PNG National History

Lecture 5 –
The Two World Wars and Effects on
PNG
 Lecture 5 – Two W Wars and Effects on PNG
Introduction
The two world wars, as the name suggest was a
total war, not only fought in Europe, but also
fought in countries all around the world.
The two wars sometimes referred to as The
Great Wars are unique and different from any
wars that was ever fought in the past.
The lecture for today is divided into two parts;
World War 1 and World War 2.
 Lecture 5 – Two W Wars and Effects on PNG
World War One
World War I, from August 1914 to November
1918, involved many of the countries of Europe
as well the United States and other nations
throughout the world.
World War I was one of the most violent and
destructive wars in European history. Of the 65
million men who were mobilized, more than 10
million were killed and more than 20 million
wounded.
 Lecture 5 – Two W Wars and Effects on PNG
World War One
The term World War I did not come into general
use until a second worldwide conflict broke out in
1939 (see World War II).
World War I was the first total war. Once the war
began, the countries involved mobilized their
entire populations and economic resources to
achieve victory on the battlefield.
 Lecture 5 – Two W Wars and Effects on PNG
World War One
The war began between
the Allied Powers that consist of
United Kingdom, France, Belgium,
Serbia, Montenegro, and the Russian
Empire
and The Central Powers, which consist
of Germany and Austria-Hungary.
Japan and Italy joined the Allied in WWI
 Lecture 5 – Two W Wars and Effects on PNG
World War One
The immediate cause of the war was the
assassination of Archduke Francis Ferdinand,
the heir to the throne of Austria-Hungary, by a
Serbian nationalist.
However there was a deeply rooted political and
economic conflict existed in Europe since
Germany emerged as a major power in Europe
in 1871
 Lecture 5 – Two W Wars and Effects on PNG
By the end of 1914 there were two main battle
fronts 1. North-eastern France, and 2. western
Russia.
The War ended on November 11, 1918
the Central Powers were defeated, - the
German, Austro-Hungarian, Russian, and
Ottoman empires had collapsed.
Bolshevik Revolution in Russia (1917) began
the ideology of Communism.
 Lecture 5 – Two W Wars and Effects on PNG
THEATERS OF WAR
A Land Warfare
The two main fronts:
Western front: German armies confronted those
of the British Empire, France, Belgium, and,
later, the United States.
Eastern front, where German and Austro-
Hungarian armies faced the Russians, Poland
 Lecture 5 – Two W Wars and Effects on PNG
THEATERS OF WAR
Land Warfare
Since the major participants in the war had colonial
empires in Africa, Asia, and the Middle East, the
war quickly spread to those parts of the world.
British, French, Belgian, and South African
military forces invaded German possessions in
Africa.
Japan seized Germany's island possessions
north of the equator
Australia and New Zealand took control of the
German islands to the south including German
New Guinea.
 Lecture 5 – Two W Wars and Effects on PNG
THEATERS OF WAR
Land Warfare
The principal infantry weapon was the bolt-action
magazine rifle,
The machine gun, which had been developed in
the 1880s, It could fire rifle ammunition
automatically at a rate of 200 to 250 shots per
minute.
Other important weapons developed during the
war were the flamethrower, the hand grenade,
poison gas, and the tank.
.
 Lecture 5 – Two W Wars and Effects on PNG
Theatres' of War
B Naval Warfare
Naval operations were carried out primarily in the North
Atlantic Ocean and in the North Seas with its submarine,
or U-Boat, campaign.
The war at sea was important economically. The Allies
were concerned with keeping open the vital sea lanes by
which ships transported supplies, war materials, and
troops to Europe from the United States and other
overseas sources.
In 1914 Britain implemented a sea blockade of Germany
to prevent the delivery of imports such as food and war
materials. The same year, Germany began using
submarines to disrupt Allied seaborne traffic and prevent
supplies from reaching Britain.
 Lecture 5 – Two W Wars and Effects on PNG
Theatres of War
C Aerial Warfare
Airplanes were first used in large numbers for military
purposes during World War I.
Both sides also employed airplanes carrying
machine guns and light bombs to attack enemy
ground forces.
From mid-1915 aerial combat between planes
or groups of planes was common. The Germans
initially had superiority in the air on the western
front.
 The Allied advantage in the air gradually
increased thereafter and became overwhelming
when the United States entered the war in 1917.
 Lecture 5 – Two W Wars and Effects on PNG
Second World War (WW2)
The Second World War involved virtually every
part of the world during the year 1939-45.
The principal opponents were:
1. the Axis Powers – Germany, Italy and Japan,
2. the Allies - French, Britain, The United States
and Soviet Union and to lesser extent China.
 Lecture 5 – Two W Wars and Effects on PNG
Second World War (WW2)
The WWII was in many respects a continuation,
after an uneasy 20 year break, of the dispute left
unsettled by the First World War.

Over 40,000,000 – 50,000,000 (40 to 50 million)

deaths incurred in WWII makes it the bloodiest
conflict, as well as the largest war, in history .
 Lecture 5 – Two W Wars and Effects on PNG
Second World War (WW2)
World War Two was the great watersheds of
20th century geo-political history.
It resulted in the
extension of Soviet Union’s power in
Eastern Europe,
enables communist movements to
eventually achieve power in China
marked the decisive shift of power in the
world away from Western Europe and
towards United States and Soviet Union.
 Lecture 5 – Two W Wars and Effects on PNG
Second World War (WW2)
Cause of Second World War
The desire of Adolf Hitler in control of Nazi
Germany, to dominate Europe. He was
allied primarily with Japan (Which desired
to dominate East Asia, especially China), as
well as Italy (which had its own ambitions).
 Lecture 5 – Two W Wars and Effects on PNG
Second World War (WW2)
Cause of Second World War
After Hitler had taken control over
Czechoslovakia and Austria by early 1939,
Britain and French revised their policy of
conciliation, and switch to policy of deterrence,
warning they would declare war if Germany
attacked Poland.
 Lecture 5 – Two W Wars and Effects on PNG
Second World War (WW2)
Cause of Second World War
In response Germany signed non-aggression
pact was signed with Soviet Union and also
agreed to divide Poland and the Baltic states.
Germany invaded Poland in September 1, 1939,
two days later (Sept 3, 1939) Britain and French
declared war, followed by Australia, Canada,
New Zealand and South Africa.
 Lecture 5 – Two W Wars and Effects on PNG
Second World War
The War in the Pacific 1938-41
While the War broke out in Europe, Japan was still
engaged in armed conflict in China, fighting the
Chinese nationalist.
Japanese succeeds in in the war against China but
still needed large number of troops to maintain
their hold on immense Chinese territory.
This war opens up prospect for wider occupation
of areas in Southeast Asia and the Pacific.
 Lecture 5 – Two W Wars and Effects on PNG
Second World War
The War in the Pacific 1938-41
Japans industrial economy and war efforts will
be strengthened, if she would occupy Indonesia,
Vietnam, and British held Malaysia.
Basically, these areas contained raw materials
that are essential to Japan’s interest and would
give her easy forward thrust into the Pacific,
making Japan a dominant power in the Pacific.
Japan entered Indochina in September 1940.
 Lecture 5 – Two W Wars and Effects on PNG
Second World War
The War in the Pacific 1938-41
Japans industrial economy and war efforts will
be strengthened, if she would occupy Indonesia,
Vietnam, and British held Malaysia.
Basically, these areas contained raw materials
that are essential to Japan’s interest and would
give her easy forward thrust into the Pacific,
making Japan a dominant power in the Pacific.
Japan entered Indochina in September 1940.
 Lecture 5 – Two W Wars and Effects on PNG
Japanese Policy, 1939–41
Germany’s early victories over Netherland and
French provided impetus for Japan to look
southward at the defeated powers colonies and
also at the British and US positions in the Far
East. Japanese forces began to occupy bases in
southern Indochina now Vietnam.
The United States reacted vigorously, not only
freezing Japanese assets under U.S. control but
also imposing an embargo on supplies of oil to
Japan.
 Lecture 5 – Two W Wars and Effects on PNG
Japanese Policy, 1939–41
Negotiations with US & Great Britain on several
occasions to uplift the embargo failed. Since peace
with the United States seemed impossible, Japan
set in motion its plans for war against United States,
Great Britain and the Dutch in Indonesia.

On July 2, 1941, the Japanese Imperial Conference

decided to press the Japanese advance southward
even at the risk of war with Great Britain and the
United States.
 Lecture 5 – Two W Wars and Effects on PNG
Japanese Policy, 1939–41
The attack on Pearl Harbor was a surprise
military strike conducted by the Imperial
Japanese Navy against the United States naval
base at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, on the morning of
December 7, 1941 (December 8 in Japan). The
attack led to the United States' entry into World
War II.
 Lecture 5 – Two W Wars and Effects on PNG
The Fall of Singapore
Japan invaded Singapore on February 8and 9 of
1942, another significant area that would give
Japan a forward thrust into the Pacific.
To the Japanese, Java remains to be an area that
should come under their control, which they did
on February 27, where the Allies were defeated
in seven hour battle of the Java Sea.
 Lecture 5 – Two W Wars and Effects on PNG

The Fall of Singapore

Something to raise the Allies' morale was
achieved on April 18, 1942, when 16 U.S.
bombers raided Tokyo—though they did little
real damage except to the Japanese
government's prestige. Far more important were
the consequences of the U.S. intelligence
services' detection of Japanese plans to seize
Port Moresby and Tulagi (in the southern
Solomons).
 Lecture 5 – Two W Wars and Effects on PNG

The Fall of Singapore

Port Moresby is the steeping stone for Australia
and Tulagi is the steeping stone for the rest of
Solomon Islands, Vanuatu, Fiji and Samoa
However Japan lost the Battle of the Coral Sea –
on the 8th of May 1942 - a battle that stop them
from entering Port Moresby.
Japanese lost so many planes in the battle that
their enterprise against Port Moresby had to be
abandoned.
 Lecture 5 – Two W Wars and Effects on PNG
The Fall of Singapore
Despite the results of the Battle of the Coral Sea,
the Japanese continued with their plan to seize
Midway Island. Seeking a naval showdown with the
remaining ships of the U.S. Pacific Fleet
In the ensuing Battle of Midway, the Japanese ships
destined to take Midway Island were attacked while
still 500 miles from their target by U.S. bombers on
June 3.
Shocked by this disaster, the Japanese began to
retreat in the night of June 4–5, 1942.
Midway was saved from Japanese invasion.
 Lecture 5 – Two W Wars and Effects on PNG
The Fall of Singapore
The Battle of Midway was the turning point of
the war in the Pacific, for Japan lost its first-line
carrier strength and most of its navy's best
trained pilots.

Having lost the strategic initiative, Japan

cancelled its plans to invade New Caledonia, Fiji,
and Samoa.
 Lecture 5 – Two W Wars and Effects on PNG
The encirclement of Rabaul
Allied moves to isolate the large Japanese troops on
Rabaul proceeded by land and air.
• New Zealand troops captured Treasury Islands in the
Solomons in Nov 1943
• U.S. landed at Empress Augusta Bay on the west of
Bougainville in November 1943
• US troops killed almost 6,000 men on Bougainville in
March 1944,
What remained of the Japanese stronghold on
Bougainville was no longer capable of fighting, though it
did not surrender until the end of the war.
.
Major Battles in PNG
 Lecture 5 – Two W Wars and Effects on PNG
The Encirclement of Rabaul
Continuing the approach to Rabaul, Japan has more than
100,000 troops still occupying Rabaul.
• U.S. troops landed on December 15, 1943 at Arawe on
the south-western coast of New Britain,
• US troops landed on the north-western coast on Dec 26
and captured Cape Gloucester on Jan. 16, 1944
• U.S. forces invaded the Admiralty Islands on February
29 and captured Manus on March 9.

On March 20, the Allies' control on Rabaul and Kavieng was

practically complete, so that they could then disregard the
100,000 Japanese immobilized there.
 Lecture 5 – Two W Wars and Effects on PNG
Western New Guinea
Before they could push northward to the
Philippines, the Allies had to subdue Japanese-
held western New Guinea.
1. U.S. troops took Saidor, on Jan. 2, 1944
2. Australians took Sio, the east of Saidor, on
January 16.
3. Then reinforcements landed at Mindiri, west
of Saidor, on March 5,
4. Australian infantry moved up the coast, to
take Madang, and Alexishafen.
 Lecture 5 – Two W Wars and Effects on PNG
Western New Guinea
Bypassing Hansa Bay and Wewak where the Japanese had
retreated,
• April 22, 1944 the Allies made two simultaneous
landings at Hollandia: having in the past weeks already
destroyed 300 Japanese planes,
• In the following months Hollandia became the major
base and command post for the Southwest Pacific area.
• The Allies also took Aitape - coast east of Hollandia, and
held it against counterattacks by more than 200,000
Wewak-based Japanese during July and August.
Though westernmost New Guinea fell likewise to the Allies
in August 1944, the Japanese troops garrison at Wewak
held out until May 10, 1945.
 Lecture 5 – Two W Wars and Effects on PNG
Effects of Second World War
Germany was totally defeated and Nazi regime
brought down. Its leaders were tried for crimes
against humanities at Nuremberg, the former site
of Nazi propaganda triumphs.
Hitler escape trial and execution by committing
Suicide in his Berlin bunker at the end of the war.
German cities were in ruin from massive
bombings.
 Lecture 5 – Two W Wars and Effects on PNG
Effects of Second World War
Germany was divided into two zones (East & West
Germany) of occupation by the victorious powers.
The city – Berlin – was also divided into two (East
& West Berlin). Germany became a united
country again only in 1989.
On top of that Germany was also made to pay for
the reparations for damages during the way, since
Germany was the aggressor and started the war.
 Lecture 5 – Two W Wars and Effects on PNG
Effects of Second World War
Japan also was in ruin from extensive bombings,
including the two atomic bombs dropped at
Hiroshima and Nagasaki on the 6th and 9th
August respectively in 1945
Prominent war leaders were tried and convicted
for war crimes, but the emperor was allowed to
retain his position.
Japan was temporarily placed under US military
rule .
 Lecture 5 – Two W Wars and Effects on PNG
Effects of Second World War
The struggle for independence for non-European
people were greatly enhanced and stimulated by
the war. The weakness of Britain and French, the
two major European imperial powers, provide
opportunities. The stage was set for the collapse of
European empires in the three decades following
the war.
The United Nations was set up after the war to
oversee the decolonization and eventual
independence of former European colonies. Papua
New Guinea’s future came under this Organization.
 Lecture 5 – Two W Wars and Effects on PNG
Tutorial Activities
1. Identify and explain the fundamental causes
of the first world war
2. State why the two wars are called world wars
or great wars of the world
3. Germany was slapped with reparation by the
victorious side, explain
4. Would you think central powers would have
the chance of winning the Second World War?
5. What are some of the effect of the Second
World War on non-European people?