Ebb and Flow of Pacific War.

Timaru Herald, Volume CLVIII, Issue 23279, 15 August 1945, Page 5

Ebb and Flow of Pacific War.

Striking without warning against Pearl Harbour on December 7, 1941, Japan opened her attack against the United States and Britain. A few days later she had seized the Gilbert Islands and during the same month -began the invasion of the Philippines, Borneo, Indc-Chma, Siam and Burma. Indo-China and Siam were soon in Japanese hands and the invaders drove do-wn the Malay Peninsula, Singapore falling on February 15, 1942. Five days later Japanese bombs first fell cn Australian soil at Darwin. The invasion of Sumatra and Java, begun in January, had been swiftly completed by March, and in that month the Japanese suppressed all organised resistance on Borneo

Losing no time, they immediately invaded New Guinea. In April, Japan set first foot in the Solomon Islands and in May the American forces in the Philippines had been fought to a standstill after their epic defence on Bataan and Corregidor. By June, 1942, the Japanese had established bases on the Aleutians chain. But the Japanese drive on Australia was abruptly halted in the Battle of the Coral Sea during May, 1942. Then, seizing the initiative from the Japanese in the Battle of Midway in June, the Allies entered their offensive-defensive stage. After the Japanese landed on Guadalcanal, in the Solomons, in July and began

to construct airstrips, United States Marines went ashoie on August 7 and by February, 1943, the Allied occupation of Guadalcanal was completed. By early 1943 the strategic outlook of the Allies had changed and, when November came, it found the Allies strong enough to begin their push against Japan Their offensive began with attacks on the Gilberts end Marshalls and proceeding to the Carolines and Marianas. In the meantime the Japanese had also been halted in Burma and here again retreat necame their order of the day. In September, Australian forces entered Lae in New Guinea. By June, 1944, the Allies had retaken Saipan- and, in the following month. Guam. Japan's next major defeat was in the Battle of the Philippines Sea and on October 20, 1944, General Douglas MacArthur landed with American forces on Leyte. In January, 1945, the Allied assault on Luzon began and a month later the Allies were on Iwo Jima. In February also, the Burma Road was reopened by the Allies. On April 1, American forces landed on Okinawa—37s miles from the Japanese home island of Kyushu. By the end of June, Okinawa was in Allied hands after the most costly campaign in the Pacific theatre. In that same month Australian forces began the liberation of Borneo.