Milne Bay

[Warlord]

Was Milne Bay the real turning point in the battle for the Southwest Pacific? Or did its importance affect the whole Pacific Theater?

[A Potts]

Originally Posted by Warlord

Was Milne Bay the real turning point in the battle for the Southwest Pacific? Or did its importance affect the whole Pacific Theater?

It was not the turning point. It is widely believed to be the first time the Japanese were defeated and stopped from gaining their objective.

It broke the back of the claim of Japanese invincibility.

For that it was extremely significant.

[jacobtowne]

Originally Posted by Warlord

Was Milne Bay the real turning point in the battle for the Southwest Pacific?

No, Guadalcanal was the great turning point in the war against Japan. That is not to contradict what A. Potts wrote above, BTW.

Or did its importance affect the whole Pacific Theater?

Yes, in the sense that after Guadalcanal, the Japanese fought defensively for the rest of the war.
I do not know whether one could say this for Milne Bay. Perhaps someone who knows more about that battle could chime in here.

JT

[A Potts]

I believe that the battle of Guadalcanal was EXTREMELY important.

I feel it is very difficult to pin point a specific land campaign as the turning point; and I think that endless debate surrounds this.

I believe that the turning point must go to the US Naval campaigns . In particular the Battle of the Coral Sea (with a minor, but significant Australian contribution) and ultimately Midway.

My opinion anyway.

[jacobtowne]

A few thoughts here.

Midway was certainly a turning point in the Central Pacific. On the other hand, it must be said that it was defensive on the part of the Americans, and was a one-dimensional battle between carrier-based aircraft. Additionally, it neither destroyed Japan's naval power, nor did it affect Japanese southward expansion toward Australia.

Guadalcanal, however, did halt that expansion, securing vital supply routes between the U.S. and Australia. The campaign was also three-dimensional, involving air, sea, and land battles. Finally, as stated before, Japan was on the defense after the 'Canal for the remainder of the war.

That is why I consider the Guadalcanal Campaign as turning the tide. Others, of course, hold other viewpoints.

JT

[A Potts]

Originally Posted by jacobtowne

A few thoughts here.

Midway was certainly a turning point in the Central Pacific. On the other hand, it must be said that it was defensive on the part of the Americans, and was a one-dimensional battle between carrier-based aircraft. Additionally, it neither destroyed Japan's naval power, nor did it affect Japanese southward expansion toward Australia.

Guadalcanal, however, did halt that expansion, securing vital supply routes between the U.S. and Australia. The campaign was also three-dimensional, involving air, sea, and land battles. Finally, as stated before, Japan was on the defense after the 'Canal for the remainder of the war.

That is why I consider the Guadalcanal Campaign as turning the tide. Others, of course, hold other viewpoints.

JT

I appreciate every thing said.

However, what does the term 'defensive' mean. The Australians had the Japanese retreating on the Kokoda Trail in mid '42 and the Battle of the Beach Heads, 'Buna-Gona-Sanananda' in northern New Guinea, was complete by Jan '43 by Australian and US forces.

The Battle of Guadalcanal did not end until mid '43.

The supply chain to Australia was massively aided by stopping the Japanese at Guadalcanal. But there is alot of sea south of the Solomons and I believe that this would have been overcome with some ease.

Again my opinion and I certainly do not intend to offend.

[spidge]

I for one have always led to the battle of Milne Bay to have been "decisive".
This is where, for the first time, the Japanese were repelled by Australian infantry after gaining a beachhead. This is where, in the Pacific, the collective use of Infantry, Artillery (US), Naval and Air Power was coordinated effectively to defeat the Japanese landing and subsequently forced them to retreat.

As for decisive overall, I do not think this can be claimed however Milne Bay was morale boosting and showed that the invincibility of the Japanese was for the first time, now in question.

Guadalcanal commenced a month before (August '42) the Milne Bay action.

This is where the US had drawn the line in the sand as the place where the land battle for the Pacific was to commence. This is where the Japanese were forced to concede that their southerly land conquests of the Pacific had ended.

There is no doubt in my mind that "winning" Guadalcanal was "the" decisive land battle, although in a most precarious position even as late as December '42.

Whilst it was claimed secure in February '43 (land) it allowed the planning to retake the Pacific to go ahead.

The "Battle of the Coral Sea" was decisive inasmuch as not being a win to the allied forces the US learnt many lessons and pointed out many carrier deficiencies as well as denying the Japanese Port Moresby and forced them to try and take it overland.

(T.A. Gardner has a good post about Coral Sea in a previous thread I will try and find a reference to it)

Midway in the context of 1942 (without hindsight) was too, I believe a "defensive" operation which abounded in many lucky breaks for the US task force.

While the battle was truly a glorious result for the US, and hurt the Japanese in carrier losses, the turning points in the naval war did not come until the great sea battles that followed around Guadalcanal.

[spidge]

Those T.A. Gardner comments I spoke of in the previous post can be found here:

Total thread:
http://www.ww2talk.com/forum/allied/...html#post98329

http://www.ww2talk.com/forum/allied/...html#post98451
T.A. Gardner posts onward for Midway & Coral Sea

[SouthWestPacificVet]

I was in Milne a few times, I remember coming ashore on a Aussie patrol boat to catch a lift from a C47 at the airfield, it must have been sometime in early or mid '43,
the Aussies had the old P40's if I remember correctly.

All the best
Jack

[spidge]

Originally Posted by SouthWestPacificVet

I was in Milne a few times, I remember coming ashore on a Aussie patrol boat to catch a lift from a C47 at the airfield, it must have been sometime in early or mid '43,
the Aussies had the old P40's if I remember correctly.

All the best
Jack

This one Jack?

gurney airfield Milne Bay.jpg