World War II Pacific Naval Campaign: The South Pacific--Operation Cartwheel (1943-44)

Rabaul
Figure 1.--Operation Cartwheel was the multi-pronged Allied effort to take the Japanese base at Rabaul. Rabaul was the Japanese forward operating base in the South Pacific with powerful air and naval facilities. Evebntually the Allies decided to cut it off and pound it impotence. Here a B-25 bomber of the U.S. Army 5th Air Force attacks a Japanese ship in the harbor at Rabaul (November 2, 1943). Source: Wire service photo.

The Japanese built Rabaul into a powerful base, the most important in the South Pacific. It was their primary forward operating base. From an early point in the South Pacific campaign, Rabaul became the primary target of General MacArthur. The naval facilities and air bases there played a central role in the Japanese effort to retake Guadacanal. After the Americans suceeded on Guadacanal and began offensive operations on New Guinea, Rabal became the linch-pin of a South Pacific barrier protecting thir conquests in the Dutch East Indies and the Philippines, The Allied effort to take Rabaul was code named Operation Cartwheel. General MacArhur launced Cartwheel (June 30, 1943). Cartwheel was a multi-pronged assault on Rabaul. The Americans began targetting the Japanese facilities at Rabaul once the Marines had secured the American beachead at Guadacanal, Rabaul became a prime target. General George C. Kenney's 5th U.S. Air Force using B25 bombers and other aircraft regularly attacked the Japanese instalations. And by 1943, American flyers had high performance aircraft that outclassed the Japanese planes. These attacks escalated as the Americans drew rings around Rabaul by seizing more islands and constructing more air bases. Every step up the Solomons ladder put additional pressue on the Japanese in Rabal. And islands to the east, north, and west of Rabal were also seized. Because the Japanese were never sure where the next blow would fall, found it difficult to counter the Allied blows. In addition, growing Allied naval supremecy made it impossible to supply or reinforce Rabaul. The Japanese could not heavily garrison all the islands. And even if they did, growing Allied air and naval power could simply isolate latge garrisons. As the Pacific Fleet grew in sdtrength, there were also American carrier strikes on Rabaul. Gradually American planners began to reconsider an invasion. The goal gradually became to isolate Rabal and allow it to whiter on the vine. By 1943 the Japanese were no longer able to supply Rabaul. After Truk in the Caerolines was smashed, the Japanese were no longer able to reach Rabaul as the Ameruican air raids reduced the bastion. Eventually the once forbidable bastion was reduced to impotence. The primary occupation of the troops cut off there was to find food and stave off starvation.

Building Rabaul (February 1942)

The center of Japanese operations in the South Pacific became the vast complex of military instalations the Japanese built at Rabaul on New Britain. Rabaul's Simpson Harbour provided a magificent anchorage for the Japanese fleet. The harbor was surrounded by several active volcanoes. The eruption of Vulcan had largely destroyed Rabaul (1937). The Japanese reached Rabaul only a few months after Pear Harbor (February 1942). It was largely undefended. The Australian Navy withdrew south to Australian waters. The citizens' New Guinea Volunteer Rifles were uable to resist the powerful landing force. They were loaded aboard the Montivideo Maru for forced labor in Japan, but tragically killed when the ship was sunk by an American submarine. The Japanese built airfields to protect the fleet anchorage. The Japanese based their best pilots and planes there. Rabaul became the largest Imperial Army garrison in the South Pacific. The Japanese built Rabaul into a powerful base, the most important in the South Pacific. It was their primary forward operating base. Lieutenant General Adachi Hataso took commanded of Japan's 18th Army on Rabaul and New Guinea. Eventually more than 100,000 Japanese soldiers and naval personnek were stationed in and around Rabul. Put in context, only in the Philippines didcthe United states face a larger Jpanese force.

Japanese Attrocities

The Japanese targeted Rabaul's Chinese community. They were left in the Chinatown, but were constantly attacked, especially the women. The Tolal natives were also brutalized by the Japanese.

Guadalcanal (August-September 1942)

The naval facilities and air bases there played a central role in the Japanese effort to retake Guadacanal. It was from Rabaul that troops were deployed to retake Guadacanal and defend positions on New Guinea. Haval and air groups were also deployed from Rabaul. At the time all the Marines had was the small Catus Ar Force at Henderson Field. The Japanese had huge advantages. The Japanese had skilled aviators and superior aircraft and in substantial numbers. The one advantage the Americans had was distance. The Japanese aircraft could reach Guadalcanal from Rabaul, butvthey did not have enpugh fuek to stay there very long. And here does not seem to have been any attempt to provide close air support.

Japanese Bastion

From an early point in the South Pacific campaign, Rabaul became the primary target of General MacArthur. At first, however, Rabaul was beyond America's reach. Only with Guadalcanal secure could American forces begin to target the Japanese bastion. After the Americans suceeded on Guadacanal and began offensive operations on New Guinea, Rabal became the linch-pin of a South Pacific barrier protecting thier conquests in the Dutch East Indies and the Philippines.

Cartwheel Landings (June 1943 - March 1944)

The Allied effort to take Rabaul on New Britain was code named Operation Cartwheel. General MacArhur launced Cartwheel (June 30, 1943). Cartwheel was a multi-pronged assault on Rabaul. The Americans began targetting the Japanese facilities at Rabaul once the Marines had secured the American beachead at Guadacanal, Rabaul became a prime target. General George C. Kenney's 5th U.S. Air Force using B25 bombers and other aircraft regularly attacked the Japanese instalations. American flyers by 1943 had high performance aircraft that outclassed the Japanese planes. These attacks escalated as the Americans drew rings around Rabaul by seizing more islands and constructing more air bases. The growing American forces launched a series of amphibious assaults on the islands surrounding Rabaul. The two key American commnders were General Douglas MacArthur and Admiral William 'Bull' Halsey. Gen. MacArthur lred the advance along the New Guinea coast. Adm. Halsey led the simultaneous Marine and army advance up the Solomon Islands chain. Every step up the Solomons ladder put additional pressue on the Japanese in Rabal. And islands to the east, north, and west of Rabal were also seized. MacArthur began Cartwheel with Australian troops who took Lae on the northern New Guinea coast (mid-September). U.S. forces then seized Saidor, opposite Cape Gloucester, on the westernmost tip of New Britain. While thiss the sane island where Rabaul was located. The terraine did not permit a direct attack. Every island provided new air bases from which to hammer Rabaul. Halsey’s forces attack Bougainville, the largest and westernmost island in the Solomon chain (October 1943). This was just 200 miles from Rabaul at the narrowest sea crossing. The Japanese 17th Army attempted to make a stand on the island and rushed 37,500 men there. They concentrated at Buin, near the island’s southern tip as well as small islets off the coast. New Zealand forces captured the Treasury Islands, south of Bougainville (October 27). U.S. Marines landed at Empress Augusta Bay, to the north (November 1). The U.S. Navy engaged dispersed Japanese defenders, sinking Japanese cruisers and a destroyer while the 5th Army Air Force bombed Japanese airfuelds and supported the Marine landings. Bougainville gave the Americans importnt new air bases to plaster Rabaul. Allied troops landed at Arawe, on the southwestern coast of New Britain (December 15). This effectively diverting Japanese focus from Cape Gloucester, on the northwestern coast. This assisted a major Allied landing there (December 26). The Allies sucessfully beat back a Japanese counterattack. The Allies suceded in capturing Cape Gloucester and its important irstrip (January 16, 1944). New Zealand soldiers seized the Green Islands, southeast of New Guinea (mid-February). The Americans invaded the Admiralty Islands (late-February). lThey then captured the Emirau Islands (March 20). Each of these islands meant new aurbases and an increasung creshendo of air assaults on Rabaul as well as resupply of Rabaul. Because the Japanese were never sure where the next blow would fall, found it difficult to counter the successive Allied blows. The two-pronged campaign suceeed in neutralize Rabaul (by March 1944). The Americans effectively cut off the once powerful bastion from both reinforcement and resupply.

American Naval Supremecy

After the fierce naval battles around Guadalcanal (August-November 1942), the Imperail Fleet withdrew from the South Atlantic. Many of the killed Japanese carrier pilots ho survived Miday were used in the fegense of Rabaul and gradually attriited. This mean that the carrier force Japan was rebuilding had very few of the highly proficent pilots with which Japan launched the Pacific war. In addition, well-trained American naval aviators and high-performnce carrier air craft began reaching the Pacific fleet as well as a stead stream of new carriers and other ships. Growing Allied naval supremecy made it impossible to supply or reinforce Rabaul. The Japanese could not heavily garrison all the islands. And even if they did, growing Allied air and naval power could simply isolate latge garrisons. As the Pacific Fleet grew in sdtrength, American carrier strikes on Rabaul began.

Invasion Cancelled

Gradually American planners began to reconsider an invasion which had been the primary goal of Cartwheel. The goal gradually became to isolate Rabal and allow it to whiter on the vine. By 1943 the Japanese were no longer able to supply Rabaul. After Truk in the Caerolines was smashed, the Japanese were no longer able to reach Rabaul as the Ameruican air raids reduced the bastion. Eventually the once forbidable bastion was reduced to impotence. This did not just mean amunition or armaments, it even meant food. The large garrion that had made Rabaul so formidable now worked to the Japnese's disadvantage. a large garrison mean that large quantities of supplies were needed to support it. The primary occupation of the troops cut off there was to find food and stave off starvation.







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Created: 6:33 AM 8/9/2010
Last updated: 6:42 AM 11/16/2015