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Battle of Coral Sea begins
Reason:
-Japanese forces wanted to build a base on the south-eastern part of New Guinea
(help them continue their invasion in the South Pacific and build empire up) Battle:
-Japanese lost
-Allied Powers aquired information about the Japanese forces movements and attacks, which delayed the Japanese from their main goal of capturing Port Moresby -
Battle of Coral Sea ends
Aftermath:
-Japanese started to make their way south on land to take Allied Power's air base on the Kokoda Trail (in New Guinea): to intimidate and capture Port Moresby
-Help them expand into west and build an airbase -
Allies and Japanese become interested in Milne Bay
-Allied forces searching for airbase to support them in the war (spefically from Western and Japanese advances/raids)
-To construct air strips (3 tl.) in Milne Bay, set up a supply line
-Air strips, big advantage, could attack from the sky
-Can use heavy bomber planes
-General Mcarthur mentioned the base as a way to retake Rabaul
-Stop plans of a propose Japanese plan of going to Austrialia
-Stop Japanese campaing for port Moresby
-Japanese also wanted air strips to support their own attacks -
Battle of Milne Bay begins
Japanese-axis: 1,943 men
-Commander: Gunichi Mikawa, Nishizo Tsukahara
Shojiro Hayashi, and Minoru Yano
-Austrialian/US-allies: 8,824 men
-Royal Austrilain Artillery Commander Cyril Clowes (Silent Cyril)
-General Douglas MacArthur
-Greater air power helped win battle by (aiming for Japanese logistics and helping Allied troops)
-Mistake of Japanese, thinking air strips in Milne Bay was weakly guarded
-Swampy/Muddy, numerous marshes
-Soldiers easily get malaria, tropical
-Coast is flat ground -
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The Battle
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Phase 1
-Large groups of Austrialian soldiers split up on the border of Milne Bay (battalions: Bn) -Japanesse Navel Pioneers come in at night and establish a supply base at Waga Waga, a village on border of the bay -One Austrialian soldier group (61 Bn) was attacked by the navel pioneers and replaced by another group (2/10 Bn) , so retreated to Gili Gili -Royal Austrialian Air Force (RAAAF) destroy the supply base at Waga Waga -
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Phase 2
-Australians bomb the Japanese around the KB Mission, to protect one of their bases
-More Japanese navel troops come in with 2 tanks and force 2/10 Bn to retreat
-Japanese advance at the air strip, where two other Australian battalions come in from the west and coast line to push them back -
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Phase 3
-Japanese cruiser comes in at night, bombs coastal battalions, and leaves before sun rise
-Australian Artillery helps support defense against Japanese at 3 Strip
-Turning Point: Japanese are surrounded and fail to continue -
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Phase 4
-After failure, Japanese withdraw
-Another battalion near the Maiwara River come up the coast to counterattack to find Japanese reatreat
-Fall back in front of the Australian advances -
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Phase 5
-After battalion goes by sea to the KB Mission to advances
-Main body of the Japanese evacuate at Waga Waga and remains go east, followed by Australian advances -
Final Night
-Japanese crusier come in once again and sink the M.V. Anshun on coast of Gili Gili -
Battle of Milne Bay ends
-Land fight, tied (Japanese able to push the Austrilians with their forces)
-Japanese ordered to withdraw after realizing that their reinforcements were not going to make it in time as Austrialian counter offensive reached Japanese camp
-Allied forces won this
Aftermath:
Aus./US: 167 deaths, 206 wounded
Jap.: 625 killed, 311 wounded
Technology used:
machine guns, tanks, off road trucks (no roads),
40mm anti-aircraft guns, ships/barges
Planes: Kittyhawk (allied fighter plane), heavybombers -
The Battle Ends (Cont.) Aftermath
-After the battle, construction still continued at Milne Bay
-Defense improvments were made to the air strips
-Civilians (Men/Women), prisoners of war were mistreated and killed by Japanese forces (considered as war crimes)
-Increased the feeling of revenge
-Moral boost for Allies: Austrialians able to go west and assist Guadalcanal
-Paved campaign in the pacific (first in WWII)
-First victory in Pacific against Japananese
-(little revenge victory for Pearl Harbor)
