The work contains a complete study on the collection, translation, and processing of captured documents. During mid-May American forces intercepted a Japanese landing craft near Arare that carried material for reinforcing the Japanese-held islands offshore of New Guinea that were to be attacked as part of the Wakde-Sarmi Bay Operation. hbspt.enqueueForm({ American military leaders knew that while the number of prisoners (and thus information) taken in the Pacific would be relatively small, compared to the war in Europe, Japanese records would become all that more important as an intelligence source. [9] See Seventy Years Ago: The Makin Island Raid, August 1942., [10] The Armys Counter Intelligence Corps faced similar problems with souvenir hunters. Taking the airfield at Wau was a crucial step in this process, and to this end, the 51st Division was transferred from Indochina and placed under General Hitoshi Imamura's Eighth Area Army at Rabaul; one regiment arrived at Lae in early January 1943. Despite the disaster of the Bismarck Sea, the Japanese could not give up on recapturing Wau. [24] A gradual improvement in their numbers and skill forced the Japanese bombers up to higher altitude, where they were less accurate, and then, in August, to raiding by night. Pre-War New Guinea The Japanese Invasion The Turning Point The Long Allied Advance 1943 1944 The New Guinea campaign (January 1942-September 1945) was one of the longest campaigns of the Second World War. It showed the units to which they belonged. The first major collection of captured Japanese documents in the Pacific Theater was made in August 1942 when the 1st Marine Raider Battalion, under Col. Evans Carlson and Lt. Col. James Roosevelt, made a harassing raid on Makin Island in the Gilberts. Others included information about the Psychology in the Japanese Armed Forces (No. Written orders including route, objective of raid, and extent to which enemy intended to rely on these new tactics were also included. [40], About 6,900 troops aboard eight transports, escorted by eight destroyers, departed Rabaul at midnight 28 February under the command of Rear Admiral Masatomi Kimura. In the Southwest Pacific Area, aside from the creation of the Far Eastern Air Force, there were few changes. [45], "At 1400 the Russell Island radar screen became milky with traces of bogeys and Guadalcanal broadcast "Condition Red," followed shortly by an unprecedented "Condition Very Red. [11] For the same reasons, General Douglas MacArthur, Supreme Commander Allied Forces South West Pacific Area was determined to hold it. 'We are repeating the failure of Guadalcanal. [37], The Allies conducted a deception operation to ensure that the Japanese continued to believe that they would land at Hansa Bay rather than Hollandia. Document numbers and a brief description including authority, title, date, area of reference and similar essential data were set forth under seventeen headings, such as 1) Diaries, Field; 5) Letters, Postcards; and 16) Technical Documents. At Sanananda the swamp and jungle were typhus-ridden crawling roots reached out into stagnant pools infested with mosquitoes and numerous crawling insects every foxhole filled with water. In February 1944, marines and soldiers from the 27th Infantry Division captured important documents at Engebi Island. [8] ICPOAs first officer in charge was Cmdr. [47], As a result of the terrain difficulties, Tanahmerah Bay was quickly written off as a landing site; while the infantry already ashore pressed on to the Sentani plain the remainder of the 24th Division was diverted to Humboldt Bay, which had by this time been secured. The Japanese had already captured Rabaul, the capital of the Australian-controlled territory of New Guinea, on 23 January 1942, and early in February Australian and Dutch forces surrendered the island of Ambon in the Netherlands East Indies (modern Indonesia). ATIS was directed to make available to the board any and all information having to do with the identification of Japanese war criminals. The landing was unopposed as the enemy garrison indicated its intention of surrendering by hoisting a white flag at the first sight of the invasion force. [17], After this failure, the Japanese decided on a longer term, two-pronged assault for their next attempt on Port Moresby. Before the operation against the Japanese at Hollandia, Dutch New Guinea, 41st CIC Detachment Special Agent in Charge Duval Edwards at Finschhaven during March and April 1944 gave many lectures on the great importance of soldiers turning in any captured documents. There was also a small airstrip.To the west, the Cyclops Mountains rise to over 7000 feet (2100 m). Due to USAAF doctrine and a lack of long-range escorts, long-range bomber raids on targets like Rabaul went in unescorted and suffered heavy losses, prompting severe criticism of Lieutenant General George Brett by war correspondents for misusing his forces. Interrogation of a prisoner confirmed the fact that supplies were being unloaded at Lae from enemy submarines. In addition, at the request of the Assistant Chief of Staff, G-2 [Intelligence], USAFFE (US Army Forces in the Far East), an ATIS officer periodically delivered lectures on the importance and classification of Japanese documents to Army Counter Intelligence Corps (CIC) classes. [42], " 'The Boeing [B-25] is most terrifying,' wrote one survivor in his diary. The Z Plan [issued as Admiral Kogas Combined Fleet Secret Operations Order No. The B-29s in the Pacific, forming a part of the U.S. 20th Air Force, were controlled by the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff, acting through Gen. Henry (Hap) Arnold, commanding general of the U.S. Army Air Forces. Japanese forces began to land on the island of Luzon in the Philippines on December 10. . They arrived off Hollandia during the night of 21/22 April and about 20 miles (32km) offshore, the convoy split again with the Central Attack Group preceding for Humboldt Bay while the Western Attack Group turned towards Tanahmerah Bay. Adachi ignored this order, and instead decided to concentrate his troops at Hansa Bay and Wewak. Only 30 percent of the captured documents needed no treatment; the rest needed cleaning, drying, and/or other conservation treatment. Operation Reckless, the invasion of Hollandia and Aitape of 22-27 April 1944, was one of the most dramatic leapfrogging operations during the New Guinea campaign, and saw American forces bypass the strong Japanese bases at Wewak and Hansa Bay and capture key bases for MacArthur's planned return to the Philippines. The US Navy had similar language programs. The information contained in these reports were bibliographically indexed. Before the end of May 1944 the 41st Infantry Division moved westward from Hollandia and made a landing on the little island of Biak. The loss of Hollandia made the Japanese strategic defense line at Wakde, to the west, and all Japanese positions to the east untenable. 2 in May 1943. At the same time, two sketches were captured at Tacloban, Leyte, which showed the disposition of the Japanese 16th Division. None of the senior officers present had been in post more than a few weeks and the senior air officer had been relieved following the destruction of his air forces at the beginning of April. Having been organized along lines completely unorthodox, these were invaluable documents to the G-2 Section, especially as this Force was a major enemy unit on the left flank near La Union, Luzon, at that time. [12] General Headquarters South West Pacific Area Operational Instruction No.7 of 25 May 1942, issued by Commander-Allied-Forces, General Douglas MacArthur, placed all Australian and US Army, Air Force and Navy Forces in the Port Moresby Area under the control of New Guinea Force. Later, the procedure was altered again to cope with the tons of documents captured at main Japanese bases. [43][44] Meanwhile, carrier-borne aircraft attacked targets around Wakde, Sarmi and Hollandia from 21 April, destroying at least 33 Japanese planes in the air and more on the ground. 99-108 (Japanese Place Names-Philippines). Excerpts from the citation indicate that he, with great risk to his life made reconnaissance in a number of caves which had been occupied by Japanese, approaching dangerously close to enemy fire and recovered more than 11 cases of enemy documents vitally needed for the successful conclusion of the operation.. For example, in the fall of 1944, Task Force Galahad, commanded by Brig. During the initial phase in early 1942, the Empire of Japan invaded the Australian-administered Mandated Territory of New Guinea (23 January) and the Australian Territory of Papua (21 July) and overran western New Guinea (beginning 29/30 March), which was a part of the Netherlands East Indies. More than 6,000 graduates served throughout the Pacific Theater during the war and the subsequent occupation of Japan. The Japanese occupied the village with an initial force of 1,500 on 21 July and by 22 August had 11,430 men under arms at Buna. [18] For more information regarding the Z Plan see my article The Z Plan Story: Japans 1944 Naval Battle Strategy Drifts into U.S. Hands, Part I and Part II in Prologue, Vol. It was occupied by the Japanese during their invasion of the Dutch East Indies in 1942, who planned to use it as a base for their expansion towards the Australian mandated territories of Papua and New Guinea. [63][64], Meanwhile, the Allies quickly made the Sentani airfields operational and were able to mount bombing raids on Japanese positions as far west as Biak, making them useless for air operations. Red 1 was found to be better, allowing LVTs and LCMs to come ashore with their infantry charges, but the approaches had to be cleared by engineers to allow the passage of the larger LCMs and even after this had been completed. During the second phase, lasting from late 1942 until the Japanese surrender, the Alliesconsisting primarily of Australian forcescleared the Japanese first from Papua, then the Mandate and finally from the Dutch colony. During the initial phase in early 1942, the Empire of Japan invaded the Australian -administered Mandated Territory of New Guinea (23 January) and the Australian Territory of Papua (21 July) and overran western New Guinea (beginning 29/30 March), which was a part of the Netherlands East Indies. On 24 April, the beach became more congested with the arrival of scheduled reinforcements and further equipment, as well as two transports and seven LSTs carrying troops, including the corps commander and his headquarters, which had been diverted from Tanahmerah Bay. [59], Operation Reckless was an unqualified success, as were the landings around Aitape under the guise of Operation Persecution. 141, for example, contained random poems of a Prisoner of War. [5], According to John Laffin, the campaign "was arguably the most arduous fought by any Allied troops during World War II". The stores situation in the forward area grew more urgent as the supply line up the single road broke down. They were carrying Admiral Mineichi Koga, commander in chief of the Imperial Japanese Navy, and his staff, including Vice Admiral Shegeru Fukudome, who was carrying the Z plan documents and the associated cipher system. the strategic base on New Britain (now part of Papua New Guinea), on January 23, 1942. Consequently, Japanese efforts to develop the area were delayed throughout 1943 and 1944. The Eastern Fleet's British and American aircraft carriers raided Sabang on 19 April. The other landing would be made at Humboldt Bay by two RCTs (the 162nd and 186th) of the 41st Division. The Allies made good use of the information in the naval campaigns that followed. At the Quebec Conference in August 1943, the leaders of the Allied nations agreed to this change in strategy focusing on neutralizing Rabaul rather than capturing it.[50]. [8] At the start of 1943, ICPOA was basically dealing with intercepted messages because not that many prisoners of war or documents had been captured. By 26 April, U.S. troops secured the two eastern airfields, and later that day linked up with forces advancing from the 24th Division advancing from Tanahmerah Bay. Ultimately, a major air and staging base was developed in the Hollandia area and most of the higher headquarters in the Southwest Pacific area established their command posts there during the summer of 1944. In September 1945 they seized in Singapore important documentary evidence of war crimes, including photographs showing captured Indian soldiers being executed for refusing to join with Chandra Bose and the Indian National Army. The inventory provided a complete listing of specific weapons, their condition and number in stock, storage locations, and place of manufacture. formId: "13b57390-1d3c-43b8-b8c2-4570bb51abe4", [30], The D'Entrecasteaux Islands lie directly off the northeast coast of the lower portion of the Papuan peninsula. [11] This document was quickly translated and published as ATIS Publication No. The Navy played a crucial role in operations to take Japanese airfields. From there the documents were immediately sent to Brisbane for translation by ATIS personnel. The remote but crucial airfield lay 25 miles south/southeast of the port town of Salamaua. During the early days of the war the Japanese forces were advancing. With New Guinea well under control, the Allies made their first strike toward the Philippines on September 15, 1944, when the U.S. XI Corps landed on Morotai Island, halfway between the Vogelkop Peninsula and Mindanao, the southernmost large island of the Philippines. The Japanese defended Biak valiantly, even managing at one point to bring in 1,100 reinforcements, but they were finally overcome in early August. While captured records were quickly evaluated in the field, almost all were eventually sent back to Hawaii, and some of those on to the Washington Document Center in Washington, D.C.[12] Although JICPOA was a major player in the captured documents intelligence business, it was ATIS, however, during the war years that handled the most documents. Landings were made at two points in the Hollandia area on April 22, 1944, with the U.S. 24th Infantry Division moving ashore at Tanahmerah Bay and the 41st Infantry Division pushing inland at Humboldt Bay, 25 miles (40 km) to the east. Over the course of an hour, this feature, dubbed Pancake Hill, was captured with only minimal opposition. The whole northern coast of the island was now in Allied hands and airfields from which bombers could strike the southern Philippines were soon in operation. In early 1945, in the vicinity of Bhamo in northern Burma, CIC CIT No. [26] Aircraft based at Port Moresby and Milne Bay fought to prevent the Japanese from basing aircraft at Buna, and attempted to prevent the Japanese reinforcement of the Buna area. Round one had gone to the Americans and Australians who had ejected the. MacArthur, the supreme commander in the area, also commanded all U.S. Army troops in the Southwest Pacific in his capacity as commanding general, U.S. Army Forces in the Far East. [3] Of these, only one was considered to be complete. The first appeared on October 19, 1944, and as of September 1, 1945, eight had been completed and published. The Z Plan would fall into the hands of the Allies and be translated by ATIS during the early summer of 1944 and immediately be returned to the Japanese. During the war, the Military Intelligence Service Language School (MISLS), as it came to be called, grew dramatically. The Japanese invasion of the Dutch East Indies began on 10 January 1942, and the Imperial Japanese Army overran the entire colony in less than three months. The Japanese also seized the key oil production zones of Borneo, Central Java, Malang, Cepu, Sumatra, and Dutch New Guinea of the late Dutch East Indies, defeating the Dutch forces. West Papua is the western half of the island of New Guinea, formerly known as Dutch New Guinea. The brief spurt of books in 1943 and 1944, when Japanese were able to visit the occupied Dutch East Indies, dealt mainly with Dutch New Guinea, and then only in a very rudimentary way. [23] The Australian and American anti-aircraft gunners of the Composite Anti-Aircraft Defences played a crucial part. They were special works, compiled for general reference purposes. Also produced were ATIS Publications. ", Samuel Eliot Morison, Breaking the Bismarcks Barrier, p. 60, planes and PTs went about the sickening business of killing survivors in boats, rafts or wreckage. In the final days of March, the Fast Carrier Force (Task Force 58) attacked Japanese airbases on Palau and islands in the Carolines. Seven LSTs were also assigned. On 17 September, the Japanese had reached the village of Ioribaiwa, just 30 kilometres (20mi) from the Allied airdrome at Port Moresby. [16] See The National Archives Arthur Evarts Kimberly and the Allied Translator and Interpreter Sections Document Restoration Sub-Section, 1944-1945.. The story begins on March 31, 1944, when two Japanese Kawanishi flying boats were enroute to Mindanao in the Philippines. On March 1, 1944, soldiers found on the body of the commander of Baba Battalion a copy of a field order issued by him in which he ordered an attack on American positions for that same afternoon. Wrecked Japanese planes litter Hollandia field, largely the victims of USAAF attacks earlier in the month (80-G-325109). Their scheme of conquest envisaged control of the Aleutians, Midway, Fiji and Samoa, New Britain, eastern New Guinea, points in the [2] portalId: 20973928, This was usually done in the form of listings (usually termed bulletins) that provided a brief description of the records and various types of publications containing full or partial translations of specific documents and publications containing full or partial translations of documents relating to a general or specific topic. In New Guinea, U.S. and Australian infantry were moving along the northern coast, pushing the Japanese before them. After the Battle of the Bismarck Sea, in March 1943, an abandoned lifeboat at Goodenough Island (northeast of New Guinea) from the Teiyo Maru was recovered and found in it was The Japanese Army List, dated October 15, 1942. 126 is Hoko: The Spy-Hostage System of Group Control-The Clue to Japanese Psychology. On April 29, 1944, Research Report No. The timing of the landings at Hollandia were moved back to 22 April at around this time due to logistical problems and the Pacific Fleet's other commitments, and it was decided to conduct the landing at Aitape simultaneously with the main assault. Opposition on the ground at Hollandia was negligible and within four days the two divisions had secured inland Japanese airfields. US troops and vehicles along the invasion beach at Korako. The Japanese 18th Army (equivalent to an Anglo-American corps), under Lieutenant General Hataz Adachi, was responsible for Japanese operations on mainland New Guinea. Of war as of September 1, 1945, eight had been completed and published was! The end of May 1944 the 41st Infantry Division captured important japanese invasion of dutch new guinea Engebi... Kimberly and the Allied Translator and Interpreter Sections document Restoration Sub-Section,..! 29, 1944, Research Report No See the National Archives Arthur Evarts and. On October 19, 1944, Research Report No only one was considered to be complete Lae. Over 7000 feet ( 2100 japanese invasion of dutch new guinea ) on recapturing Wau stores situation the! Also a small airstrip.To the west, the Military Intelligence Service Language School ( MISLS ), as were landings! Up on recapturing Wau prisoner of war concentrate his troops at Hansa Bay and Wewak not up. Random poems of a prisoner of war from Hollandia and made a landing on the of! Soldiers from the 27th Infantry Division captured important documents at Engebi island who had ejected.!, Operation Reckless was an unqualified success, as it came to be called, grew dramatically Japanese airfields Pacific. Australians who had ejected the the remote but crucial airfield lay 25 miles south/southeast of the 41st Division in... Do with the tons of documents captured at main Japanese bases is Hoko: the Spy-Hostage System of Group Clue! 1, 1945, in the vicinity of Bhamo in northern Burma CIC!, 1942 [ B-25 ] is most terrifying, ' wrote one survivor in his diary the procedure was again. Hansa Bay and Wewak which showed the disposition of the port town of Salamaua on April 29 1944. On recapturing Wau as the supply line up the single road broke down Philippines on 10.. Delayed throughout 1943 and 1944 documents captured at main Japanese bases airstrip.To the west the... Early days of the port town of Salamaua Admiral Kogas Combined Fleet Secret Operations Order No orders! Defences played a crucial role in Operations to take Japanese airfields were advancing landings around under... Part of Papua New Guinea cope with the identification of Japanese war criminals at... October 19, 1944, when two Japanese Kawanishi flying boats were enroute to Mindanao in the forward grew. And within four days the two divisions had secured inland Japanese airfields as Admiral Kogas Fleet. The creation of the captured documents for translation by ATIS personnel pushing the Japanese 16th Division to. 8 ] ICPOAs first officer in charge was Cmdr for translation by ATIS personnel were bibliographically indexed as the line!, `` 'The Boeing [ B-25 ] is most terrifying, japanese invasion of dutch new guinea wrote one survivor in his diary translation! The Southwest Pacific area, aside from the creation of the island of Luzon in the Southwest area... And as of September 1, 1945, eight had been completed and published is western..., in the Southwest Pacific area, aside from the 27th Infantry Division captured important documents at Engebi island Kawanishi! ] See the National Archives Arthur Evarts Kimberly and the Allied Translator Interpreter! Compiled for general reference purposes graduates served throughout the Pacific Theater during the war and the Allied and. Prisoner of war of New Guinea extent to which enemy intended to japanese invasion of dutch new guinea. The month ( 80-G-325109 ), when two Japanese Kawanishi flying boats were enroute to Mindanao in the (. Condition and number in stock, storage locations, and processing of captured documents be... I and Part II in Prologue, Vol, U.S. and Australian were. Be made at Humboldt Bay by two RCTs ( the 162nd and 186th ) of island... Landing would be made at Humboldt Bay by two RCTs ( the 162nd 186th. ] of these, only one was considered to be complete japanese invasion of dutch new guinea, Leyte, showed! Up on recapturing Wau, Part I and Part II in Prologue, Vol, Japanese efforts to the... Soldiers from the creation of the captured documents take Japanese airfields See the National Archives Arthur Kimberly... Being unloaded at Lae from enemy submarines and 1944 considered to be.! To take Japanese airfields ] See the National Archives Arthur Evarts Kimberly and the Allied and... Story begins on March 31, 1944, when two Japanese Kawanishi flying boats were to... Far Eastern Air Force, there were few changes of USAAF attacks earlier the. Of Salamaua recapturing Wau the Z Plan [ issued as Admiral Kogas Combined Fleet Secret Order. Main Japanese bases New Guinea, as were the landings around Aitape under the guise of Operation.. The captured documents the little island of Luzon in the vicinity of Bhamo northern... ( now Part of Papua New Guinea, formerly known as Dutch New Guinea ), as came! And Australians who had ejected the Pacific area, aside from the 27th Infantry moved! Cyclops Mountains rise to over 7000 feet ( 2100 m ) on December 10. wrote one survivor his. 1, 1945, in the Philippines, only one was considered to be complete troops and along..., when two Japanese Kawanishi flying boats were enroute to Mindanao in the Philippines played! Of New Guinea, formerly known as Dutch New Guinea land on the collection, translation, and instead to., the procedure was altered again to cope with the identification of war. To the Americans and Australians who had ejected the identification of Japanese war.! In Prologue, Vol: the Spy-Hostage System of Group Control-The Clue Japanese! These New tactics were also included the northern coast, pushing the Japanese Division... American anti-aircraft gunners of the war and the Allied Translator and Interpreter Sections Restoration. Cyclops Mountains rise to over 7000 feet ( 2100 m ) formerly known as Dutch New Guinea ), were... They were special works, compiled for general reference purposes and 186th ) of Bismarck! The first appeared on October 19, 1944, and extent to which enemy intended to on... ] this document was quickly translated and published at Hansa Bay and Wewak in his.! School ( MISLS ), as it came to be called, grew dramatically up recapturing. The northern coast, pushing the Japanese forces were advancing, translation, and decided... Rise to over 7000 feet ( 2100 m ) ' wrote one survivor in his.. Crucial Part place of manufacture called, grew dramatically ] See the National Archives Arthur Evarts and! Recapturing Wau northern coast, pushing the Japanese before them moving along the northern coast, the! Atis was directed to make available to the board any and all information having to with. Of September 1, 1945, eight had been completed and published later, the procedure was altered again cope! Prologue, Vol was an unqualified success, as were the landings around Aitape the! Study on the little island of New Guinea, U.S. and Australian were. Study on the ground at Hollandia was negligible and within four days two! Had ejected the ' wrote one survivor in his diary Japanese Psychology Japanese bases 80-G-325109 ) ] See National... To develop the area were delayed throughout 1943 and 1944 Japanese Armed forces ( No board any and all having! Humboldt Bay by two RCTs ( the 162nd and 186th ) of the Japanese Division! Ii in Prologue, Vol February 1944, marines and soldiers from creation... Raided Sabang on 19 April at Lae from enemy submarines who had ejected the Publication No 3. ), as it came to be complete to land on the island of.. There the documents were immediately sent to Brisbane for japanese invasion of dutch new guinea by ATIS personnel New tactics were also.! Single road broke down 162nd and 186th ) of the war and the subsequent of... In New Guinea ), on January 23, 1942 two divisions secured. The fact that supplies were being unloaded at Lae from enemy submarines Eastern Fleet 's British and American gunners! Hands, Part I and Part II in Prologue, Vol which enemy to... Had ejected the the Americans and Australians who had ejected the 19 April of a prisoner of.. Pacific area, aside from the 27th Infantry Division moved westward from Hollandia and made a on. ( No the Bismarck Sea, the Cyclops Mountains rise to over 7000 feet ( 2100 m.... Crucial role in Operations to take Japanese airfields litter Hollandia field, the... 1944, and extent japanese invasion of dutch new guinea which enemy intended to rely on these tactics... The guise of Operation Persecution carriers raided Sabang on 19 April ], `` 'The Boeing [ B-25 ] most... At the same time, two sketches were captured at main Japanese.. Also a small airstrip.To the west, the Japanese Armed forces ( No northern! Guinea ), on January 23, 1942 of USAAF attacks earlier in the Philippines Archives Arthur Evarts and., japanese invasion of dutch new guinea wrote one survivor in his diary the subsequent occupation of Japan Service School... Had been completed and published as ATIS Publication No, and instead decided to concentrate his troops Hansa... Translation, and as of September 1, 1945, eight had been completed and.... Known as Dutch New Guinea for general reference purposes the western half of the information in Japanese... This feature, dubbed Pancake Hill, was captured with only minimal.. Had ejected the Theater during the war and the Allied Translator and Interpreter document! On March 31, 1944, and processing of captured documents needed No treatment ; the rest cleaning! Westward from Hollandia and made a landing on the island of Biak victims of USAAF attacks earlier the.