INFANTRYMAN August 2015
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03 Chapters 4-7 Burns
76 CHAPTER 4 THE REALITY BEHIND THE BRISBANE LINE ALLEGATIONS Curtin lacked expertise in defence matters. He did not understand the duties or responsibilities of military commanders and never attended Chiefs of Staff meetings, choosing to rely chiefly on the Governments public service advisers. Thus Shedden established himself as Curtins chief defence adviser. Under Curtin his influence was far greater than 1 it had ever been in Menzies day. Curtins lack of understanding of the role of military commanders, shared by Forde, created misunderstandings and brought about refusal to give political direction. These factors contributed to events that underlay the Brisbane Line controversy. Necessarily, Curtin had as his main purpose the fighting and the winning of the war. Some Labor politicians however saw no reason why the conduct of the war should prevent Labor introducing social reforms. Many, because of their anti-conscriptionist beliefs, were unsympathetic 2 to military needs. Conversely, the Army Staff Corps were mistrustful of their new masters. The most influential of their critics was Eddie Ward, the new Minister for Labour and National Service. His hatred of Menzies, distrust of the conservative parties, and suspicion of the military impelled him towards endangering national security during the course of the Brisbane Line controversy. But this lay in the future in the early days of the Curtin Government. Not a great deal changed immediately under Curtin. A report to Forde by Mackay on 27 October indicated that appreciations and planning for local defence in Queensland and New South Wales were based on the assumption that the vital area of Newcastle-Sydney-Port Kembla had priority in defence. -
CHAPTER 1 5 ABDA and ANZA CN the Second World
CHAPTER 1 5 ABDA AND ANZA C N the second world war the democracies fought at an initial disadvan- Itage, though possessing much greater resources than their enemies . Britain and the United States had embarked on accelerated rearmamen t programs in 1938, the naval projects including battleships and aircraf t carriers ; but this was a delayed start compared with that of Germany an d Japan. Preparing for munitions production for total war, finding out wha t weapons to make, and their perfection into prototypes for mass produc- tion, takes in time upwards of two decades . After this preparation period, a mass production on a nation-wide scale is at least a four-years' task in which "the first year yields nothing ; the second very little ; the third a lot and the fourth a flood" .' When Japan struck in December 1941, Britai n and the British Commonwealth had been at war for more than two years . During that time they had to a large extent changed over to a war economy and increasingly brought reserve strength into play . Indeed, in 1940, 1941 and 1942, British production of aircraft, tanks, trucks, self-propelled gun s and other materials of war, exceeded Germany 's. This was partly due to Britain's wartime economic mobilisation, and partly to the fact that Ger- many had not planned for a long war. Having achieved easy victories b y overwhelming unmobilised enemies with well-organised forces and accumu- lated stocks of munitions and materials, the Germans allowed over- confidence to prevent them from broadening the base of their econom y to match the mounting economic mobilisation of Britain . -
Sapper – 2015 1 Sapper 2015 Australian Sapper Is the Annual Magazine of the Royal Australian Engineers, Published by Authority of the Head of Corps
Australian Australian Sapper – 2015 1 sapper 2015 Australian Sapper is the annual magazine of the Royal Australian Engineers, published by authority of the Head of Corps. Copyright Text and images in this publication are sourced from the Department of Defence and are copyright of the Commonwealth of Australia unless otherwise credited. Enquiries regarding the use of material in this publication should be directed to the Editor. Contributors are urged to ensure the accuracy of the information contained in their articles; the Editorial Board accepts no responsibility for errors of fact. The views expressed in this publication are the contributors’ and not necessarily those of the Royal Australian Engineers, the Australian Army or the Department of Defence. ISSN: 1449-4140 Editorial board Editor-in-Chief: Brigadier Wayne Budd AM, CSC Editor: Major Craig Clunas Graphic Design: Mr George Petrovski Contact the editor: [email protected] Cover. Sapper Luke Matthews of 3 CER, works to clear debris with a skid steer loader in the aftermath of Tropical Cylone Marcia as part of the Emergency Support Force (ESF) operating in the remote community Contents Message from the Head of Corps Royal Australian Engineers ....................................................... 4 Message from the Corps Sergeant Major Royal Australian Engineers ............................................. 6 The Royal Australian Engineers Foundation ................................................................................... 7 Force Engineer Branch ................................................................................................................. -
Major Fleet-Versus-Fleet Operations in the Pacific War, 1941–1945 Operations in the Pacific War, 1941–1945 Second Edition Milan Vego Milan Vego Second Ed
U.S. Naval War College U.S. Naval War College Digital Commons Historical Monographs Special Collections 2016 HM 22: Major Fleet-versus-Fleet Operations in the Pacific arW , 1941–1945 Milan Vego Follow this and additional works at: https://digital-commons.usnwc.edu/usnwc-historical-monographs Recommended Citation Vego, Milan, "HM 22: Major Fleet-versus-Fleet Operations in the Pacific arW , 1941–1945" (2016). Historical Monographs. 22. https://digital-commons.usnwc.edu/usnwc-historical-monographs/22 This Book is brought to you for free and open access by the Special Collections at U.S. Naval War College Digital Commons. It has been accepted for inclusion in Historical Monographs by an authorized administrator of U.S. Naval War College Digital Commons. For more information, please contact [email protected]. NAVAL WAR COLLEGE PRESS Major Fleet-versus-Fleet Major Fleet-versus-Fleet Operations in the Pacific War, 1941–1945 War, Pacific the in Operations Fleet-versus-Fleet Major Operations in the Pacific War, 1941–1945 Second Edition Milan Vego Milan Vego Milan Second Ed. Second Also by Milan Vego COVER Units of the 1st Marine Division in LVT Assault Craft Pass the Battleship USS North Carolina off Okinawa, 1 April 1945, by the prolific maritime artist John Hamilton (1919–93). Used courtesy of the Navy Art Collection, Washington, D.C.; the painting is currently on loan to the Naval War College Museum. In the inset image and title page, Vice Admiral Raymond A. Spruance ashore on Kwajalein in February 1944, immediately after the seizure of the island, with Admiral Chester W. -
ASSAULT on NEW GUINE a in March 1942 the Australian Continent Lay Nakedly Across the Path O F the Japanese Southward Drive
CHAPTER 2 3 ASSAULT ON NEW GUINE A N March 1942 the Australian continent lay nakedly across the path o f I the Japanese southward drive. The island perimeter now held by th e enemy forces was separated from Australia's northern coastline by a fe w hundred miles of sea . From now, until those forces had been driven back , the war in the Pacific must be fought from and over British Commonwealt h territory and the adjacent seas. Since Anglo-American policy for an offen- sive against the Axis powers had been decided resolutely on a Europe - first basis, the best that could be expected of the Allied forces in th e Pacific was to halt the Japanese forces until a major Allied offensive could be mounted. But the war was now three months old and as yet the enem y had not been held at any one point where they had exerted pressure. Two members of the New Zealand Cabinet, accompanied by the three Ne w Zealand Chiefs of Staff, had conferred with the Australian Advisory War Council and Chiefs of Staff on 23rd February. After surveying the war situation as it concerned the Anzac Area, the Chiefs of Staff of the tw o Dominions jointly proposed the appointment of a Supreme Commander for all Allied forces in "an extended Anzac Area". To hold the Japanese in check the retention and development of Port Moresby as a major base were essential, yet only at sea were the Allie d forces then available strong enough to withstand any serious enemy thrust , and these naval forces were widely dispersed . -
TRANS-TASMAN RELATIONS in the SECOND WORLD WAR Master Of
TRANS-TASMAN RELATIONS IN THE SECOND WORLD WAR A thesis submitted for the Degree of Master of Arts in History in the University of Canterbury by Rebekah Jayne 9wen University of Canterbury 1997 j'i r5~ I :z.1 .A1 Contents .0 q-r r q ct 1 CHAPTER PAGE LIST OF MAPs AND TABLES ACKNOWLEOOMENTS 11 ABSTRACT 111 1 lN1RODUCTION 1 2 STRANGERS ACROSS TIlE TASMAN: AUSTRALIA 5 AND NEW ZEALAND 1938-1939 3 INDEPENDEN1L Y FOLLOWING SIMILAR POLICIES: 19 AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND, SEPTEMBER 1939-DECEMBER 1941 4 AUSTRALIA'S AND NEW ZEALAND'S EFFORTS TO 44 GET A VOICE IN LONDON AND WASHINGTON 5 THE CRISIS POINT OF TRANs-TASMAN RELATIONS: 71 DIVERGENT POLICIES FROM NOVEMBER 1942-JUNE 1943 6 THE AUSTRALIAN-NEW ZEALAND AGREEMENT 87 (THE CANBERRA PACT) 7 CONCLUSION 109 BIBLIOGRAPHY 112 List of Maps and Tables MAP PAGE I The ABDACOM Area 49 II The Southwest Pacific 66 III Pacific & Indian Ocean Command Areas, 67 1942-1943. TABLE PAGE I New Zealand's Exports by percentage 21 II Australia's Exports by percentage 21 ii Acknowledgements I am grateful to the dedicated staff at the National Archives who provided an excellent service and a top working environment. Malcolm Templeton at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade Library kindly allowed me to look at the Berendsen Memoirs. I also wish to thank ~ the staff at the International Documents Collection of the Parliamentary Library who kindly sent me material. I wish to express my sincere thanks to my supervisors, Professor McIntyre and Dr Connolly. Specifically I want to thank Professor McIntyre for the archival material he lent to me and for his invaluable comments on my drafts. -
1942, the Pacific War, and the Defence of New Zealand
Copyright is owned by the Author of the thesis. Permission is given for a copy to be downloaded by an individual for the purpose of research and private study only. The thesis may not be reproduced elsewhere without the permission of the Author. 1942, the Pacific War, and the Defence of New Zealand A thesis presented in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Philosophy in Defence and Strategic Studies at Massey University, New Zealand. Peter C. Wilkins 2016 The author Peter Cyril Wilkins reserves the moral right to be identified as the author of this work. Copyright is owned by the author of the thesis. Permission is given for a copy to be downloaded by an individual for the purpose of research and private study only. The thesis may not be reproduced elsewhere without the permission of the author. TABLE OF CONTENTS Table of Contents 3 Acknowledgements 5 Abstract 6 Abbreviations and Code Names 7 Introduction 11 Chapter 1 The view across Port Jackson 15 Chapter 2 Walsingham’s children 34 Chapter 3 The view across Tokyo Bay 47 Chapter 4 The view across three waters 71 Chapter 5 A second look across Port Jackson 97 Conclusion The concluding view 120 Bibliography 125 Appendix A Expenditure on NZ armed forces 1919-1939 140 Appendix B ‘Magic’ summary, issued April 18, 1942 141 Appendix C Potential air domination of Australia and NZ 147 Appendix D USN and IJN fleet carrier operational availability 150 Appendix E Pre-Pearl Harbor attitude on Japan’s forces 152 Map 1: The Political Map of the Pacific - 1939 10 Map 2: Pacific Air Routes, 1941-42 32 Map 3: Pacific Ocean Areas, 1942 80 Image 1: ‘He’s Coming South’ (Australian wartime propaganda poster) 11 Image 2: Cartoon, financial freeze of Japan (US political cartoon 1941) 84 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS This thesis is part of the process of an old man’s journey to fulfil an education missed as a youth. -
The Port Moresby–Solomons Operation and the Allied Reaction, 27 A
Naval War College Review Volume 65 Article 6 Number 1 Winter 2012 The orP t Moresby–Solomons Operation and the Allied Reaction, 27 April–11 May 1942 Milan Vego Follow this and additional works at: https://digital-commons.usnwc.edu/nwc-review Recommended Citation Vego, Milan (2012) "The orP t Moresby–Solomons Operation and the Allied Reaction, 27 April–11 May 1942," Naval War College Review: Vol. 65 : No. 1 , Article 6. Available at: https://digital-commons.usnwc.edu/nwc-review/vol65/iss1/6 This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Journals at U.S. Naval War College Digital Commons. It has been accepted for inclusion in Naval War College Review by an authorized editor of U.S. Naval War College Digital Commons. For more information, please contact [email protected]. Color profile: Generic CMYK printer profile Composite Default screen Vego: The Port Moresby–Solomons Operation and the Allied Reaction, 27 A THE PORT MORESBY–SOLOMONS OPERATION AND THE ALLIED REACTION, 27 APRIL–11 MAY 1942 Milan Vego he ultimately unsuccessful Japanese attempt to capture Port Moresby in May T1942 is commonly referred to as the “battle of the Coral Sea.”Almost all fo- cus is usually given to the decisive tactical engagement between carrier forces. However, the Japanese effort was officially code-named Moresby Operation and was often called the “Port Moresby–Solomons operation.” In formal terms, it Dr. Milan Vego has been a professor in the Joint Mili- was on the Japanese side a major offensive and joint tary Operations Department at the U.S. -
3NZ Division in the South Pacific in World War II
Copyright is owned by the Author of the thesis. Permission is given for a copy to be downloaded by an individual for the purpose of research and private study only. The thesis may not be reproduced elsewhere without the permission of the Author. New Zealand’s Forgotten Warriors: 3NZ Division in the South Pacific in World War II A thesis presented in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in History at Massey University, Palmerston North, New Zealand. Reginald Hedley Newell 2008 The author, Reginald Hedley Newell, asserts the moral right to be identified as the author of this work. ii ABSTRACT This thesis examines the origins, deployment, operations and demise of 3NZ Division. It argues that the forces that became the Division were sent to Fiji because of a perceived strategic threat, particularly from airpower, if the islands were seized by the Japanese. The Division was relieved in Fiji by the Americans but returned to the Pacific in 1943 because New Zealand wanted to earn a place at the peace table and the Americans lacked troops in the theatre. Whether the Division was primarily an offensive or garrison unit remained unclear throughout its existence and influenced its constitution. Major General Harold Barrowclough, its commander from 1942 to 1944, had somewhat different strengths from his fellow divisional commander Major General Bernard Freyberg, and operated in a very different environment, with amphibious operations at brigade level. Furthermore, his division operated in an area dominated by the United States Navy rather than the more familiar culture of the British Army. -
Map Room Files of President Roosevelt, 1939–1945
A Guide to the Microfilm Edition of World War II Research Collections MAP ROOM FILES OF PRESIDENT ROOSEVELT, 1939–1945 Map Room Army and Navy Messages, December 1941–May 1942 Project Coordinator and guide compiled by Robert E. Lester A microfilm project of UNIVERSITY PUBLICATIONS OF AMERICA An Imprint of CIS 4520 East-West Highway • Bethesda, MD 20814-3389 Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Map room files of President Roosevelt, 1939–1945. Map room Army and Navy messages, December 1941–May 1942 [microform] / project coordinator, Robert E. Lester. microfilm reels. -- (World War II research collections) Reproduced from the presidential papers of Franklin D. Roosevelt in the custody of the Franklin D. Roosevelt Library. Accompanied by a printed reel guide compiled by Robert E. Lester. Includes index. ISBN 1-55655-269-6 (microfilm) 1. Roosevelt, Franklin D. (Franklin Delano), 1882–1945--Archives. 2. Presidents--United States--Archives. 3. World War, 1939–1945-- Campaigns--Sources. 4. World War, 1939–1945--Naval operations, American--Sources. 5. Franklin D. Roosevelt Library--Archives. I. Lester, Robert. II. Franklin D. Roosevelt Library. III. Series. [D769.A5] 940.54′0973--dc20 92-23422 CIP The documents reproduced in this publication are from the Papers of Franklin D. Roosevelt in the custody of the Franklin D. Roosevelt Library, National Archives and Records Administration. Former President Roosevelt donated his literary rights in these documents to the public. © Copyright 1991 by University Publications of America. All rights -
The Gallipolian Index
THE GALLIPOLIAN INDEX Note for guidance on using the Index 1. The index was originally compiled in 2007 by Gallipoli Association member, Robert Pike, to whom the then Editor, David Saunders and his successors are greatly indebted. The original index was updated and significantly expanded by Foster Summerson when he edited the journal from 2008 - 2015, and more recently by myself. 2. The index does not aim to be a comprehensive guide to everything that has appeared in The Gallipolian over the past years. It is essentially an alphabetical listing, by subject area, of articles dealing with a range of 'Gallipoli related' topics. 3. Items within each subject area (e.g. Merchant Navy, Suvla etc.) are listed with the issue number in which they appeared. Thus, for example, an article that featured in issue No. 69 will be listed before one on the same or similar subject that appeared in issue No. 86. The only exceptions are in the case of Book Reviews, Obituaries and Poetry (see paragraph 5 below). Where articles encompass different subject areas, every effort has been made to record the article in each (e.g. a memoir written by a veteran of the campaign, will be listed both under 'Memories/ Reflections'; the unit in which he served; and often under the veteran's name). 4. County regiments afforded the title ‘Royal’ are listed thus: Berkshire Regiment, Royal. Other regiments and corps afforded that honour (e.g. Royal Fusiliers, Royal Irish Rifles etc.) are indexed under ‘R’ – ‘Royal …’. 5. Book Reviews (listed alphabetically by author), Obituaries (alphabetically by name of the deceased and sub-divided between Veterans and others) and Poetry (alphabetically by title) are contained in separate sections at the end of the main index. -
CHAPTER 1 REINFORCEMENT of AUSTRALIA Y Early March 1942
CHAPTER 1 REINFORCEMENT OF AUSTRALIA Y early March 1942, the Japanese thrust had struck deep into th e B Pacific to the south and wide to the south-west . Along its southern axis the Filipino and American forces in the Philippines were isolate d and wasting fast; after the fall of Rabaul on 23rd January the Japanes e were on the move through the Australian Mandated Territory of Ne w Guinea ; Port Moresby was under aerial bombardment from 3rd February onwards ; Japanese aircraft were questing southward over the Solomo n Islands. Along the south-west axis the British had surrendered Singapor e on 15th February and, by 7th March, had begun the retreat from Rangoo n which was to carry them right out of Burma ; a threat to India was develop- ing; the Netherlands East Indies were rapidly being overrun ; on the Aus- tralian mainland Darwin, Broome and Wyndham had been heavily raided from the air. The Japanese armies thus controlled the area within an arc whic h embraced the Western Pacific, passed through the Solomons and New Guinea and south of the Indies to Burma . This arc pressed down almost upon Australia whose nearest friendly neighbours on either side were now disadvantageously placed : the United States, separated by some 3,00 0 miles of ocean, was weaker than Japan on sea, on land and in the air; India, which had sent its best formations to the Middle East and Iraq, ha d lost some in Malaya, and had others fighting in Burma, was now garrisone d mainly by raw divisions.