Battle of Rabaul

Japanese aircraft attacked on 4 January 1942 and the Allies' last retreat maneuver occurred on February 9. Subsequent Allied maneuvers were deemed evacuations (probable due to none of the evacuations being officially sanctioned). Historical consensus places the "Battle of Rabaul" on January 23rd. Japan named the invasion, "Operation R" before it began and still uses that title.

Operation R had the goal of invading New Guinea after securing the airfield and deep harbor near Rabual on the island of New Britain. The assault on New Guinea was repelled. After the Allied defeat (losing control of the islands near New Guinea), they attempted to keep the Japanese forces under surveillance and isolated for the duration of the war. Local forces conducted guerrilla operations to sabotage airfields but many were constructed as soon as the battle had been won and such attacks were ineffective at isolation of air power until late in the war when of Operation Cartwheel effectually isolated the islands. Surveillance efforts were much more successful at keeping tabs on Japanese movements throughout the war. While the Japanese made strategic use the captured and constructed airfields, the deep harbor and boat anchorage were underutilized. After the war ended, it took another 2 years to repatriate the remaining 69,000 Japanese forces in the area.

Yōkai Art Master Shigeru Mizuki fought and lost his arm in this battle (while suffering from malaria!) and was the last survivor in his unit. He refused an order to commit suicide and went to a field hospital at Rabaul. While there, he was offered a wife, land, home, citizenship and by the Tolai natives who named a road after him. He wanted to accept this offer but was shamed into returning home and circumstances prevented his going back to the Tolai until 2003. Rabaul returned to his art and became and accomplished author, artist, actor, contrarian, and fish salesman. He appears in the credits and titles of video games.