New Guinea is a large island
in the South-West Pacific. The administration of the island was divided
between two foreign countries, the Netherlands
and Australia.
The Japanese
Army made their first amphibious
landings at Huon Gulf and Salamaua in March 1942. The main target
of the invasion was Port Moresby but this was repulsed during the
battle of the Coral Sea.
The Japanese
offensive in New Guinea was not resumed until after the defeat at
Midway. Fresh landings took place at Sanananda. The troops made their
way to Port Moresby but were halted by the Australian 7th Division.
With more troops needed in Guadalcana
the Japanese began to retreat. A counter-offensive by General Thomas
Blamey pushed
them back to Kokoda.
General
Robert Eichelberger and fresh troops
from the United States arrived and by January
1943 the Allies managed to take Buna, Gona and Sanananda.
A fresh
offensive under General Douglas
MacArthur began
in March 1943. He captured Lae before capturing Finschhafen, the largest
port on the Huon Peninsula. While this was happening, the Australians
advanced from south-west to trap the Japanese 18th Army.
Fighting
continued for the next two years and the Japanese
Army, reduced to 13,000 men, did not surrender until 13th September
1945.
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