New Guinea Campaign

The New Guinea Campaign was the Allied military offensive against the Imperial Japanese Army on the island of New Guinea, during World War II. The Japanese had invaded it in January 1942, capturing Rabaul, with the IJA's 18th Army, led by General Hatazo Adachi, making their way deep into mainland New Guinea.

The Australian Army's 7th Infantry Division, under Major General George Allan Vasey, was the main Allied force in charge of the defense of the island and all the counteroffensives that would be launched; they would be joined later by an American landing units, such as the 32nd Infantry Division. By mid 1944, the Australian 9th and 5th Infantry Division had joined the other Allied units.

Below,  Australian troops walk by a destroyed Japanese light tank in New Guinea in 1943.

In July 1942, the Japanese made a second attempt to take Port Moresby, advancing overland from Buna, which was a village with an airfield they had captured earlier. However, this offensive was stopped in their tracks by the Australians in September. Then the Allied forces left Milne Bay and began an operation in the Owen Stanley mountains to capture Buna and Sanananda at the end of the year. Despite the muddy ground and adverse weather conditions, they were able to defeat the Japanese at the Battle of Buna-Gona, and take them in January 1943. Then, due to tropical diseases, there was a short pause in the operations.

After Buna was taken, the Allied forces advanced on Lae and Markham Valley, which were also captured after vicious fighting in the jungle. The Australian had hardened and adapted to fight in the sweltering and torrid rain forest. Then they initiated a series of offensives around the Huon Peninsula, which was followed by massive landing of more Allied forces at Hollandia and Aitape in April 1944. This made it possible to renew the New Guinea Campaign as the Allies started a major advance that cut off around 200,000 Japanese soldiers.

The last Allied landings on the shores of New Guinea took place near the northern tip of the island. After ferocious fighting, they managed to secure two airfields, which would be used by the US Air Force bombers to carry out air raid on the Marianas and the Philippines. By July 1944, a whole Japanese Army had been defeated. With the successful Guadalcanal Campaign in the Solomons, the Japanese threat to invade Australia from the north had vanished.

Below, a map of New Guinea showing Buna, Kokoda, and Milne Bay, which were important points of departure for major military operations.

Australian artillery troops set up a 105-mm howitzer in a clearing in the jungle, right before an offensive operation.

Battle-hardened Aussies march along a muddy jungle path in 1944.