10 January 1943

The calm before the storm at Sanananda as the Allies prepare for a major assault to finally capture the position, the last serious Japanese stronghold in Papua.

The Australian 18^th Brigade, under Brigadier George Wootten and reinforced with 1000 fresh troops from Australia, will attack from both flanks, while a US regiment will attack from the west.

Sporadic skirmishing continues during the preparations and four Diggers die on the day.

9 January 1943

US commander at Sanananda, General Eichelberger is ropeable at MacArthur’s claim of victory at Sananada. He knows the final battle for Sanananda, the last major assault in the Papuan campaign, is a few days away.

More importantly, he knows that many more fine soldiers – Australian, American, Papuan and Japanese – are still to sacrifice their lives or their health.

Eichelberger would later describe the battles as the bitterest kind of “siege warfare”, which had to be fought until there was not one Japanese soldier “capable of lifting a rifle.”

8 January 1943

General MacArthur leaves Moresby for Brisbane, saying his work is done, even though the final assault on Sanananda has not yet begun.

His order for the day issues US Distinguished Service Crosses to a range of commanders, including Blamey, Eichelberger, Eather and Wootten.

He also issued a fatuous communiqué claiming “the complete annihilation of the Japanese Papuan Army”, which infuriates his commander on the ground at Sanananda who is losing men by the hour as they continue to prise out the remaining defenders there.

7 January 1943

Last day for rice rations for Japanese defenders at Sanananda. Even their sick and wounded are left in the front line as they prepare for the final showdown. The swamps surrounding their jungle fortress are despoiled by the rotting bodies of their dead.

With morale collapsing, officers resort to summary execution for deserters. Nevertheless, a growing number of lower ranks are taking to the jungle and surrendering to Allied troops.

6 January 1943

At Sanananda, the Japanese rice supplies are almost gone. From tomorrow, the defenders will lose even their meagre 60 grams a day. Morale is at al all-time low and friction increases between the lower ranks and thei officers ass many soldiers believe their officers have secret supplies.

In his diary Private Wada Kiyoshi writes: “All officers … eat relatively well. The majority are starving. The higher officers are not starving. This is indeed a deplorable state of affairs for the Imperial Army.”