From the desk of the NZ PM, the Right Honourable Mr Bruce.
14 February 1943
The naval invasion of central Philippines launched (1). Initial progress looked very promising but Japanese reinforcements swung the balance against us. Further ANZAC reinforcements were required to have any chance as the initial wave was driven off. Success was finally achieved by our reinforcements but it was a very close thing.
Japanese control of certain seas succeeded in blocking many further invasion attempts. A few further naval invasions did launch, perhaps as the Japanese navy was temporarily refueling or refitting.
A naval invasion of Iwo Jima launched and was taken unopposed (2).
A naval invasion of southern Philippines launched but was driven off by the port's defenders.
A naval invasion of Okinawa was planned but the Japanese fleet repositioned and so it was cancelled. Instead, southern China was successfully invaded and a beachhead was established in a small port (3).
Siam entered the war on the Axis side, whether from Japanese pressure or from a misguided sense of adventure is not clear. As they were surrounded and outnumbered by British units in Burma, Malaya and Indochina, they were quickly overwhelmed and surrendered.
ANZAC strategists ponder their options given their relatively small armed forces. How can they tempt the Japanese navy to relax their grip, even if momentarily, on key sea areas to allow further naval invasions? Will the Chinese beachhead quickly break out before Japanese reinforcements arrive and so help turn around the slow retreat of the Chinese? Or will it become a quagmire that generates large casualties in a strategic sideshow as superior Japanese numbers are brought to bear? Only time will tell…
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