The landing was conducted with surprise, and the airfield was taken relatively easily by the 2nd Squadron of the 5th Cavalry Regiment. They set up a defensive line near the coast so that any attacking Japanese would need to dash across the open airfield with little cover. Repeated Japanese counterattacks, all in the form of small night attacks during the next few nights, instilled fear with American soldiers, but all of the attacks were fought off. The support force finally arrived on 4 Feb, followed by the arrival of the 12th Cavalry Regiment on 6 Mar and the 2nd Cavalry Brigade on 9 Mar. The 2nd Cavalry Brigade secured the small adjacent islands over the following few days, including the landing on Manus on 15 Mar to occupy the Japanese airfield on that island.

Los Negros Island was cleared of Japanese forces on 25 Mar, but Manus Island was not cleared until May. At the Admiralty Islands, about 4,400 Japanese were killed and 75 prisoners were taken. The Americans, all of whom belonged to the US 1st Cavalry Division (Special), suffered 290 killed and 977 wounded. Despite outnumbering the American forces at the start of the battle, which was extremely rare at this stage of war, Colonel Ezaki was unable to capitalize on the numerical advantage to secure a victory, which would have provided the morale boost that Japan desperately needed. With Admiralty Islands under Allied control, MacArthur commented that "the noose was complete." Rabaul was now choked off with its large garrison of troops idling in frustration.

Aitape and Hollandia
22 Apr 1944-Aug 1944

On 22 Apr 1944, a two-pronged attack was launched to attack Aitape and Hollandia on the northern coast of New Guinea island in the Australian Territory of New Guinea. MacArthur had hopes that these two locations would provide the valuable airfields needed to further his attack across the island, and perhaps even bomber fields that might later be used to attack the Philippine Islands. Both landing forces achieved complete surprise. "No withering fire met us at the beach", said MacArthur. "Instead, there was only disorder-rice still boiling in pots, weapons and personal equipment of every kind abandoned. No more than token resistance was met at any point, and there was no interference from the enemy's air or naval forces. In postwar interrogations, Jo Iimura, a Japanese defender in the region at the time, said "[t]he allied invasion of Hollandia and Aitape was a complete surprise to us. After considering the past operational tactics of the enemy... we believed they would attempt to acquire an important position somewhere east of Aitape.... Because we misjudged... we were neither able to reinforce nor send war supplies to their defending units."

Once on land, however, Eichelberger's troops discovered that Lieutenant General Hatazo Adachi's 18th Army had regrouped. Adachi's men counterattacked in strength multiple times near Aitape, causing serious casualties. "I cannot find any means nor method which will solve this situation strategically or tactically", said Adachi to his troops. "Therefore, I intend to overcome this by relying on our Japanese Bushido." The first of the such massed attacks took place on 11 Jul, attacking in multiple waves despite heavy casualties from Allied machine guns and artillery. For the next two weeks the Japanese attacks persisted, but to little success. Adachi later acknowledged that he felt he lost ten thousand men during the offensive. On 13 Jul, the Allied forces launched a double enveloping counteroffensive that divided Adachi's remaining troops into two groups, soon rendering them useless. All effective resistance ceased on 10 Aug, though small elements harassed Allied troops in the region until the end of the war.

Wakde
17 May 1944-Aug 1944

Even before Aitape and Hollandia were secured, MacArthur had already marked Wakde as his next target, mainly due to the fact that Aitape had proved to be unsuitable for the building of major airfields. Lieutenant General Walter Krueger's Sixth Army ("Alamo Force") landed at Wakde on 17 May. They met a similar level of stubborn resistance at Wakde mainly because of Wakde being well established with numerous storage depots. MacArthur claimed to have gained Wakde as an usable base of future operations, but some troops were bogged down in the area until nearly the end of the war.

Biak
27 May 1944-22 Jul 1944

Across Geelvink Bay north of western New Guinea island lay the island of Biak and its three airfields, which could prove to be dangerous as Allied troop transports operated closer and closer to the western tip of New Guinea. With its additional strategic value as an excellent jump-off point for the Philippines, MacArthur sent Major General Fuller and his 41st Division on Operation Hurricane to take the island. "The light enemy resistance at the beachhead held little hint of what was to come", recalled MacArthur. Lieutenant Colonel Naoyuki Kuzume put up a fierce defense that included tanks, which was rare for Japanese troops in this theater of the Pacific War. Kuzume utilized his knowledge of the island's topography and devised a brilliant defense plan that fully utilized the terrain. He was further reinforced by the Second Amphibious Brigade of the Southern Army from Mindanao via "Tokyo Express" during Operation Kon. His effective defense even rendered the airfields, newly captured by the Allies, useless. On 28 Jun, Kuzume's command post, located in one of the numerous caves, was breached. He committed ritual suicide. The remaining caves continued to fight ferociously. Frustrated American troops soon discovered the brutal tactic of simply dynamiting the caves, causing the cave roofs to collapse on the defenders hiding inside. The island was finally secured on 22 Jul.

At the conclusion of the Biak actions, Americans killed all but 150 of the 7,200 Japanese defenders (the 150 escaped), while losing 438 of their own. The Americans, similar to other Pacific actions, lost more men from the front lines to diseases than deaths and battle wounds. Biak turned out to be an important battle for another reason. It was the first time Japanese troops effectively used caves as defensive strongholds. Before this point, Japanese troops defended the islands at the beach; when all was lost, surviving troops formed a banzai charge, and the battle was over. After the battle, the Japanese began to include caves as an option, which dramatically increased American casualty rates during operations to secure the subsequent islands.

Noemfoor
2-7 Jul 1944

Allied troops landed on the island of Noemfoor, a small island directly west of Biak in Dutch New Guinea, on 2 Jul. After sporadic resistance, the island was declared secure on 7 Jul.

Vogelkop Peninsula and the Conclusion of the New Guinea-Papua Campaign

The last obstacle in liberating all of New Guinea island was the Vogelkop Peninsula in Dutch New Guinea. The Japanese resistance on the peninsula gathered at Manokwari, and MacArthur did not wish to contest with this force. Instead, his "hit 'em where they ain't" strategy took the Allied forces to a number of undefended beaches near Cape Opmaria and Sansapor. Like Rabaul, the 25,000 men at Manokwari were now stranded, frustratingly idling uselessly.

In Sep 1944, Allied troops occupied the Halmahera Islands, concluding the New Guinea Campaign. MacArthur was now only several hundred miles from the Philippines. In his memoir, MacArthur attributed to the Allied victory over New Guinea to mobility and the ability to achieve surprise at key confrontations. Additionally, he also insisted that his refusal to deploy military governors over conquered regions helped his command focus on the task at hand. Instead, he brought in Dutch and Australian civil administrators immediately after the area had been deemed secure. "The success of this method was reflected in the complete lack of friction between the various governments concerned", he noted.

Although Allied attention would move toward the Philippine Islands by this time, small pockets of Japanese resistance would continue to fight until late May 1945.

New Guinea-Papua Campaign, Phase 3 Timeline

Photographs

Maps

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Visitor Submitted Comments

1. Anonymous says:
   15 Mar 2006 11:30:20 PM
   
   u need pics
2. Anonymous says:
   15 Mar 2006 11:32:41 PM
   
   u need kokada track pics
   
3. Anonymous says:
   22 Apr 2006 06:52:21 PM
   
   WHAT ABOUT SHAGGY RIDGE?
   
4. Anonymous says:
   21 Aug 2006 02:44:39 AM
   
   Thank you for making such a wonderful site. I really like how you try to desribe all battle. It is really wonderful. I have to agree with previous comments about the lack of pictures here. If you want to get some pictures I can put you in contact with someone who lives in Canberra (the capital of Australia), where our war museum is located. He can help you there.
5. Anonymous says:
   23 Jul 2007 05:51:28 PM
   
   wE manned QS ships and were at sawmill jetty on New Guinea, then Admiralties, then Phillipines, and the Army of Occupation in Japan. Would love to get some pictures of the area. Not far from Hollandia.
6. Anonymous says:
   10 Mar 2010 07:49:01 PM
   
   Just discovered your site....it's mine blowing....am history buff and eat this stuff right-up....keep-up good work,the world needs to know what happened
7. Anonymous says:
   10 Apr 2010 04:31:22 PM
   
   This is a great website. The story needs to unfold completely.
   
   My dad was in the US 742nd Military Police Battalion in New Guinea... can't find any history of the unit anyplace. Let me know if you hear anything.
8. Anonymous says:
   18 May 2010 09:55:58 PM
   
   There is a short but colorful story about the fighting near Buna here: http://yankarchives.com/article.php?article_id10
9. dinkie die says:
   4 Aug 2010 11:25:02 AM
   
   An interesting article but is not MacArthurs army which stopped the **** on the Kokoda trail or at Milne Bay. It was the 'diggers' and even the 'choco soldiers of the militia who eventually stopped the **** ...and then they had to rescue the 38th from their disaster et Buna and Gona.
   Full marks to McKarther for learning though: it has been guessed that about 100,000 **** died of disease and starvation on the long inland retreat along New Guinea. "Hit them them where they are not!"
   Of couse, total command of the air is useful.
   A general thinks tactics.
   An army commander thinks strategy.
   A genious thinks logistics.
   Cheers TKerr
10. Anonymous says:
    23 Aug 2010 08:02:10 PM
    
    this is a really great site, i just enjoy getting information off here its beautiful, and inspiring, you amaze me.
11. Anonymous says:
    18 Oct 2010 03:37:00 PM
    
    i like it heaps with just terrific info
12. Ian says:
    20 Oct 2010 06:24:08 AM
    
    Please inform me if my information is incorrect, because the information I have is SOMEWHAT different to what the story here tells, the Japanese South Seas Regiment ( experience and hardy proven troops DID land to push overland to P Moresby, however the total number of landed Japanese troops, including all sorts was in the vicinity of 20,000. The story gives the allussion that only 8,500 Japanese landed - NOT TRUE! To oppose them the TOTAL number of Australians who opposed them was 542. Japanese intelligence estimated that the resistance offered indicated an opposition force of around 8,000 enemy. I could go on but PLEASE do your own research!
13. Anonymous says:
    25 Oct 2010 08:24:54 PM
    
    thanks for the great information.
14. Anonymous says:
    31 Oct 2010 06:08:12 PM
    
    just great its just great
15. don says:
    5 Dec 2010 12:28:54 PM
    
    have japanese photo journal from Rabaul,New Guinea in 1944. There are 70 photos of officers "johei" and top and lower soldiers or "shita hei". A sign in one photo is japanese "301" which could be division or groupe number. This journal was brought back by my uncle who was a mess sgt, from the south seas and has been in my family for over 65 years.GREAT SITE for me born in 1944 and having had relatives serving all over the globe.
    
16. Anonymous says:
    5 Jul 2011 08:15:35 AM
    
    I find it annoying that you state either McArthurs troops or Allied troops when US soldiers were NOT invovled but you ONLY mention US troops when they WERE involved and NOT allied troops..why? Also 20,000 Japanese (mostly) from the South Seas Regiment veterans landed to push accross the owen stanleys - opposed by 542 Australians. The Australians were NEVER routed and when they made their final stand it was the Japanese who cold not push forward and from then the Australians, with fresh AUSTRALIAN troops pushed the Japanese back. And it was AUSTRALIAN troops who took Gona and then support ( led) US troop engagements to take Buna. I could go on but what's the use, you've already written the "history." Besides, who would beleive me - maybe those who can research???
17. Anonymous says:
    18 Oct 2011 08:11:08 PM
    
    pretty good :)
    
18. Roger says:
    24 Oct 2012 02:41:14 PM
    
    My father was in World War Two in this invasion. I am trying to find information about the battle he was in. Any information?
    Or web-sites?
    
    Thanks
19. Braiden says:
    3 Feb 2013 12:06:59 PM
    
    i just ran across a WW2 lighter and it has a list of battles/places this person was stationed. (new Guinea, Biak, Leyte, Luzon, and Japan) there are the enitials C.A.B and then the actuall name (sorta) C.A. Barnett. if anyone has any innformation on this and how i can find out more about this person please email me at moore_braiden@yahoo.com
20. eric jones says:
    3 Mar 2013 08:58:50 PM
    
    I have photos and documentation from my father who guarded the 237th station hospital with Charles Mayo "mayo clinic" comanded by the Ausies.. please tell me how he can tell his chilling stories before he dies!!
    
    ECJ
21. Arthur Panggabean says:
    6 Mar 2013 04:34:22 PM
    
    saya dari Jayapura, Papua Indonesia. saya memiliki dogtag atas nama
    STANLEY E WINKLER
    39082848 T4242 A
    MAMIE WINKLER
    SAN ANDREAS CALIF C
    Jika anda mengetahui keluarga dari pemilik dog tag STANLEY E WINKLER, saya mohon untuk menghubungiku melalui email. saya ingin mengembalikan dog tag tersebut pada keluarganya sebagai bukti bahwa STANLEY pernah hadir di papua. syalom
    
    I'm from Jayapura, Papua Indonesia. I have a dogtag on behalf of
    STANLEY E Winkler
    T4242 39082848 A
    Mamie Winkler
    SAN ANDREAS CALIF C
    If you know the family of the owner of dog tags STANLEY E Winkler, I beg you to contact me via email. I want to restore the family's dog tag as evidence that Stanley had been present in Papua. shalom

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