Key Facts
- Campaign end date
- 16 September 1943
- Salamaua captured
- 11 September 1943
- Lae captured
- 16 September 1943
- Key Allied forces
- Australian 3rd Division and US regimental combat team
- Duration
- Several months in 1943
Strategic Narrative Overview
Australian forces of the 3rd Division advanced north-east toward Salamaua over several months of attritional fighting. An amphibious landing at Nassau Bay brought US reinforcements, who pushed up the coast. Sustained Allied pressure around Salamaua served as a feint, while in early September 1943, Allied forces launched an airborne assault on Nadzab and a seaborne landing near Lae, then drove on Lae simultaneously from the east and north-west.
01 / The Origins
Following Japan's occupation of key New Guinea coastal towns, Allied forces sought to eliminate the major Japanese bases at Salamaua and Lae, both critical to Japanese operations in the South Pacific. The campaign began after the successful Australian defence of Wau in late January 1943, which stalled a Japanese offensive and opened the way for a counter-advance toward Mubo and the broader Salamaua–Lae area.
03 / The Outcome
As Allied forces closed on Lae, the Salamaua garrison withdrew under pressure and the town fell on 11 September 1943. Lae itself was captured on 16 September 1943, ending the campaign. The fall of both bases significantly weakened Japanese positions in New Guinea and allowed the Allies to continue their advance along the island's north coast toward Finschhafen and beyond.
Belligerents & Mobilization Analysis
Side A
1 belligerent
Side B
2 belligerents
Kinetic Engagement Axis
Scroll horizontally to view full axis. Events plotted relatively.