A DIARY OF THE PACIFIC WAR

Otago Daily Times, Issue 25924, 16 August 1945, Page 5

A DIARY OF THE PACIFIC WAR

1941 DECEMBER 7 Pearl Harbour attacked by Japanese carrier-borne aircraft; eight U.S. battleships and three destroyers sunk or badly damaged; 177 U.S. aircraft destroyed. 8— Thailand invaded. 9 Hongkong attacked; Malaya invaded. 10—Battleship Prince of Wales and battlecruiser Repulse sunk by enemy air action off the east coast of Malaya. 12—United States island base of Guam captured. 16— Netherlands East Indies invaded. 17 — Philippine Islands invaded; general mobilisation of New Zealand forces. 18 — Allies land on Portuguese Timor. 22—Wake Island occupied by Japanese forces. 25—Fall of Hongkong; Thailand declares war on Britain and United States. 1942 JANUARY 21—Rabaul (New Britain) captured by Japanese. 25-27—Battle of Macassar Strait, American, Netherland aircraft, and American warships inflict considerable losses on Japanese Fleet. 30—Moulmein (Burma) occupied by Japanese. ’ FEBRUARY 1— Japanese landings on Bougainville, commencement of drive through Solomons group. 15—Fall of Singapore; the end of the defence of the Malay States; 75,000 British troops under General Percival. surrender unconditionally. 20—Japanese occupy island of Timor. 27—Battle of Java Sea; British, Netherlands and American Fleet defeated by greatly superior Japanese force; Allies lose 13 warships. Japan invaded Java. MARCH 2 Andaman Islands seized by Japanese. B—Java falls, with 93,000 Netherland and 5000 British, American and Australian troops; Japanese landings on New Guinea at Lae and Salamaua. B—Rangoon, capital fo Burma, occupied by Japanese. 17— General Douglas MacArthur appointed supreme commander of South-west Pacific. • APRIL 8— Resistance in Netherlands East Indies reported to have ceased. 9 Japanese raid Colombo, Ceylon; aircraft carrier Hermes, cruisers Dorsetshire and Cornwall sunk. 18— Tokio raided by force of U.S. carrier* b'orn bombers. 29—Lashio captured by Japanese, cutting the Burma Road. . MAY 4—Battle ot Coral Sea, large Japanese fleet badly damaged by aircraft and surface action and forced to retire; British forces land on Madagascar. 10—Allied troops withdraw from Burma into Assam; defence of Burma ends. 31—Syndey Harbour attacked by Japanese midget submarines; one old harbour ferry torpedoed; three enemy vessels sunk by defences. JUNE 3 Du'ch Harbour, U.S. naval base in Aleutian Islands, bombed by Japanese sircrßft 3-6 —Midway Island Battle; United States air forces inflict serious damage on large Japanese fleet. B—Sydneyß—Sydney and Newcastle suburbs shelled by enemy raider. 12—U.S. naval base of Kiska, in Aleutians, occupied by Japanese. AUGUST 7— American forces land on Guadalcanar and Florida Islands in the Solomons.

8-9—Battle of Savo Sea; United States forces seize Tulagi Harbour. Florida . Island. 23-25—Battle of Eastern Solomons 25—Japanese attempt to land at Milne Bay, New Guinea, repulsed by Australian forces.

OCTOBER 11-12—Battle of Cape Esperance, Guadalcanal 26 Battle of Santa Cruz, most southerly of Solomons Islands. NOVEMBER 13— Battle of Guadalcanar. DECEMBER I—Battle of Lunga Point. 1943 FEBRUARY 10— Guadalcanar cleared of the enemy. MARCH 2-3—Japanese Fleet decisively defeated to Battle of Bismarck Sea. APRIL 4—Funafuto, in Ellice Islands, occupied by U.S. troops. MAY 11— American troops occupy Kiska (Aleutians). 14— Australian hospital ship Centaur torpedoed off Queensland coast; 300 lives lost. JUNE 30—Americans land on Rendova Island. JULY I—Americans land on New Georgia. AUGUST 15— Canadians occupy Kiska. 27 Third Division, 2nd N.Z.E.F., establishes base on Guadalcanar. 29 Americans complete occupation of New Georgia. SEPTEMBER 18—Vella Lavella captured by New Zealand forces. Australians capture Lae. New Guinea. OCTOBER B—Australians capture Finschafen, on Huon Peninsula 3L-Japanese troops rushed to Burma. 4—Slaughter of Japanese attempting to evacuate Kolombangara (Solomons). 6—U.S. naval forces attack Wake Island, 10—Americans capture Vila, capital of Kolombangara. 27—American and New Zealand forces land on Treasuries, North Solomons; Japanese withdraw to Bougainville. NOVEMBER 1— American forces land on Bougainville. 20—Americans land on Tarawa and Maken, in Gilberts; heavy casualties suffered 26—Australians advance on Huon Peninsula. 30— Rangoon bombed by Allied planes. DECEMBER 15—Americans land in New Britain. 1944 JANUARY 15—Australians capture Sid, on north coast of Huon Peninsula 24—Allied offensives in North, Central, and Southern Burma gathering weight. 30—Americans invade Marshall Islands. FEBRUARY 2 Americans capture Namur (Marshalls). &—American naval forces bombard Kuriles. 10—Australians complete occupation of Huon Peninsula.

FEBRUARY It, Nissan (Green Island) occupied by New Zealand and American forces; conclusion of New Zealand Division’s campaign in Pacific. lw—Powerful American task force attacks Truk. 2b—Americans capture Eniwetok. in Marshalls 23 American task force attacks Saipan and Tirian, in Marianas. 26 Allied forces in Burma gain first major victory over Japanese at Arakan. 29 Americans l'and on Admiralty Islands north of New Guinea. MARCH «—More American landings on New Britain. 11— British forces advance in West Burma. 16—Manus, largest of Admiralty Islands. invaded by Americans. 20— Americans land on St. Mathias, 80 miles north-west of New Ireland. 27 General Wingate’s Chindits disorganise Japanese supply lines in Burma. 30— General V/ingate killed in air crash APRIL 3 Marshalls cleared of Japanese; heavy Allied air attack on Hollandia, Dutch New Guinea; Japanese cross Burma frontier Into India. 16— Imphal plain cleared of Japanese. 24 Japanese force of 60,000 trapped between Americans and Australians on north New Guinea coast. 24 Allies begin drive towards AssamBurma frontier. 27—Madang captured by Australians. MAY I—American task force attacks Truk and other islands in Carolines. 8— Japanese being pushed back from Burma-Assam frontier. 17 — Americans capture Wake Island, north of New Guinea.’ 18— Chinese Army captures Myitklna aerodrome. North Burma. JUNE 1— British, Americans, and Chinese engage Japanese in battle for Myitkina. 12— Americans land on Saipan, in Marianas. , 15— China-based Super-Fortresses bomb Japanese mainland for first time. 16— American aircraft bomb Bonins, 600 miles from Tokio. 19— American naval victory between Philippines and Carolines. 25 Allied forces enter Mogaung, on Man-dalay-Myitkina railway. 26 Americans control half of Saipan; Magaung captured. 29—Australians advance in New Guinea. a JULY 9 Americans complete conquest of Salpan; Guam shelled by American warships. 15—Tokio announces that captured crews of Super-Fortresses have been executed 18—General Tojo removed as chief of Japanese General Staff 21— Americans land .on Guam. 24 Americans land on Tinian, near Guam. AUGUST 4 Myitkina, Japanese base in North Burma, falls to Allies; large Japanese convoy near Bonin Islands wiped out 9—Guam' occupied. 10—Super-Fortresses continue raids on Japan; Volcano Islands bombed by aircraft from Marianas. 20— Indian territory cleared of Japanese. SEPTEMBER 2 Allied air raids on Davao, in Mindanao. ' B—Japanese convoy ot 52 vessels destroyed off Philippines. 15—Americans land on Palau and Halmahera. 20— American carrier planes bomb Manila. • OCTOBER 4 Balikpapan, Borneo, attacked by Allied ' bombers. 12—Heavy attack on Formosa by American carrier planes. 15—Japanese Fleet approaches Formosa, but declines action with American 17— American invasion of Philippines; forces; land on Leyte. 25 Japanese Fleet defeated with heavy loss in great sea-air battle off Philippines. NOVEMBER 5 First raid on Singapore by SuperFortresses. 8— Savage battle for Leyte. 18— Allies gain ground in North Burma. 23—First daylight raid on Tokio by SuperFortresses from Saipan DECEMBER 9 Allied task force attacks Iwo Jima. in Bonins. 12—British offensive In Burma gains momentum. 15 —Americans invade Mindoro, in Philippines. 1945 JANUARY 3 14th Army enters Ye-U. terminus of Mandalay railway. 5 occupied by British and Indian troops. 9—Americans land in Lingayen Gulf, on Luzon, 100 miles north of Manila; Allies capture Shwebo. 12—Japanese convoy of 25 ships sunk off Indo-China. 21— Chinese capture Wanting, on Burma road. 27 Allies occupy islands of Ramree and’ Cheduba. off Arakan coast.

FEBRUARY 2 Americans at outskirts of Manila. 3 Manila entered. 6—MacArthur announces fall of Manila: city fired by trapped Japanese. 13—Cavite naval base. .• In Manila Bay

taken. 16— Tokio attacked by carrier planes of great Allied task force. 17— Corrcgidor captured. 18— Americans land on Iwo Jima. 700 miles

from Tokio. 26 14th Army captures Pagan; Japanese Irrawaddy defence line broken. 27 Americans invade Palawau MARCH 7—lndian troops enter Mandalay." 9—Americans land, on Mindanao, largest of Philippines. 12—Heavy Super-Fortress raid on Nagoya. 16—Iwo Jima fails to Americans. 18— Americans land on Panay 19— Mandalay captured 20— Daring attack on Japanese Fleet in Inand Sea; severe damage inflicted. 30 —Americans land on Okinawa.. in Ryukvus: British warships participate. APRIL

5 Russia denounces neutrality pact with Japan. 6 Sea-air battle off Okinawa. Yamato. largest Japanese battleship sunk. 6—Tokio heavily raided by Super-For-tress; s from Marianas. 28 —Allies make rapid advance on Rangoon MAY 2 Paratroops land on Rangoon River south of city: Australian and American troops land on Tarakan, Borneo 3 14th Army enters Rangoon. 10—Japan attacked bv 400 Super-For-tresses. 13— Australians captured Wewak, main Japanese base in New Guinea. 14— Nagoya set ablaze by 500 Super-For-

tresses. 23—Tokio devastated by 4000 tons of fire

bombs. 25—Another 4000 tons of incendiaries showered on Tokio. JUNE

4—Kobe receives 3000 tons of fire bomba, 10—Australians land on North Borneo

16—Truk atoll bombarded bv Allied warships. 20—Okinawa captured after 82 days ot fierce fighting. 26—Luzon liberated. 30—Australians land at Balikpapan. JULY 3—Millions reported homeless after great fire raids on Japanese cities; Philippines cleared of enemy. B—Night and day attacks on Tokio by 2000 carrier planes* and Super-For- . tresses. " 13—Japanese mainland bombarded by Allied naval forces. 16—British and American battleships shell Tokio area. 18—Australians capture Sambodja oilfield in Borneo

22—Japanese naval base of Kure attacked by 1000 carrier planes and 600 SuperFortresses. 26 Allied leaders issue proclamation that Japan must surrender unconditionally, or be destroyed. 27 Japan rejects ultimatum. 31—Allies bombard Wake Island. AUGUST 3 Ryukyus placed under MacArthur’s command as invasion base. 4 Sittang River battle in Burma, 10.000 Japanese killed; air onsiaught pn Japan continues. 5 Terrific new weapon, the atomic bomb, dropped on Hiroshima. 60 per cent of city disappears. 6 Australians in control of major Borneo

oilfields. •. „ 7—Russia declares war on Japan; Russian forces cross Manchurian border; second atomic bomb dropped on Nagasaki. .... 10 — Japan broadcasts conditional acceptance of Potsdam ultimatum. 11— Allies receive Japanese offer of surrender and demand that Emperor Hirohito shall be subject to the Supreme Commander of the Allied Powers; Red Army sweeps into Manchuria; heavy air raids by bombers

from Okinawa x „ 13 — Russian armies drive deep into Manchuria: heavy Allied air attacks on Japan continue. „ „ . „ 14— At 11 p.m. (G.M.T.) Mr C. R. Attlee, Prime Minister of United Kingdom, announces Japan’s unconditional surrender