The battle of New Georgia was a battle of the Pacific campaign of World War II. It was fought in the New Georgia group of islands in the central Solomon Islands from 10 June 1943 to August 25 1943 between forces of Japan and the United States.

Background

The Japanese had captured New Georgia in 1942 and built an airbase at Munda Point which began operations in December 1942 to support the battle of Guadalcanal. As it became clear at the end of 1942 that they could not hold Guadalcanal the Japanese commanders guessed that the Allies would move towards the Japanese base at Rabual on New Britain, and that the central Solomon Islands were logical steps on the way.

The Imperial Japanese Army believed that holding the Solomon Islands would be ultimately unsuccessful and that it would be better to wait for an Allied attack on Bougainville which would be much less costly to supply and reinforce. The Imperial Japanese Navy preferred to delay the Allied advance for as long as possible by maintaining a distant line of defence. With no effective central command, the two services implemented their own plans: the navy assumed responsibility for the defence of the central Solomons and the army for the northern Solomons.

In the first part of 1943 defenses were prepared against possible Allied landings on New Georgia, Kolombangara and Santa Isabel. By June 1943 there were 10,500 troops on New Georgia and 9,000 on Kolombangara well dug in and waiting for an Allied attack.

Some Allied commanders, notably General Douglas MacArthur, had originally wanted to capture Rabaul, but Japanese strength there and lack of landing craft meant that such an operation was not practical in 1943. Instead, the Operation Cartwheel plan was developed, which proposed to envelop and cut off Rabaul without capturing it, by simultaneous advances by MacArthur along the north coast of New Guinea, and by Admiral William F. Halsey through the Solomon Islands.

Landings

The first Allied landings were on 20 June 1943 by the United States 4th Marine Raider Battalion at Segi Point on New Georgia itself. There was no resistance and airfield construction began there on 30 June. From 12 July planes from Segi Point provided close air support for the battle.

On 30 June the 4th Marine Battalion captured Viru Harbor, but bad weather caused chaos at the simultaneous landings at Wickham Anchorage and Rendova Island.