Pacific
1944: The advance along New Guinea
April – September 1944 · 3 battles
Once Rabaul had been cut off, General MacArthur’s forces moved along the north coast of New Guinea towards the Philippines. Instead of taking Japanese positions one by one, they leapfrogged them with landings hundreds of kilometres apart: in April 1944 they landed at Hollandia and Aitape, cutting off the Japanese 18th Army at Wewak, and then on Wakde, Biak and Noemfoor and at Sansapor at the western end of the island. Each leap pushed forward the range of land-based aircraft, while the Japanese garrisons left behind died of hunger and disease. In September a landing on Morotai opened the way to the Philippines, and Biak and Hollandia became bases for the landing on Leyte.
- 22 April – 6 June 1944Landings at Hollandia and Aitape22 April – 6 June 1944. US troops landed at Hollandia and Aitape far behind the New Guinea front, cutting off the Japanese 18th Army and winning a major base.
- 27 May – 17 August 1944Battle of BiakFrom 27 May to 17 August 1944 the Americans fought for Biak's airfields. Colonel Kuzume's Japanese, hidden in caves, denied them their use for over three weeks.
- 10 July – 25 August 1944Battle of the Driniumor RiverFrom 10 July to 25 August 1944 the starving Japanese 18th Army attacked the Americans on the Driniumor near Aitape. It lost thousands and ceased to be a threat.