The New Britain campaign was a World War II campaign fought between Allied and Imperial Japanese forces. The campaign was initiated by the Allies in late 1943 as part of a major offensive which aimed to neutralise the important Japanese base at Rabaul, the capital of New Britain, and was conducted in two phases between December 1943 and the end of the war in August 1945.
US Army soldiers returning from a patrol near Arawe, December 1943
The disposition of Japanese forces on New Britain and nearby islands in November 1943
US Army soldiers land at Arawe
US Marines landing at Cape Gloucester, New Britain, 26 December 1943
The Battle of Arawe was fought between Allied and Japanese forces during the New Britain campaign of World War II. The battle formed part of the Allied Operation Cartwheel and had the objective of serving as a diversion before a larger landing at Cape Gloucester in late December 1943. The Japanese military was expecting an Allied offensive in western New Britain and was reinforcing the region at the time of the Allied landing in the Arawe area on 15 December 1943. The Allies secured Arawe after about a month of intermittent fighting with the outnumbered Japanese force.
U.S. Army soldiers land at Arawe
Two U.S. Army trucks moving through a camp area at Arawe
American soldiers returning to positions at Arawe after completing a patrol in December 1943
USMC tanks supporting the Army advance on 16 January
