[Homer_J_Simpson]

Free Republic University, Department of History presents World War II Plus 70 Years: Seminar and Discussion Forum
First session: September 1, 2009. Last date to add: September 2, 2015.
Reading assignment: New York Times articles delivered daily to students on the 70th anniversary of original publication date. (Previously posted articles can be found by searching on keyword “realtime” Or view Homer’s posting history .)
To add this class to or drop it from your schedule notify Admissions and Records (Attn: Homer_J_Simpson) by freepmail. Those on the Realtime +/- 70 Years ping list are automatically enrolled. Course description, prerequisites and tuition information is available at the bottom of Homer’s profile. Also visit our general discussion thread

[Homer_J_Simpson]

Selections from West Point Atlas for the Second World War
Malaya, 1941: Topography-Japanese Centrifugal Offensive, December 1941-January 1942
The Far East and the Pacific, 1941 – Operations of the Japanese First Air Fleet, 7 December 1941-12 March 1942
The Far East and the Pacific, 1941 – American Carrier Operations, 7 December 1941-18 April 1942
Micronesia, Melanesia and New Guinea: Japanese Centrifugal Offensive-Japanese Fourth Fleet and South Seas Detachment Operations, December 1941-April 1942
Luzon, P.I., 1941: Centrifugal Offensive, 10 December 1941-6 May 1942-Fourteenth Army Operations on Luzon
Netherlands East Indies, 1941: Japanese Centrifugal Offensive, December 1941-April 1942, Sixteenth Army and Southern Force (Navy) Operations
Southern Asia, 1941: Japanese Centrifugal Offensive (and Continued Operations), January-May 1942
Eastern Europe, 1941: Soviet Winter Offensive – Operations, 6 December 1941-7 May 1942
North Africa, 1940: Rommel’s Second Offensive, 21 January-7 July 1942

[fso301]

Interesting mention on Pg-4 about Japanese treaty violations beginning in 1931 by fortifying the mandated islands.

Appeasement is a term almost exclusively applied to attempts by France and Britain to avoid conflict with Nazi Germany. The U.S. during the 1930's is never mentioned in context of appeasement.

[CougarGA7]

• "To the Officers and Soldiers of this Island! SURRENDER AT ONCE! And we will guarantee your life, treating you as war prisoners. Those who RESIST US WILL BE KILLED ONE AND ALL. Consider seriously, you can find neither food nor way of escape in this island and you will only die of hunger unless you surrender." - Major General Tomitaro Horii, commander of the Japanese forces invading Rabaul

• At 0110, the 1st Battalion of the 144th Infantry Regiment under the command of Lieutenant Colonel Hatsu Tsukamoto lands at Praed Point and quickly takes over the Lakunai airdrome on New Britain.

• At 0225 a second group of Japanese invaders landing on New Britain and are engaged by Australian forces defending the landing area around the Vunakanau airdrome.

• By 0500 Japanese troops had occupied the Government House and were beginning to move into the empty streets of Rabaul.

• At sometime around 0600, Lieutenant Figgis on New Britain drafted a message to Port Moresby stating "One aircraft carrier anchored off Credner Island." Unfortunately it was muddling in the encryption and Port Moresby received the message: "MOTOR LANDING CRAFT CARRIER OFF CREBUEN ISLAND" which no one could make any sense of.

• At around 0830 Lt. Colonel Ishiro Kuwada reported that 3rd Battalion was encountering resistance at Three Ways and the capture of the Vanakanau airdrome would be delayed as a result. This prompted General Horii to shift another battalion to the area to assist Kuwada.

• By 1100 Colonel Scanlan had ordered "every man for himself" and began to withdraw into the New Britain interior.

• By afternoon the Japanese have secured Rabaul and were taking account of what equipment they had captured. In all they had taken 5 aircraft, two destroyed fortress cannons, two anti-aircraft guns, fifteen anti-tank guns, eleven mortars, twenty-seven machine guns, 548 rifles, twelve armored cars, two hundred light vehicles, and 11,334 rounds of .303 ammunition.

[CougarGA7]

"New Britain is Silent after Warning of 11 Vessels Offshore"

Referring to my notes from yesterday it is a bit clearer why they are silent.

[BroJoeK]

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January 23, 1942:

"Cold and ruthless, Reinhard Heydrich earned the nickname "The Hangman."
When he hosted the Wannsee Conference, he made sure his guests were comfortable by providing them with refreshments.
He then opened with a speech that discussed the deportation of 11 million Jews--including those of England and Ireland--to the East, meaning instant death or extermination through work.
Heydrich would be assassinated in the spring of 1942."

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