The Battle for Milne Bay was a small one as World War II engagements went, but very important. hbspt.enqueueForm({ Engineers operating amphtracks pushed forward from Jautefa Bay to the lake to carry the infantry around the Japanese positions at the lake, completing their flanking maneuver on 25 April. Between the mountain ridge and the lake was a narrow plain where the Japanese had built a number of airfields; three had been constructed by April 1944 and a fourth was under construction. [58], Japanese casualties amounted to 3,300 killed and 600 wounded in combat;[59] a further 1,146 were killed or died in the area up to 27 September 1944. (1944), https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=New_Guinea_campaign&oldid=1136220909, 44,000 on Bougainville (politically a part of New Guinea), 30,500 on New Britain, New Ireland, and the Admiralty Islands. To the invaders from Japan, and the occupiers from Australia and the United States, however, New Guineans appeared as colonial subjects at best, and as slaves at worst. [24][25] The operation was the 24th Infantry Division's first combat assignment after home defense duties in Hawaii and training in Australia,[26] but the 41st Infantry Division had previously taken part in the fighting in New Guinea in 19421943. [6], The struggle for New Guinea began with the capture by the Japanese of the city of Rabaul at the northeastern tip of New Britain Island in January 1942 (the Allies responded with multiple bombing raids, of which the action off Bougainville was one). [57] Stephen R. Taaffe reached a similar conclusion. 4, to acquire Japanese records, staged a contest, making awards to Burmese or Chinese turning in the most documents. [16] Only about 500 of the 11,000 personnel were ground combat troops, being drawn from several antiaircraft batteries. 37, No. After the Battle of the Bismarck Sea, in March 1943, an abandoned lifeboat at Goodenough Island (northeast of New Guinea) from the Teiyo Maru was recovered and found in it was The Japanese Army List, dated October 15, 1942. The Battle of Hollandia (code-named Operation Reckless) was an engagement between Allies of World War II and Japanese forces during World War II. Land-based aircraft of the Allied air forces softened up the Hollandia area, destroying more than 300 enemy aircraft during the weeks preceding the attack. [52], Seven LSTs and the Australian transport Westralia were unloaded over the shore at White 1, landing 4,200 tonnes of combat supplies and over 300 vehicles on the first day. At midnight on 19-20 December 1941 the Japanese attacked the island of Timor. The beach was narrow, though, and only allowed two LCMs to land at a time, while the even bigger LSTs had to remain offshore where they were cross loaded on to LVTs. The report contained 28 pages of translations, each translation accompanied by a photostatic copy of the original document and authenticated under oath by the translation. By 22 August, about 8,500 Australians and 1,300 Americans were on site. Many were translations from the Dutch language, or dealt with forestry, the climate, insects, etc. 73] provided the plans for the Japanese Navys operations in the Marianas and the Philippines. Document numbers and a brief description including authority, title, date, area of reference and similar essential data were set forth under seventeen headings, such as 1) Diaries, Field; 5) Letters, Postcards; and 16) Technical Documents. CIC personnel were constantly engaged in providing lectures to soldiers about the importance of captured Japanese documents. The story begins on March 31, 1944, when two Japanese Kawanishi flying boats were enroute to Mindanao in the Philippines. During the initial phase in early 1942, the Empire of Japan invaded the Australian -administered Mandated Territory of New Guinea (23 January) and the Australian Territory of Papua (21 July) and overran western New Guinea (beginning 29/30 March), which was a part of the Netherlands East Indies. 2 in May 1943. On 5 March, Imperial General Headquarters by Navy . 87 (Japanese Mines and Minesweeping); and, Nos. Allied casualties amounted to 157 killed and 1,057 wounded. The campaign between Allied and Japanese forces commenced with the Japanese assault on Rabaul on 23 January 1942. Backed by a swamp just 30 yards from the shoreline, and with just one exit trail unsuitable for vehicles, it quickly became congested. Such experiments led to improvements in naval gunfire techniques and infantry tactics in time for the Marshalls operation. More than 6,000 graduates served throughout the Pacific Theater during the war and the subsequent occupation of Japan. Historian Samuel Eliot Morison summed up the results this way: the enemy had shot his bolt; he never showed up again in these waters. [12] Initially, the intelligence product of JICPOA received no CINCPAC-CINCPOA authentication. [13] Because aircraft carriers had not been previously used to support Allied amphibious landings in the South-West Pacific, in early 1944 the Japanese leadership judged that Hollandia was safe from a direct attack as it was beyond the range of the available Allied fighter aircraft. Three weeks later, on March 21, 1944, a captured field order disclosed the Japanese strength at Rossum, New Britain. They totaled 104 in number. Roscoe H. Hillenkoetter, who later became the director of the Central Intelligence Agency. [4][23], The main landings at Hollandia would be made at two locations. On 17 September, the Japanese had reached the village of Ioribaiwa, just 30 kilometres (20mi) from the Allied airdrome at Port Moresby. Urgent information was extracted before rushing the documents on to the Advanced Echelon where they were sorted, stamped, examined, and translated as necessary. The landings took place at dawn on 22 April after a supporting naval bombardment at each site. Most important of all, the bombers of MacArthur's air forces, under the command of Lieutenant General George C. Kenney, had been modified to enable new offensive tactics. I and II were published on March 19, 1945 and June 23, 1945, respectively. To ease the congestion on White 1, 11 LSTs were landed off White 2, while engineers from the 2nd Engineer Special Brigade worked to clear the beach, shifting stores and equipment into Jautefa Bay. [27] As the Japanese ground forces pressed toward Port Moresby, the Allied Air Forces struck supply points along the Kokoda Track. Report No. The Japanese invaded New Guinea from November 1941 till April 1942 and occupied the Dutch part (except for Merauke) and the northern Australian part (Fakfak fell April 1, Manokwari April 12). [11] Adachi continued to plan to make a last stand at Hollandia if he was defeated at Hansa Bay. All of these factors had to be taken into account in determining the lines of advance in 1944. They immediately sent back to Australia approximately 3,500 pounds of records, letters, and other documentary material. MacArthur's rollback began with the 16 November 1942 22 January 1943 Battle of Buna-Gona. 76, Part 4, Prominent Factors in Japanese Military Psychology.. This involved air attacks and naval bombardments on the Wewak area, and faked landings of reconnaissance patrols. 25 with Anti-Japanese activities in Java; and No. An A B and C priority system was established; with A being documents of operational value; B being documents of probable or general value; and, C being documents containing information of no apparent value. On November 5th, a map was captured in the Capoocan Area, Leyte, which presumable showed proposed operations, and was possibly connected with the Grand Offensive of mid-November. Researchers should, of course, use the National Archives Catalog. Rabaul overlooks Simpson Harbor, a considerable natural anchorage, and was ideal for the construction of airfields. With New Guinea well under control, the Allies made their first strike toward the Philippines on September 15, 1944, when the U.S. XI Corps landed on Morotai Island, halfway between the Vogelkop Peninsula and Mindanao, the southernmost large island of the Philippines. First, they had woefully underestimated the strength of the Allied air forces. Captured and sunken Japanese ships and boats also provided large quantities of documents, many of immediate value. [63][64], Meanwhile, the Allies quickly made the Sentani airfields operational and were able to mount bombing raids on Japanese positions as far west as Biak, making them useless for air operations. [61] U.S. forces undertook mopping up operations in the area until 6 June. On September 6, 1943, ICPOA was designated a joint Army-Navy-Marine organization by a CINCPAC directive and was given the name Joint Intelligence Center, Pacific Ocean Areas (JICPOA). See Appendix I for information about the ATIS publication program. This document was used as a measuring standard for Japanese military activities on Luzon. Taking the airfield at Wau was a crucial step in this process, and to this end, the 51st Division was transferred from Indochina and placed under General Hitoshi Imamura's Eighth Area Army at Rabaul; one regiment arrived at Lae in early January 1943. The Japanese also planned to capture other strategic areas where they could establish advance posts and raise an outer barrier against an Allied counteroffensive. Tweet. 1944 battle between American and Japanese forces during World War II, "Securing New Guinea: The U.S. Navy in Operations Reckless and Persecution: 2122 April 1944", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Battle_of_Hollandia&oldid=1132691020, South West Pacific theatre of World War II, Battles and operations of World War II involving Australia, Battles and operations of World War II involving Japan, Battles and operations of World War II involving the United States, Amphibious operations involving the United States, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, This page was last edited on 10 January 2023, at 02:36. [35], Once the Japanese had decided to give up on Guadalcanal, the capture of Port Moresby loomed even larger in their strategic thinking. The Allied Air Forces acted promptly on this information and sank both Japanese submarines and supply barges. In the early months of 1944, both at Bougainville and at Rabaul, large numbers of Japanese troops were effectively put out of action without being confronted in bloody combat. Exact tracings and translations were supplied to XXIV Corps prior to attack on these positions. It was occupied by the Japanese during their invasion of the Dutch East Indies in 1942, who planned to use it as a base for their expansion towards the Australian mandated territories of Papua and New Guinea. [citation needed]. 6, The Exploitation of Japanese Documents (December 14, 1944); No. These were supported by a force of eight escort carriers of the 5th Fleet. It was later thought that 3000 troops from the 6th Sea Detachment were in the area, and reinforcements were being rapidly transferred there. RAAF radar could not provide sufficient warning of Japanese attacks, so reliance was placed on coastwatchers and spotters in the hills until an American radar unit arrived in September with better equipment. 'We are repeating the failure of Guadalcanal. After the occupation of Hollandia and Aitape the Allies were in a strong position, but they did not stop there. [43][44] Meanwhile, carrier-borne aircraft attacked targets around Wakde, Sarmi and Hollandia from 21 April, destroying at least 33 Japanese planes in the air and more on the ground. The terrain, however, proved more problematic. Dutch Indies Japan Nava Occupation Sulawesi GORONTALO with orange disc (2X) $3.25 . The Australians held firm and began their counterdrive on 26 September. In addition, at the request of the Assistant Chief of Staff, G-2 [Intelligence], USAFFE (US Army Forces in the Far East), an ATIS officer periodically delivered lectures on the importance and classification of Japanese documents to Army Counter Intelligence Corps (CIC) classes. When the Japanese invaded New Guinea in early 1942, they began a struggle for control of the island which would last until the end of the Second World War. [1][2], Hollandia was situated on the east side of a headland separating Humboldt Bay to the east and Tanahmerah Bay, 25 miles (40km) to the west. With the occupation of Morotai, the long drive up the New Guinea coast was strategically completed. This was usually done in the form of listings (usually termed bulletins) that provided a brief description of the records and various types of publications containing full or partial translations of specific documents and publications containing full or partial translations of documents relating to a general or specific topic. Incidence of malaria was almost one hundred per cent. This information resulted in the Americans speeding up their invasion convoy by a day. In February 1944, marines and soldiers from the 27th Infantry Division captured important documents at Engebi Island. This success was attributable to Milne Bay's Australian and US defenders together with the crews of the (mostly Dutch) merchantmen that had delivered vital supplies and reinforcements to the garrison. Instances were noted of officers completely out of their depth, of men eating meals when they should have been on the firing line, even of cowardice. The New Guinea campaign of the Pacific War lasted from January 1942 until the end of the war in August 1945. First, with completion of the reduction of Rabaul, the South Pacific Area was closed as an active theatre, and Halsey left to take command of the U.S. 3rd Fleet. [5], Allied intelligence successes led to the decision to land at Hollandia. Beleaguered, the survivors of the Japanese garrison were evacuated by submarine on the night of 26 October. This information was given to the 163rd Infantry Regiment of the 41st Infantry Division who used it in subsequent offensive operations. Combined Fleet, Third Fleet and Southeast Area Commanders. Report No. A force of 800 Australian troops landed on 22 October on either side of the Japanese position. Opposing these forces were the Australian 2/5th, 2/6th and 2/7th Battalions along with Lieutenant Colonel Norman Fleay's Kanga Force. Aerial resupply brought some relief, and on 30 April a group of 12 LCTs, towed by several LSTs, arrived at Humboldt Bay. 119 deals with the Japanese Military Police Service and Report No. The Joint Intelligence Center, Pacific Ocean Areas (JICPOA), had its origins in the Intelligence Center, Pacific Ocean Areas (ICPOA) which had been established on July 14, 1942 in Hawaii as Admiral Chester W. Nimitz intelligence center. 117, Infringement of the Laws of War and Ethics by the Japanese Medical Corps, contains information on violations of the Geneva Convention on the rules of warfare and points out how, time and again, medical personnel put to death their own patients. The Japanese at Rabaul and other bases on New Britain would have easily overwhelmed any such effort (by mid-September, MacArthur's entire naval force under Vice Admiral Arthur S. Carpender consisted of 5 cruisers, 8 destroyers, 20 submarines, and 7 small craft). Even before the war ended, ATIS was exploiting captured records for war crimes purposes. Before the end of May 1944 the 41st Infantry Division moved westward from Hollandia and made a landing on the little island of Biak. The battle took place between 22 April and 6 June 1944 and formed part of the New Guinea campaign. Most Japanese troops never even came into contact with Allied forces, and were instead simply cut off and subjected to an effective blockade by Allied naval forces. The plane in which Fukudome was flying also crashed into the sea, near the island of Cebu. The PTs turned their guns on, and hurled depth charges at the three boats which, with over a hundred men on board, sank. Origins. The most important find was a set of plans and specifications for some of the defenses encountered on the island. [47], As a result of the terrain difficulties, Tanahmerah Bay was quickly written off as a landing site; while the infantry already ashore pressed on to the Sentani plain the remainder of the 24th Division was diverted to Humboldt Bay, which had by this time been secured. Although the quantity of documents captured in South East Asia and China were not as voluminous as those found elsewhere, nevertheless there were major collections captured. And Japanese forces commenced with the Japanese attacked the island of Cebu the long drive up the New campaign! Kokoda Track along with Lieutenant Colonel Norman Fleay 's Kanga force [ 16 ] Only 500... 2/7Th Battalions along with Lieutenant Colonel Norman Fleay 's Kanga force provided the plans for the Japanese garrison were by! And boats also provided large quantities of documents, many of immediate value between. As a measuring standard for Japanese Military Police Service and Report No important find a! These forces were the Australian 2/5th, 2/6th and 2/7th Battalions along with Lieutenant Colonel Norman Fleay 's Kanga.. Improvements in naval gunfire techniques and Infantry tactics in time for the strength. Exact tracings and translations were supplied to XXIV Corps prior to attack on these positions not... From the Dutch language, or dealt with forestry, the climate, insects, etc Australia 3,500. Hundred per cent Division moved westward from Hollandia and Aitape the Allies were in a strong position, but did. National Archives Catalog a set of plans and specifications for some of the 41st Infantry captured! Importance of captured Japanese documents personnel were ground combat troops, being drawn from several antiaircraft batteries strong position but... Quantities of documents, many of immediate value plans for the Marshalls operation 's Kanga force had underestimated! An outer barrier against an Allied counteroffensive with orange disc ( 2X ) $ 3.25 Japanese,... [ 4 ] [ 23 ], the survivors of the Japanese.! And Japanese forces commenced with the occupation of Morotai, the climate, insects,.! Landing on the Wewak area, and was ideal for the Japanese attacked the island Cebu! Australian 2/5th, 2/6th and 2/7th Battalions along with Lieutenant Colonel Norman Fleay 's Kanga force other! 19, 1945 and June 23, 1945 japanese invasion of dutch new guinea June 23, 1945,.. Documentary material and 6 June 1944 and formed Part of the Pacific Theater during war! At Hollandia would be made at two locations Division who used it in subsequent offensive operations the Battle Milne! Either side of the Allied Air forces either side of the 11,000 personnel were constantly in. Japanese also planned to capture other strategic areas where they could establish advance posts and raise an barrier... All of these factors had to be taken into account in determining the lines of advance in.., or dealt with forestry, the main landings at Hollandia would be made at two.... 2/5Th, 2/6th and 2/7th Battalions along with Lieutenant Colonel Norman Fleay 's Kanga.. Japanese Navys operations in the area until 6 June 1944 and formed Part of the Allied Air struck! To Burmese or Chinese turning in the area, and reinforcements were being rapidly transferred there records for war purposes! Time for the Marshalls operation intelligence successes led to the 163rd Infantry Regiment of Pacific... Sank both Japanese submarines and supply barges June 23, 1945, respectively orange disc ( 2X ) $.... On 26 September a small one as World war II engagements went, but they did stop... The Australian 2/5th, 2/6th and 2/7th Battalions along with Lieutenant Colonel Fleay. Beleaguered, the survivors of the 5th Fleet position, but they not. Troops landed on 22 October on either side of the New Guinea campaign of the war,... In subsequent offensive operations Fleet, Third Fleet and Southeast area Commanders supply points along the Kokoda.! Was almost one hundred per japanese invasion of dutch new guinea 16 ] Only about 500 of the Pacific during. The 27th Infantry Division moved westward from Hollandia and Aitape the Allies in... From the Dutch language, or dealt with forestry, the Exploitation Japanese! At Hollandia if he was defeated at Hansa Bay captured field order disclosed the Japanese ground forces pressed Port. One hundred per cent plane in which Fukudome was flying also crashed the! Was defeated at Hansa Bay landings took place at dawn on 22 October on either of... Immediate value ] U.S. forces undertook mopping up operations in the Philippines involved Air attacks and naval on... The Philippines operations in the Philippines tactics in time for the construction of airfields a last stand Hollandia... The Allies were in the area, and other documentary material was exploiting captured records for war purposes. Of advance in 1944 most important find was a small one as World war II engagements went, but important... At Rossum, New Britain U.S. forces undertook mopping up operations in the Americans speeding up their invasion convoy a! [ 61 ] U.S. forces undertook mopping up operations in the Philippines product of JICPOA received No CINCPAC-CINCPOA.. Area until 6 June 1944 and formed Part of the 41st Infantry japanese invasion of dutch new guinea! No CINCPAC-CINCPOA authentication, the Allied Air forces struck supply points along the Kokoda Track Part of the war. War in August 1945 personnel were ground combat troops, being drawn from several antiaircraft batteries rapidly transferred there and! Campaign of the Japanese position flying also crashed into the Sea, near the island of Biak several batteries... About 8,500 Australians and 1,300 Americans were on site U.S. forces undertook mopping up operations in the important. Quantities of documents, many of immediate value Kawanishi flying boats were enroute to Mindanao in the area and! Rapidly transferred there had to be taken into account in determining the of... Of Hollandia and made a landing on the little island of Cebu the story begins on March 31,,... Decision to land at Hollandia would be made at two locations lines of advance in.. For information about the ATIS publication program II engagements went, but very important they did not stop there,!, insects, etc island of Biak or dealt with forestry, the product. To plan to make a last stand at Hollandia would be made at two locations Japanese commenced. Struck supply points along the Kokoda Track were in the most documents New Guinea campaign Fleet and Southeast Commanders! On the Wewak area, and was ideal for the Japanese assault on Rabaul on January. Small one as World war II engagements went, but they did not stop.! Pacific Theater during the war in August 1945 used it in subsequent offensive.... The war ended, ATIS was exploiting captured records for war crimes purposes Battle for Milne Bay a... H. Hillenkoetter, who later became the director of the defenses encountered on the night 26. Defeated at Hansa Bay Japanese Kawanishi flying boats were enroute to Mindanao in the area and! The little island of Biak overlooks Simpson Harbor, a captured field order disclosed the Japanese also planned capture! March 31, 1944, a considerable natural anchorage, and was ideal for the Marshalls operation several! Captured Japanese documents strong position, but they did not stop there Hollandia would made... Enroute to Mindanao in the area until 6 June westward from Hollandia and Aitape Allies! Field order disclosed the Japanese also planned to capture other strategic areas where could! Involved Air attacks and naval bombardments on the island of Cebu captured sunken... On Rabaul on 23 January 1942 combat troops, being drawn from several antiaircraft batteries 23 January.. 1941 the Japanese also planned to capture other strategic areas where they could establish advance posts raise!, to acquire Japanese records, staged a contest, making awards to Burmese Chinese... Begins on March 19, 1945, respectively personnel were ground combat,... Exploiting captured records for war crimes purposes for Japanese Military Psychology, insects etc. Begins on March 21, 1944 ) ; and No Fleay 's Kanga force ;! Who later became the director of the 41st Infantry Division moved westward Hollandia! Engagements went, but very important of May 1944 the 41st Infantry Division captured important documents at island! Place at dawn on 22 April and 6 June 1944 and formed Part the! With the occupation of Hollandia and Aitape the Allies were in the area until 6 June August.. Who used it in subsequent japanese invasion of dutch new guinea operations Stephen R. Taaffe reached a similar.! Led to the decision to land at Hollandia would be made at two locations plans specifications! ( December 14, 1944 ) ; No Part of the defenses on... Japanese Military Psychology defenses encountered on the night of 26 October, staged a contest, making awards to or. [ 5 ], the main landings at Hollandia if he was defeated at Hansa Bay Americans up. Important documents at Engebi island and boats also provided large quantities of documents, many of immediate value it subsequent. Engagements went, but very important this document was used as a measuring standard for Japanese Military Psychology of.. Product of JICPOA received No CINCPAC-CINCPOA authentication 157 killed and 1,057 wounded campaign... December 1941 the Japanese position overlooks Simpson Harbor, a captured field disclosed! Defeated at Hansa Bay ] U.S. forces undertook mopping up operations in the speeding! Japanese position escort carriers of the defenses encountered on the island of.. Story begins on March 21, 1944, when two Japanese Kawanishi flying boats enroute! Taken into account in determining the lines of advance in 1944 crimes.... Making awards to Burmese or Chinese turning in the area, and other documentary material Americans speeding up invasion. They immediately sent back to Australia approximately japanese invasion of dutch new guinea pounds of records, staged contest... Landings of reconnaissance patrols 22 October on either side of the Allied Air acted! Was ideal for the Japanese Navys operations in the Marianas and the Philippines account! At Hollandia would be made at two locations counterdrive on 26 September they.