Book Review - THE HARD SLOG - Bouganville

[JeffroK]

I have just finished
THE HARD SLOG - Australians in the Bouganville Campaign 1944-45 b Karl James
ISBN 978-1-107-01732-0

This is another excellent work as part of the Australian Army History series published in conjunction with the Australian Army History Unit.

The book covers the Australian takeover of the Bougainville from the American Army which Macarthur was gathering in preparation for the invasion of The Philippines.

Whereas the USA had been happy to create a perimter and sit tight, for a number of reasons the Australian Army chose to clear the island of the Japanese. As much a political decision to reoccupy territory controlled by the Australian Government pre war, II Australian Corps of 4 Infantry Bdes was given the task, but to do it with minimal casualties.

The forces allocated was made up completely of the Militia Battalions of 7th, 11th, 15th and 29th Brigades, 1st New Guinea Inf Bn plus 2/4th Armoured Regiment and 2/8th Commando Sqn. They were opposed by the Japanese 6th Infantry Division and units made up from various naval Base units.

The book shows the effect of the step by step approach used by the Australians, using there superior tactics to both minimize their losses and maximize japanese losses.

The campaign covers several major battles which have been lost in time, each as worthy as better known battles such as Kokoda, Wau and Milne Bay.

James covers the interaction between Commanders and their men, works through the "Mutinies" (They called them strikes) in 9th & 61st Bns and the post war collection of the japanese and repatriation af men back to Japan and Australia.

In his conclusion, James questions the "Unnecessary War" label that had been given to the campaign, who knew the war was to end abruptly in August 1945? and that the campaign reflected Macarthurs campaign to clear The Philippines rather than only capture bridgeheads to be built up as air/naval bases.

A very good book, and part of a very good series.

[Jim Stevens]

Thanks Jeff for the review. The books sounds very interesting and I will order it.

I also wanted to bring everybody's attention a book that was excellent in it's exploration of the causes and conduct of the war in the Pacific. Until I read this book I had no idea how complex and intertwined the causes were of the war and the part each played. It's title "The Pacific War" by John Costello and can be found by it's ISBN 0-688-01620-0.

[aspqrz02]

Also good, and part of the Australian Army Campaign Series (rather like Osprey books, but often much much longer), done by historians commissioned by or part of the Army History Unit, are ... Malaya (Book #5), by Brian Farrell (author of "Defence and Fall of Singapore, 1940-42) and Garth Pratten, 253 pp, ISBN 978-0-9805674-4-1 and Wau 1942-1943 (Book #6) by Phillip Bradley (author of The Battle for Wau: New Guinea's Frontline 1942-1943 (Australian Army History Series), a much longer hardcover and much more expensive), 216 pp, ISBN 978-0-9807774-0-6.

The former is on a well known campaign, but looks closely at the Australian involvement ... explodes some myths and reinforces some other perceptions. Quite interesting, especially after all the recent(ish) UK apologiae based on blaming the Aussies for everything [:D]

The latter is an interesting examination of an obscure pretty much Aussie only campaign in some of the worst terrain of the Pacific War, the problems that were faced and how they were overcome.

Wau doesn't seem to be available on Amazon, and only the expensive Hardcover title is available at the Book Depository, so try ...

http://www.shrine.org.au/Shop/Books-Mag ... ampaign-Se

... where it's only A$20 (postage extra, of course ... and, be warned, Australia Post charges an arm and a leg, compared to the USPS ... but also makes a profit, unlike them).

Malaya is only available as a Kindle book on Amazon, is unavailable at the Book Depository, but may be available on ABEBooks or through Dymocks.com.au (they list it as available in 1-3 days, which means it isn't actually in stock, but they think it is in stock with their supplier). Price should be around the same as for Wau, new.

Both are well worth reading, if only to get a view of a very different war than that fought by the US and UK in the Pacific.

Phil

[JeffroK]

Try Hylands Bookshop, been around for 40+ years and I have to earn my 10% discount somehow.
http://www.hylandsbookshop.com.au/

[JeffroK]

In my review I mentioned the difference in the Australian & American approach to the use of forces on Bougainville (and the same in the Wewak area)

The link goes to an appreciation by Gen Blamey and explains the political differences between the two.

http://www.awm.gov.au/collection/record ... 7-app3.pdf

[SuluSea]

ORIGINAL: JeffK

The book covers the Australian takeover of the Bougainville from the American Army which Macarthur was gathering in preparation for the invasion of The Philippines.

Whereas the USA had been happy to create a perimter and sit tight, for a number of reasons the Australian Army chose to clear the island of the Japanese. As much a political decision to reoccupy territory controlled by the Australian Government pre war, II Australian Corps of 4 Infantry Bdes was given the task, but to do it with minimal casualties.

LOL ,....yeah the USA was happily sitting tight......................
[8|][8|][8|][8|][8|][8|][8|]x infinity

Could it have been?? One nations colony (or is that administration?) might not be cleared of the enemy with blood and sweat of another nation.....

See Saipan, Guam, Peleliu, Iwo Jima, Okinawa and so on for cases in the same time frame (44-45) that the United States wasn't "happily sitting tight" inside a perimeter.



I've read in the past that Bougainville natives were more sympathetic to the Axis than their Solomons Island counterparts because of the number of German missionaries on the island. It makes sense for the nation that "administered" it to try and win some favor with the natives by rescuing them from their oppressors . More times than not hstory has shown that the cost to the oppressed is only further exploitation....

[aspqrz02]

Well, it wasn't a colony. Australia never had Colonies ... we had either Territories (Papua) handed over to us by the UK or League of Nations Mandates (German New Guinea, including Bougainville) ... the latter held in trust until the locals were able to govern themselves, which they have been (more or less) since 1975.

So Bougainville was no more a colony than, say, the Phillippines were ... [;)]

Of course, the US didn't help the League of Nations much more than it does the UN in that way [;)]

The real reason the US troops just sat there was, of course, because Dugout Doug wanted to preserve them so that He Could Return [:)]

Phil

[JeffroK]

ORIGINAL: SuluSea

ORIGINAL: JeffK

The book covers the Australian takeover of the Bougainville from the American Army which Macarthur was gathering in preparation for the invasion of The Philippines.

Whereas the USA had been happy to create a perimter and sit tight, for a number of reasons the Australian Army chose to clear the island of the Japanese. As much a political decision to reoccupy territory controlled by the Australian Government pre war, II Australian Corps of 4 Infantry Bdes was given the task, but to do it with minimal casualties.

LOL ,....yeah the USA was happily sitting tight......................
[8|][8|][8|][8|][8|][8|][8|]x infinity

Could it have been?? One nations colony (or is that administration?) might not be cleared of the enemy with blood and sweat of another nation.....

See Saipan, Guam, Peleliu, Iwo Jima, Okinawa and so on for cases in the same time frame (44-45) that the United States wasn't "happily sitting tight" inside a perimeter.



I've read in the past that Bougainville natives were more sympathetic to the Axis than their Solomons Island counterparts because of the number of German missionaries on the island. It makes sense for the nation that "administered" it to try and win some favor with the natives by rescuing them from their oppressors . More times than not hstory has shown that the cost to the oppressed is only further exploitation....

Touchy, I'll start on how 8 Australian Brigades relieved 6 US Army Divisions in the area. Provide a reference were the US troops took actions aimed at clearing the Island!!
The other islands you mention were vital to the US planned air campaign.

The US was happy to sit tight within their perimeter, no criticism, and this was Macarthurs strategy throughout the PNG area. Occupy an area for an airbase and port/anchorage and jump to the next objective.

However when he moved into the Philippines this tactic changed and he attempted to liberate every island of that Commonwealth, again, no criticism. He saw it only right that the US Army attempt to liberate lands it was responsible for.

Australia also saw that it should attempt to liberate lands it was responsible for. There has been a lot of criticism of this by those who know the war ended with the dropping of 2 atom bombs, something that was not known to the Australian Command at the time.

As for Bouganvillans preferring the japanese, I'm sure there were some, just as some Americans preferred to aid the Third Reich rather than aid the British. I seriously doubt that it was anything more than a small minority in either case, or can you provide a reference??

[SuluSea]

ORIGINAL: JeffK


Touchy, I'll start on how 8 Australian Brigades relieved 6 US Army Divisions in the area.

Radio Tokyo may have had employment for you if it were the 40's and you had a wig.

Provide a reference were the US troops took actions aimed at clearing the Island!

At no time in this thread did I say the USMC or USA attempted to clear the island. I challenged your smear on their sacrifices "sitting tight". The Americans that saw duty on the island protected the perimeter, patrolled and performed raids. Torokina and its airfield was just a spoke in the wheel for Operation Cartwheel---and the plan WORKED to perfection!!

My research tells me 2 American Divisions were on the Bougainville in 15 November 44, Please name the six
Blamey says it was three.... I believe it was two 37 ID & 23 ID (Americal) , the 93rd Reconnaissance Troop a small detatchment from the 93 ID left for Finschhafen on 1 November 44.



Australian intelligence officers, after studying records, estimated that 8,200 Japanese troops were killed in combat during the American phase of operations, and 16,600 more died of disease or malnutrition.[

In phase 2, Australians with support from the Fiji Infantry Regiment 8,500 Japanese were killed at the same time, while disease and malnutrition killed another 9,800 and some 23,500 troops and labourers surrendered at the end of the war.


If the Australian record is accurate it looks like more Japanese died during the American part of the operation 24,800 to 18,300 not to mention the Americans killed approx 8,200 to Australian/Fiji 8,500 by just according to you "sitting tight".

However when he moved into the Philippines this tactic changed and he attempted to liberate every island of that Commonwealth, again, no criticism. He saw it only right that the US Army attempt to liberate lands it was responsible for.

Wow, you mean the Americans play politics???? Thanks for the news..... What government doesn't? I'd guess part of the thinking on behalf of the Aussies in the backwaters of Bougianville was to be active to secure their place at the bargaining table at the end of the war.

As for Bouganvillans preferring the japanese, I'm sure there were some, just as some Americans preferred to aid the Third Reich rather than aid the British. I seriously doubt that it was anything more than a small minority in either case, or can you provide a reference??

My words were--->

I've read in the past that Bougainville natives were more sympathetic to the Axis than their Solomons Island counterparts because of the number of German missionaries on the island.

I believe I read that in Hoyt's book Glory of the Solomons I'll have to get back to you on that. I don't believe my words intended to read everyone on the island prefered the Japanese only that the natives were less likely to work with the Allies and more willing to work with the Axis at the start...... Of course things would change as the Japanese got more desperate for food and supplies despite what Blamey writes (if i read it correctly) the record shows not much was getting through and bypassing was effective.

Again I believe I read it in Glory of the Solomons but in the Pacific War Online it states

The natives on Bougainville were more cooperative with the Japanese than in other parts of the Solomons. There were a number of reasons for this. The evacuation of the European population proved deeply disturbing to the native population, who rioted at Kieta on 23 January 1942 and were brought under control only by the efforts of one of the German residents who had refused evacuation. The influence of Germanmissionaries and the fact that the Japanese had so easily driven out the Allies also had their effect on the attitude of the natives. Japanese pressure on thecoast watchers became unbearable, and they were evacuated from the northeast coast in March 1943 by submarines Gato and Guardfish. In addition to the coast watchers, nine women, 27 children, and three nuns were evacuated.

Have a good day....

[JeffroK]

I used "in the area", poor wording for in the area of New Guinea, New Britain and Bougainville.

From the Australian Official History
As he had indicated to Morshead, Blamey planned to garrison the Solomons, New Britain and the mainland of New Guinea, then held by six and a half American divisions, from his three "militia" divisions
. Thus he would hold ready for a possible task in the Philippines the veteran 6th, 7th and 9th Divisions

In the subsequent discussion MacArthur would not accept a proposal by Blamey that he should hold the perimeters with only seven brigades (little more than one-third of the American forces thus employed) and insisted that he use four divisions—twelve brigades
.

The story continues round pages 23+ at http://www.awm.gov.au/collection/record ... l7-ch1.pdf

[JeffroK]

"THE FIJIAN INFANTRY REGIMENT" (Dont forget that Empire Regiments were US Battalion sized)
There were actually 2 Fijian Infantry Battalions on the island during the American occupation, The Australian commander asked for them to remain but this was denied. p 30-31 The Hard Slog.

From the same pages, Largely, though, the combatants of the island adopted an unofficial "live and let live" policy. Persistent stories of japanese soldiers watching films and baseball games in the American perimeter became folklore.

Losses are harder to quantify, the intelligence people could never get the japanese numbers right, at the end of the war the expected 13,000 japanese were actually closer to 24,000.

In the conclusion to The Hard Slog, pages 266-267,

516 Australian soldiers died on Bouganville, and another 1572 wounded.
When the Americans landed at Torokina in Nov 43 about 65,000 japanese occupied the island.
Only 23,800 japanese surrendered at the end of the war.
The US Marines and XIV Corps estimated they killed 9890 between Nov 43 and Nov 44.
II Aust Corps claimed 8789 between Nov 44 and Aug 45

The American claims include over 5,000 japanese killed in the counterattack of March 1944, for the remaining 12 months saw the occupation of a perimeter of 22 kilometers, 6 kilometers at its deepest with only patrols keeping contact with the japanese.

[SuluSea]

G'Morning/G'Evening Jeff,

It looks like we are going in circles here-- If I ever get time I may have to read The Hard Slog but I have many more titles relevant to the ending of the war ahead of it.
I've been interested in reading about actions in PNG for quite awhile no matter who is doing the fighting but at this stage of the war mid 44 on Bougainville is of no strategic importance save the airfield......

Just for the record the last two army divisions that left Bougainville , the 37th Division saw heavy action during the Battle of Manila 1/45 and the Americal Division was making landings in the Philipines as well in 1/45. Those Two Divisions with the help of other troops already broke the back of the Japanese offensive threat on the island .

On 5 April 1944, the Americal Division's 132nd Infantry Regiment, after establishing patrol sweeps along Empress Augusta Bay, successfully launched an attack to capture the Japanese-held village of Mavavia. Two days later, while continuing a sweep for enemy forces, the Regiment encountered prepared enemy defences, where they destroyed about 20 Japanese pillboxes using pole charges and bazookas. Later, the 132nd, together with elements of the Fiji Defence Force, was tasked with securing the heights west of Saua River. The regiment and its allies captured Hills 155, 165, 500, and 501 in fierce fighting that lasted until 18 April, when the last of the Japanese defenders were killed or driven off.

The Japanese, isolated and cut off from outside assistance, primarily concentrated on survival, including the development of farms throughout the island.

[SuluSea]

For the interested here's another review of the Hard Slog..

The Hard Slog is the first book by Australian War Memorial historian Dr. Karl James, and covers the Australian involvement in the Bougainville Campaign of World War II from late 1944 until the end of the war. While the offensive conducted by the Australian II Corps against the isolated Japanese forces on Bougainville, which cost over 500 Australian lives as well as the lives of thousands of Japanese, was controversial at the time and remains so to this day, this is the first in-depth study of the operation since the relevant volume in the Australian official history (The Final Campaigns by Gavin Long) was published in 1963. As such, it fills a significant gap in the recent literature on Australia's war effort.

Overall, this is a very good book. James has drawn on a wide range of sources, including interviews with veterans, official files, letters and diaries and the few secondary works, to provide a detailed and authoritative account of the events of the campaign and the experiences of the Australian and Japanese personnel who fought in it. His narrative is well written throughout, and is illustrated with excellent maps and well-chosen photographs. I found the account of the Battle of Porton Plantation to be particularly good, though his description of the complex Australian offensives in southern Bougainville is well executed. Like most books on Australia's involvement in the Pacific War, accounts of battles are focused on events at the company level (as the fighting was typically scattered and larger-scale battles were rare), though there are good descriptions of the planning conducted at battalion level and higher.

In addition to his highly competent narrative of the campaign, James' also does a good job of describing the unusual difficulties the senior officers faced on Bougainville - many of them believed that the campaign was wasteful and unnecessary, and even those who supported it were constrained by directives to avoid casualties wherever possible. Not surprisingly, this led to tensions between the officers, severe mental strains on battalion and brigade commanders who were called upon to execute a difficult offensive they didn't believe in and low morale among the soldiers in some units. James' fairly assesses the performance of the commanders and units involved in the campaign, and in doing so illustrates what led some units to almost collapse during the last months of the war. He also notes, convincingly, that it was just as well that the war ended when it did given that the under-resourced Australian force was poised to make a bloody assault on the main Japanese defensive positions.

Of course, the book has some limitations. I wasn't convinced by James' argument that the campaign was justified - while he writes that it was worthwhile to attempt to destroy the Japanese forces on Bougainville in order to free up Australian units for other campaigns, I don't see why the entire island couldn't have been abandoned given that it was of no strategic importance by this stage of the war. If it was considered politically desirable to maintain the relatively small allied beachhead, this could have been done by a relatively small garrison given that the Japanese forces were unable to mount any offensive operations given their desperate shortages of food and most other supplies. Other limitations to the book are that the coverage of the Japanese forces is often limited (though this probably reflects the shortage of material on this topic given that the Japanese destroyed their records before surrendering) and that the organisational structure of the Australian forces is often unclear - an appendix with orders of battle would have been invaluable. The book's high price ($A 60) is also difficult to justify, even when its excellent production standards are taken into account.

All up, this is an important book on the last months of the Pacific War, and I strongly recommend it to people with an interest in this topic.

Publishing details: James, Karl (2012). The Hard Slog : Australians in the Bougainville Campaign, 1944–45. Port Melbourne, Victoria: Cambridge University Press. ISBN 9781107017320.