S & SW Pacific

 bigpigeon.us webpage WWII Japan > South & SW Pacific > Securing Australia, © 2024 by Robert A. Christiansen, updated by RAC 24 Mar 2024.

In 1942, the Allies' first priority in the Pacific was to keep Japanese forces from blocking access to Australia.

The Securing Australia webpages:

• Securing Australia 
•      The Solomon Islands, Guadalcanal, August 1942–February 1943
•      The Solomons Naval War, Guadalcanal 
•      Southeast New Guinea, Papua, July 1942–January 1943​

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In early 1942, as Japanese forces moved with little effective opposition into the southern Pacific, concern grew that Australia might be blockaded, that Australia might come under sustained air or sea attack, or even that the Australian future might include a Japanese invasion such as China had experienced.

In May and June of 1942, Japan's sea-borne attempts to further advance the Japanese Empire boundaries were thwarted at the battles of the Coral Sea and Midway. Subsequently, Japan began smaller-scale advances in Papua in extreme southeastern New Guinea and in the Guadalcanal Island area in the southern Solomon Islands. 

These small-scale Japanese offensives were thwarted in late 1942 by two parallel and lengthy Allied land offensives:

• In the southern Solomon Islands, by US forces driving the Japanese from the Guadalcanal area.
• In Papua, Southeast New Guinea, by Australian and US forces pushing back the Japanese.

In Papua, Southeast New Guinea, by Australian and US forces pushing back the Japanese.

During the Securing Alaska phase of Allied combat,  US ground forces:

• drove Japanese forces from Guadalcanal in the Solomon Islands.
• participated with Australian forces in Papua, New Guinea operations culminating in the Battle of Buna-Gona.

​This phase included vicious sea battles in and near the southern Solomon Islands, during which US naval deaths far exceeded those on the ground.

Securing Alaska & Isolating Rabaul - Eastern New Guinea, Solomon Islands, & Bismarck Archipelago

The following timeline is adapted from https://www.historyplace.com/unitedstates/pacificwar/timeline.htm:​

• May 7-8, 1942 - Japan suffers its first defeat of the war during the Battle of the Coral Sea southeast of New Guinea.
• June 4-5, 1942 - U.S. wins a decisive victory against Japan in the Battle of Midway northwest of Hawaii.

The South Pacific Area:

• August 1, 1942 - Admiral Robert H. Ghormley moves South Pacific Area headquarters from New Zealand to Naval Base Noumea, New Caledonia.
• August 7, 1942 - 1st Marine Division invades Tulagi and Guadalcanal in the Solomon Islands.
• August 8–9 - A major U.S. naval disaster off Savo Island, north of Guadalcanal: eight Japanese warships wage a night attack and sink three U.S. cruisers, an Australian cruiser, and one U.S. destroyer in less than an hour.
• August 21, 1942 - U.S. Marines repulse first major Japanese ground attack on Guadalcanal.
• August 24, 1942 - U.S. And Japanese carriers meet in the Battle of the Eastern Solomons resulting in a Japanese defeat.
• September 12-14 - Battle of Bloody Ridge on Guadalcanal.
• September 15, 1942 - A Japanese submarine torpedo attack near the Solomon Islands results in the sinking of the Carrier WASP, Destroyer O'BRIEN and damage to the Battleship NORTH CAROLINA.
• October 11/12 - U.S. cruisers and destroyers defeat a Japanese task force in the Battle of Cape Esperance off Guadalcanal.
• October 13, 1942 - The first U.S. Army troops, the 164th Infantry Regiment, land on Guadalcanal.
• October 14–15 - Japanese bombard Henderson Field at night from warships then send troops ashore onto Guadalcanal in the morning.
• October 15–17 - Japanese bombard Henderson Field at night again from warships.
• October 18, 1942 - Vice Admiral William F. Halsey named as the new commander of the South Pacific Area.
• October 26, 1942 - Battle of Santa Cruz off Guadalcanal between U.S. And Japanese warships results in the loss of the Carrier HORNET.
• November 14/15 - U.S. And Japanese warships clash again off Guadalcanal resulting in the sinking of the U.S. Cruiser JUNEAU and the deaths of the five Sullivan brothers. Redo as two bullets.
• November 30 - Battle of Tassafaronga off Guadalcanal.
• December 31, 1942 - Emperor Hirohito of Japan gives permission to his troops to withdraw from Guadalcanal after five months of bloody fighting against U.S. forces
• February 1, 1943 - Japanese begin evacuation of Guadalcanal.
• February 9, 1943 - Japanese resistance on Guadalcanal ends.

The Southwest Pacific Area:

• July 20, 1942 - General Douglas MacArthur sets up Southwest Pacific Area headquarters in Brisbane, Australia.
• July 21, 1942 - Japanese land troops near Gona on north coast of eastern New Guinea.
• August 25, 1942 - Japanese land troops near Milne Bay on eastern tip of New Guinea. Japanese withdraw on 7 September.
• September 17, 1942 - Japanese land advance on Kokoda Trail over the Owen Stanley Mountains reaches furthest extent 20 miles from Port Moresby.
• January 2, 1943 - Allies take Buna in New Guinea.
• January 22, 1943 - Allies defeat Japanese at Sanananda in New Guinea.

Sources for Big Pigeon's WWII Japan > South & SW Pacific > Securing Australia webpage:
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