Battle for New Guinea | 1942-1945 | Australian & American Soldiers in Action | WW2 Documentary Film

• published: 19 Oct 2014
• views: 176

►My channel: http://youtube.com/TheBestFilmArchives ►SUBSCRIBE: http://www.youtube.com/TheBestFilmArchives?sub_confirmation=1 ►Google+: http://plus.google.com/+TheBestFilmArchives ►Facebook: http://facebook.com/TheBestFilmArchives ►Twitter: http://twitter.com/BestFilmArch In 1942, the Empire of Japan invaded the Australian-administered territories of the New Guinea Mandate. New Guinea was strategically important because it was a major landmass to the immediate north of Australia. This film shows us the bitter struggle of the Australian and American soldiers to take New Guinea in World War 2. Battle for New Guinea | 1942-1945 | Australian & American Soldiers in Action | WW2 Documentary Film About the New Guinea campaign: The New Guinea campaign of the Pacific War lasted from January 1942 until the end of the war in August 1945. In the initial phase in 1942, the Empire of Japan invaded the Australian-administered territories of the New Guinea Mandate (23 January) and Papua (8 March) and overran western New Guinea (beginning 29/30 March), which was a part of the Netherlands East Indies. In the second phase, the Allies cleared the Japanese first from Papua, then the Mandate and finally from the Dutch colony. New Guinea was strategically important because it was a major landmass to the immediate north of Australia. Its large land area provided locations for large land, air and naval bases. The campaign between Allied and Japanese forces commenced with the Japanese assault on Rabaul on 23 January 1942. Rabaul became the forward base for the Japanese campaigns in mainland New Guinea, including the pivotal Kokoda Track campaign of July 1942 – January 1943, and the Battle of Buna-Gona. Fighting in some parts of New Guinea continued until the war ended in August 1945. General Douglas MacArthur as Supreme Commander in the South West Pacific Area, led the Allied forces. The Japanese 8th Area Army, under General Hitoshi Imamura, was responsible for both the New Guinea and Solomon Islands campaigns. The Japanese 18th Army, under Lieutenant General Hatazo Adachi, was responsible for Japanese operations on mainland New Guinea. Liberating New Guinea: After bombing the Australian harbour of Darwin in 1942, the Japanese move their headquarters to Buna on the north coast of what is now Papua New Guinea and the headquarters of the Allies is set up in Port Moresby on the other side. These towns are divided by the steep Owen Stanley mountain range. The two towns are connected by the Kokoda track across the mountains. Australian troops successfully defend Port Moresby along this trail, when the Japanese try to invade from the north coast. To get the advantage, the Australian carved out 4000 steps into the mountain side. The American army lands on New Guinea in January 1943 and starts a major attack. However, it takes up until 1944 before the Americans can advance along the northern coast of New Guinea from Hollandia to Biak and Manokwari and on to the North Moluccas (Morotai) from where they attack the Philippines in October 1944. In order to recapture New Guinea, the Allied Forces need to drive the Japanese off along 2000 km of fortified coast line. During this battle 13000 Japanese soldiers die and on the Australian and American side there are respectively 2100 and 2000 casualties.