World War II: Asia-Pacific War

Landing first on the north-east coast of Malaya on 8 December 1941, Japanese troops took just 70 days to crush the British Empire forces in Malaya and Singapore, which was surrendered on 15 February 1942. The Japanese had already captured Rabaul, the capital of the Australian-controlled territory of New Guinea, on 23 January 1942, and early in February Australian and Dutch forces surrendered the island of Ambon in the Netherlands East Indies (modern Indonesia).

Article written by Michael Rowland ABC News 14 Feb. 2017

The Japanese ultimately decided not to invade the Australian mainland during World War II, but they did intend to cut Australia’s supply lines from America. They planned to begin their attack from Rabaul, New Britain, and from there to blockade Australia from bases they would establish on various Pacific island groups: Fiji, the New Hebrides, Samoa and the Solomons.

Both the Japanese and the Allies have portrayed the Battle of the Coral Sea as a victory. In a sense they are both right. On the Japanese part they managed to sink more American ships than they lost, whilst the Allies not only prevented the Japanese from achieving their objective, the occupation of Port Moresby, but also reduced the forces available to the Japanese for the forthcoming Midway operations. A detailed analysis of the Battle of the Coral Sea through the eyes of the Australian Navy.

From the George Washington University's "The National Security Archive" - An extensive compilation of primary source documents exploring the Manhattan Project, petitions against military use of atomic weapons, debates over Japanese surrender terms, atomic targeting decisions, and lagging awareness of radiation effects.

After the Interim Committee decided to drop the bomb, the Target Committee determined the locations to be hit, and President Truman issued the Potsdam Proclamation as Japan’s final warning, the world soon learned the meaning of “complete and utter destruction.” The first two atomic bombs ever used were dropped on Japan in early August, 1945. Also includes link to a detailed timeline of the bombings.