Book Review - The Hard Slog: Australians in the Bougainville Campaign, 1944–45

Written by: Karl James

Cambridge University Press, Melbourne,

2012, ISBN 9781107017320, 319pp

Reviewed by: Charles D Melson, History Division, Marine Corps University, US Marine Corps

The Australian Army History Series, edited by David Horner, has produced another notable work that will appeal to both the professional and public alike. This was with Karl James’ examination of the Second World War effort to defeat the Japanese forces on Bougainville in the Solomon Islands. Fought at the time under operational and political limitations, it appeared to take place in a military backwater with an unfortunate lack of newsworthy events to the outside world. But James’ account makes it a campaign of soldiering that does credit to the men and units involved and as such should be duly recognised by both Australians and Americans as contributing to the final victory against the Empire of Japan.

The First Army operated in a region so remote that even their own countrymen knew little about it: New Guinea, Papua, New Britain and the Solomon Islands were off the beaten path until the arrival of the Japanese made them a threat for Australia to the south. The American Marines who served there from 1942 through 1944 described it as a ‘Green Hell’. In 1944 and 1945, Australian forces were used to contain, pursue and defeat the Japanese who had been left by General Douglas MacArthur to wither on the vine. This was easier said than done, depending on where operations were conducted. On New Guinea the Japanese were defeated; on New Britain they were contained at Rabaul; while on Bougainville the effort was to accomplish all three goals while keeping costs in men and material low. This task was complicated by seemingly conflicting economic and political demands for using Australian forces to secure its mandated territories, of getting needed workers out of uniform and back into the economy at home, and actively participating in the continuing war against Japan to have a place at the peace table when the war was over.

This was the task that fell to II Corps under Lieutenant General Sir Stanley Savige and the men of his 3d Division, 11th and 23d Brigades. The author proceeds to discuss the subsequent operations in detail. This was examining the progression of the campaign in detail from Torokina and the outer islands, the Central Sector, the Northern Sector and the Southern Sector. The effort included continuing active operations, maintaining morale and discipline, while limiting costs from casualties and disease. The Australian cost between October 1944 and August 1945 was 516 dead, 1572 wounded; the Japanese lost 138 captured and an estimated 8789 killed. Included in the examination was the campaign’s political and economic impact. In the end the objective was secured, the population and resources recovered, prestige in the mandates left intact, and needed manpower was made available for the economic war effort. This was despite the pains of both military and political opponents having public disagreements over the course of events. Even the alliance with the Americans was called in to question as the major fighting moved to the Philippines, Central Pacific and Japan itself.

The author did an excellent job in balancing history and analysis and telling the story of Australia at war. Based on his dissertation excellent use was made of the official histories, memoirs, letters and Japanese sources. I read this as an American military historian and US Marine. United States naval, air and ground forces fought in these same locations and conditions previously. What I gained was a different view of the Southwest Pacific Theatre in terms of its impact on Australia, being more on the frontlines than North America. I was also impressed by the public and private effort to publish military history in a manner I have not seen before. The series produced uniform and handsome volumes, well illustrated with maps and photographs. The result is a model of its kind and is highly recommended for both professional and general readers.