Reports of General MacArthur
THE CAMPAIGNS OF MACARTHUR IN THE PACIFIC
VOLUME I
PREPARED BY HIS GENERAL STAFF
Library of Congress Catalog Card Number: 66-60005
For sale by the Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington, D.C., 20402
FOREWORD
The Reports of General MacArthur include two volumes being published by the Department of the Army in four books reproduced exactly as they were printed by General MacArthur's Tokyo headquarters in 1950, except for the addition of this foreword and indexes. Since they were Government property, the general turned over to the Department in 1953 these volumes and related source materials.In Army and National Archives custody these materials have been available for research although they have not been easily accessible. While he lived, General MacArthur was unwilling to approve the reproduction and dissemination of the Reports, because he believed they needed further editing and correction of some inaccuracies. His passing permits publication but not the correction he deemed desirable. In publishing them, the Department of the Army must therefore disclaim any responsibility for their accuracy. But the Army also recognizes that these volumes have substantial and enduring value, and it believes the American people are entitled to have them made widely available through government publication.
The preliminary work for compiling the MacArthur volumes began in 1943 within the G-3 Section of his General Staff, and was carried forward after the war by members of the G-2 Section, headed by Maj. Gen. Charles A. Willoughby with Professor Gordon W. Prange, on leave from the University of Maryland, as his principal professional assistant. Volume II of the Reports represents the contributions of Japanese officers employed to tell their story of operations against MacArthur's forces. The very large number of individuals, American and Japanese, who participated in the compilation and editing of the Reports would make a complete listing of contributors relatively meaningless.
Volume I narrates the operations of forces under General MacArthur's command from the Japanese attack on Luzon in 1941 through the surrender in 1945. While service histories have covered much of the same ground in separate volumes, no single detailed narrative of General MacArthur's leadership as commander of the Southwest Pacific Area has yet appeared. Chapters dealing with the reconquest of Borneo, plans for the invasion of Japan, and the Japanese surrender make a distinctly new contribution. Volume I Supplement describes the military phase of the occupation through December 1948, reporting events not treated elsewhere in American publications. Volume II on Japanese operations brings together a mass of information on the enemy now only partially available in many separate works. Collectively, the Reports should be of wide interest and value to the American people generally, as well as to students of military affairs. They are an illuminating record of momentous events influenced in large measure by a distinguished American soldier.
Washington, D.C.
January 1966HAROLD K. JOHNSON
General, United States Army
Chief of Staff
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FOREWORD TO THE 1994 EDITION
I determined for several reasons to republish General MacArthur's reports to commemorate the fiftieth anniversary of World War II. First, the Reports of General MacArthur still stand as a detailed account from MacArthur's perspective of his operations against the Japanese in the Southwest Pacific Area. Second, the Reports offer a unique Japanese version of their operations in the Southwest Pacific that remains one of the few English-language descriptions of Imperial Army campaigns during World War II. Third, excellent illustrations, many of them original artwork commissioned for the Reports, plus superb maps give these volumes an enduring value for military historians and the American public. Finally, while General MacArthur remains a towering figure in American historiography, the passage of fifty years has dimmed the contributions of the U.S. Army units that first checked the Japanese southward advance in Papua New Guinea, then spearheaded the counteroffensive along the north New Guinea coastline that enabled MacArthur to make good his promise to return to the Philippines.The veterans of these campaigns, both men and women, deserve to be remembered for their contributions to the Nation in its time of greatest peril. These are General MacArthur's Reports, but they are also his testament to the American soldiers who served under his command.
Washington, D.C.
31 January 1994HAROLD W. NELSON
Brigadier General, USA
Chief of Military History
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PREFACE
This report has been prepared by the General Staff of GHQ to serve as a background for, and introduction to the detailed operational histories of the various tactical commands involved.
The pressure of other duties having prevented my personal participation in its preparation, it has been entrusted by me to that magnificent staff group which actually conducted the staff work during the progress of the campaigns. They speak with that sincere and accurate knowledge which is possessed only by those who have personally participated in the operations which they record.
DOUGLAS MAC
RTHUR
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
CHAPTER I: THE JAPANESE OFFENSIVE IN THE PACIFIC Page Pearl Harbor 1 Japanese Strategic Objectives 1 Initial American Dispositions 3 Allied Strategy after Pearl Harbor 4 The Attack against the Philippines 6 Strategic Withdrawal to Bataan 14 The Battle for Bataan 16 United States Army Forces in Australia 21 The ABDA Command 22 The Threat to Australia 22 Disposition of Forces 26 CHAPTER II: ESTABLISHMENT OF THE SOUTHWEST PACIFIC AREA General MacArthur Arrives in Australia 28 Organization of the Pacific Theater 30 Establishment of General Headquarters, Southwest Pacific Area 31 The Organization of Forces 33 Decision to Take the Offensive 34 The Magnitude of the Task 40 CHAPTER III: HALTING THE JAPANESE Concept of the Offensive 45 Strengthening Port Moresby 45 Battle of the Coral Sea 46 Kanga Force 49 Battle of Midway 50 Milne Bay and Merauke 50 Kokoda Trail 51 Intelligence in Operations 53 General Headquarters Transferred to Brisbane 55 Pursuing the Counteroffensive 55 Japanese Landing near Buna 62 Enemy Advance along Kokoda Trail 62 Action in the Solomons 63 Battle of Milne Bay 66 Enemy Checked near Port Moresby 70 CHAPTER IV: CLEARING OF PAPUA Plans and Preparations 72 Clearing the Owen Stanleys 75 Airlift to Wanigela 78 Landings on Goodenough Island 79 Guadalcanal 80 The Advance in Papua Continues 84 Attack Stalemated 88 The Fall of Buna 91 Gona-Sanananda 96 The End of the Papuan Campaign 98 CHAPTER V: UP FROM PAPUA Concept of Strategy 100 The Struggle for Wau 101 General Situation in Early 1943 105 Southwest Pacific Area Command 107 Battle of the Bismarck Sea 110 Final Plans 113 Woodlark and Kiriwina 117 New Georgia 117 Nassau Bay to Salamaua 120 Air Attack on Wewak 121 Nadzab and Lae 122 Securing the Huon Peninsula 124 Bougainville 125 New Britain 128 Saidor 132 Objectives of 1943 Achieved 132 CHAPTER VI: THE WESTWARD DRIVE ALONG NEW GUINEA Preliminary Plans 134 The Admiralties 136 Supplementary Operations 142 Plan to By-Pass Hansa Bay 142 Hollandia-Aitape Invasion 145 Regrouping of Command Functions 149 Capture of Wakde Islands 150 Struggle for Biak 152 Noemfoor Island 153 Counterattack at Aitape 156 Seizure of Sansapor 160 End of the New Guinea Campaign 160 The Battle against Enemy Coastal Shipping 164 New Strategic Situation 165 CHAPTER VII: THE PHILIPPINES: STRATEGIC OBJECTIVE Basic Strategy 166 Initial Planning for the Philippines 168 The "MUSKETEER" Plans 170 Leyte Invasion Date Advanced 172 Morotai 174 Palau Islands 178 Preparing for the Leyte Invasion 178 Logistic Support 179 Organization of Forces 181 Additional Fleet and Air Support 183 Operations Instructions 184 Logistical Difficulties 190 Japanese Forces in the Philippines 190 The Filipinos in the Plan of Operations 191 Preliminary Air Bombardment 193 CHAPTER VIII: THE LEYTE OPERATION Strategic Value of Leyte 196 Clearing Leyte Gulf 196 The Return of MacArthur 198 Widening the Beachheads 199 Naval Threat to Leyte Gulf 203 Indications of Japanese Intentions 205 Approach of Enemy Naval Forces 207 Estimate of the Enemy Plan 209 Battle of Surigao Strait 212 Third Fleet Goes North 213 Battle off Samar 216 Admiral Kurita Breaks Off Engagement 221 Defeat of the Japanese Navy 223 Japanese Reaction to the Invasion 224 The Advance Inland 226 Resistance Stiffens 228 Approach to the Ormoc Corridor 230 The Japanese Attack Burauen 232 Preparation for the Ormoc Landing 233 Ormoc Captured 234 Leyte Secured 235 Leyte in Retrospect 237 CHAPTER IX: THE MINDORO AND LUZON OPERATIONS Plans for the Northern Philippines 242 Choosing the Route to Luzon 243 Final Plans for the Mindoro Landing 246 Occupation of Mindoro 247 Assault at Lingayen Gulf 254 I Corps Advances Eastward 261 XIV Corps Advances Southward 262 Enemy Plan of Defense 263 XI Corps Cuts Across Bataan 267 Recapture of Clark Field and Fort Stotsenburg 269 Final Drive to Manila 270 Battle in Manila 271 Bataan and Corregidor Retaken 277 The Assault East of Manila 280 Drive in the North 284 Ipo and Wawa Dams Captured 288 Clearing Batangas and the Bicol Peninsula 288 Occupation of Kiangan and the Cagayan Valley 291 CHAPTER X: GUERRILLA ACTIVITIES IN THE PHILIPPINES The Philippine Resistance Movement 295 Activities of the Allied Intelligence Bureau 298 Activities of the Philippine Regional Section 304 The Guerillas on Mindanao 308 The Guerillas on Negros, Cebu, and Bohol 312 The Guerillas on Panay and Adjacent Islands 315 The Guerillas on Leyte and Samar 316 The Guerillas on Luzon 318 General MacArthur's Tribute to the Philippine Guerillas 324 CHAPTER XI: OPERATIONS OF THE EIGHTH ARMY IN THE SOUTHERN PHILIPPNES Southward Advance 327 Clearing the Visayan Passages 328 Operations on Palawan 328 The Zamboanga Landing 333 Clearing the Sulu Archipelago 337 Planning for Operations in the Southern Visayas 339 The Seizure of Panay 339 The Attack on Negros Occidental 342 Liberating Cebu 343 Final Operations in the Visayas-Bohol and Negros Oriental 347 The Enemy Situation in Mindanao 348 X Corps Invades Mindanao 348 Kabakan to Davao 351 Clearing the Sayre Highway 352 The Landing at Macajalar Bay 354 Reduction of Enemy Forces in East-Central Mindanao 354 Final Operations on Mindanao 355 End of the Philippine Campaign 355 CHAPTER XII: FINAL SWPA OPERATIONS AND ORGANIZATION OF AFPAC Changing Concepts 363 The Directives of 3 April 1945 366 Pacific Theater Command Reorganization 367 Army Air Force Reorganization 368 Plans for the Borneo Campaign 369 Final Southwest Pacific Operations: Borneo 371 Assault along the West Coast 375 Assault along the East Coast 379 Final Actions in New Guinea, New Britain, and Bougainville 383 Interim Plans 387 Command Changes for "OLYMPIC" 389 Division of Southwest Pacific Area 391 Demobilization, Redeployment, and Replacements 393 CHAPTER XIII: "DOWNFALL"--THE PLAN FOR THE INVASION OF JAPAN Evolution of "DOWNFALL" 395 Strategies under Consideration 397 Concept of "DOWNFALL" 399 Japanese Plans and Estimates 401 Geography and Road Net of Kyushu 406 General Plan of "OLYMPIC" 407 Employment of "OLYMPIC" Ground Forces 411 Logistics Arrangements 411 The Enemy Situation 414 The Planned Defense of Kyushu 418 American Plan for the Invasion of Honshu-Operation "CORONET" 423 Geographical Considerations 426 Employment of "CORONET" Ground Forces 427 Enemy Plans for the Defense of Honshu 427 CHAPTER XIV: JAPAN'S SURRENDER Continued Pressure on Japan 431 Naval Pre-Invasion Operations 433 The Potsdam Operations 435 "BLACKLIST" Plan 436 The Final Blows 440 Japan Capitulates 442 Preparations for Surrender 445 The Manila Conference 447 Reorganization of AFPAC 450 Initiation of "BLACKLIST" 450 Tokyo Bay: 2 September 1945 454 Surrender throughout the SWPA Areas 458 "The Guns are Silent" 466 INDEX
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