Breaking the Bismarcks Barrier

by Morison, Samuel Eliot

• ISBN13: 9780785813071
• ISBN10: 0785813071
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2001-05-01
• Publisher: Book Sales

Summary

This volume is the fourth in Captain Morison's great history to deal with naval action in the Pacific. It is concerned with the continuation of Operation "Watchtower" up from Guadalcanal and New Guinea until Rabaul was taken and the Bismarcks Barrier broken. Here also is the beginning of the advance along the New Guinea-Mindanao Axis as far as Timor. Conceived by Admiral King as early as February 1942, this drive up the line of the Solomons was also heartily approved by General MacArthur.

Author Biography

Samuel Eliot Morison, Professor Emeritus of American History at Harvard, retired from the Navy with the rank of Rear Admiral and died in 1976 in his 89th year.

Table of Contents

Preface	p. ix
Abbreviations	p. xxvii
The Papuan Campaign
Strategic Planning in 1943	p. 3
Casablanca and the Pacific, January 1943	p. 3
"Trident" and "Quadrant," May-August 1943	p. 7
United States Planning in the Pacific	p. 9
The Japanese Command and Planning System	p. 15
Japan's "New Operational Policy" of September	p. 22
Holding Papua, May-September 1942	p. 27
Lay of the Land	p. 27
"MacArthur's Navy"	p. 30
Kokoda Trail and Milne Bay, 18 July-17 September	p. 33
Naval Aspects of the Buna-Gona Campaign, September 1942-January 1943	p. 41
Lining Up	p. 41
"Toughest Fighting in the World"	p. 45
Papuan Pause, February 1943	p. 51
The Battle of the Bismarck Sea, 2-5 March 1943	p. 54
Into the Jaws of the B-25s	p. 54
The PTs Mop Up	p. 60
Southwest Pacific Submarines, 8 February 1943-1 May 1944	p. 66
Patrols from Brisbane	p. 66
Patrols from Fremantle	p. 75
The Central Solomons and Huon Gulf Campaigns
Preparing an Offensive, February-May 1943	p. 89
Planes, Plans and Prospects	p. 89
Russell Islands Occupied	p. 97
Mainyard and Button	p. 100
Interim Actions	p. 106
"Tip" Bags Two "Bastards."
Mining Offensives
Yamamoto's Last Offensive, April-May 1943	p. 117
The "I" Operation	p. 117
In the Solomons
In New Guinea
Death of a Fleet Admiral, 18 April 1943	p. 128
MacArthur Moves Forward, 22 June-6 July 1943	p. 130
The Invasion of New Georgia, 21 June-5 July 1943	p. 138
Plans and Preliminaries	p. 138
Task Organization	p. 144
"Musket-He-Fire-Up," 30 June	p. 146
Squaring Away for Munda, 1-5 July	p. 153
The Battles of Kula Gulf and Kolombangara, 5-16 July 1943	p. 160
The Battle of Kula Gulf	p. 160
Jungle Interlude, 6-12 July	p. 175
The Battle of Kolombangara, 12-13 July	p. 180
Rescue Mission for Helena, 6-17 July	p. 191
Conclusion to Kula Gulf and Kolombangara	p. 194
Conclusion of the New Georgia Campaign, 13 July-20 September 1943	p. 198
The Siege of Munda, 13 July-5 August	p. 198
Air-Surface Actions, 17 July-3 August	p. 206
Motor Torpedo Boat Actions, 23 July-2 August	p. 209
The Battle of Vella Gulf, 6-7 August	p. 212
Mopping Up After Munda, 6 August-20 September	p. 222
Vella Lavella, 15 August-7 October 1943	p. 225
Leapfrog to Barakoma, 15 August	p. 225
Securing the Island, August-September	p. 233
The Blockade of Kolombangara, 25 August-3 October	p. 239
The Battle of Vella Lavella, 6-7 October	p. 243
Lae and Salamaua, 16 June-15 September 1943	p. 254
Vitiaz and Dampier: the Vital Straits	p. 254
Lae Punched Out, 4-15 September	p. 261
Finschhafen and Beyond, 16 September-20 October 1943	p. 269
Finschhafen Falls, 2 October	p. 269
Tucking in the Pennants, 1-20 October	p. 271
The Bougainville Campaign
The Seizure of Empress Augusta Bay, 12 October-2 November 1943	p. 279
Bougainville in Pacific Strategy	p. 279
Forces and Preparation, 12 October-2 November	p. 288
Treasuries and Choiseul, 27 October-6 November	p. 293
Cape Torokina Landing, 1 November	p. 296
The Battle of Empress Augusta Bay, 2 November 1943	p. 305
Carrier Strikes on Rabaul, 5-18 November 1943	p. 323
Action of 5 November	p. 323
Action of 11 November	p. 330
Securing the Beachhead, 2-13 November 1943	p. 337
LSTs and Second Echelon, 2-7 November	p. 337
Counter-landing and Koromokina, 7-8 November	p. 341
Three "Air Battles of Bougainville," 8-13 November	p. 342
Beachhead Secured	p. 347
Busy Thanksgiving, 15-25 November 1943	p. 350
Activities in and around the Perimeter	p. 350
The Battle of Cape St. George, 25 November	p. 352
Perimeter Defense and Development, 26 November-27 December 1943	p. 360
Rings Around Rabaul
Moving Into New Britain, December 1943-January 1944	p. 369
Problem, Objective and Strategy	p. 369
Arawe	p. 373
Cape Gloucester	p. 378
Saidor and Sio	p. 389
Airsols' Assault on Rabaul, 17 December 1943-1 May 1944	p. 392
"Festung Rabaul"	p. 392
New Year's Intensification	p. 398
February Payoff	p. 402
Rabaul Reduced to Impotence	p. 405
Northabout, 25 December 1943-20 March 1944	p. 410
Holiday Express	p. 410
Occupation of the Green Islands, 10 January-15 February	p. 412
Destroyer Raids, 17-29 February	p. 419
Occupation of Emirau, 20 March	p. 423
The Battle of the Perimeter, January-March 1944	p. 425
Admiralties Annexed, 29 February-1 May 1944	p. 432
"Reconnaissance in Force"	p. 432
Momote and Los Negros	p. 437
Seeadler and Manus	p. 444
Index	p. 449
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