Wikipedia:Today's featured article/August 26, 2012



The Battle of Milne Bay, also known as Operation RE by the Japanese, was a battle of the Pacific campaign of World War II from 25 August to 7 September 1942. Japanese naval troops, known as Kaigun Rikusentai, attacked the Allied airfields at Milne Bay that had been established on the eastern tip of New Guinea. The Japanese miscalculated the size of the garrison and initially landed a force roughly equivalent in size to one battalion on 25 August. Meanwhile the Allies, forewarned by intelligence from Ultra, had heavily reinforced the garrison. Despite suffering a significant setback at the outset, when part of the invasion force had its landing craft destroyed by Allied aircraft as they attempted to land on the coast behind the Australian defenders, the Japanese quickly pushed inland and began their advance towards the airfields. Heavy fighting followed as they came up against Australian Militia and the veteran Second Australian Imperial Force units. Allied air superiority helped tip the balance. Finding themselves outnumbered, lacking supplies and suffering heavy casualties, the Japanese were compelled to withdraw their forces. The battle is considered to be the first in the Pacific campaign in which Allied troops decisively defeated Japanese land forces. (more...)

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