page_title: Battle of Munda Point
section_title: Background
hierarchical_section_title: Battle of Munda Point / Background
caption_attribution_description: Map of the New Georgia group of islands, central Solomon Islands, June, 1943.
context_page_description: The Battle of Munda Point was a battle, from 22 July – 5 August 1943, between primarily United States Army and Imperial Japanese Army forces during the New Georgia Campaign in the Solomon Islands in the Pacific War. The battle took place following a landing by U.S. troops on the western coast of New Georgia from Rendova, as part of an effort to capture the Japanese airfield that had been constructed at Munda Point. This advance had become bogged down and while the Allies brought forward reinforcements and supplies, the Japanese had launched a counterattack on 17–18 July. This effort was ultimately unsuccessful and afterwards U.S. forces launched a corps-level assault to reinvigorate their effort to capture the airfield. Against this drive, Japanese defenders from three infantry regiments offered stubborn resistance, but were ultimately forced to withdraw, allowing U.S. forces to capture the airfield on 5 August. The airfield later played an important role in supporting the Allied campaign on Bougainville in late 1943.
context_section_description: Munda Point is on  the western coast of mainland New Georgia. To its northwest lies Bangaa Island and to its south is Rendova, from which it is separated by the Blanche Channel and the Munda Bar. At the time of the battle, the location's significance was derived from the airfield that the Japanese had established there. In the wake of the Guadalcanal campaign, concluded in early 1943, the Allies formulated plans to advance through the Central Solomons towards Bougainville, in conjunction with further operations in New Guinea, as part of the effort to reduce the main Japanese base around Rabaul under the guise of Operation Cartwheel. Capture of the airfield at Munda would facilitate further assaults on Vila, on Kolombangara, and Bougainville. For the Japanese, New Georgia formed a key part in their defenses along the southern approaches to Rabaul and they sought to defend the area strongly, moving reinforcements by barge along the Shortlands–Vila–Munda supply line.
  Rendova was secured in short order by U.S. forces who landed there on 30 June as part of the preliminary phase of the Allied operation to secure New Georgia.  On 2 July 1943, Major General John H. Hester's 43rd Infantry Division crossed the Blanche Channel from Rendova. A few days later they began a westward advance towards the Japanese-held airfield at Munda Point. Over the course of two weeks, these forces undertook a slow advance along the coast towards the airfield. Held up by the dense jungle, difficult terrain and strong Japanese defenses, the U.S. troops became disorganized and the advance stalled after reaching the Japanese main line of resistance on 15 July. 
  The inexperienced U.S. troops, hungry and tired, began to lose their fire discipline and forward momentum.  There were also a high number of severe cases of combat stress reaction among U.S. troops during this time. Historian Samuel Eliot Morison described the situation:
  Darkness came to the jungle like the click of a camera shutter. Then the Japanese crept close to the American lines. They attacked with bloodcurdling screams, plastered bivouacs with artillery and mortar barrages, crawled silently into American foxholes and stabbed or strangled the occupants. Often they cursed loudly in English, rattled their equipment, named the American commanding officers and dared the Americans to fight, reminding them that they were "not in the Louisiana maneuvers now." For sick and hungry soldiers who had fought all day, this unholy shivaree was terrifying. They shot at everything in sight – fox fire on rotting stumps, land crabs clattering over rocks, even comrades.
   
  In order to renew the offensive, Major General Oscar W. Griswold, commander XIV Corps, was sent to New Georgia to assess the situation. He reported back to Admiral William Halsey on Noumea that the situation was dire and requested reinforcements in the form of at least another division to break the stalemate. Griswold took over command of the troops in the field on 15 July and began preparations for a corps-level offensive. The movement of reinforcements and supplies from Guadalcanal and the Russell Islands took time, and Sasaki took advantage of the disorder on the American side, launching a counterattack on 17/18 July. 
  Japanese preparations for the counterattack had begun with the movement of reinforcements from the 13th Infantry Regiment from Kolombangara and Bairoko. On 14 July, six companies began their approach march, but were held up for three days by difficult terrain before reaching their assembly area. On 17 July, the Japanese troops launched an attack against the U.S. rear areas, raiding the 43rd Infantry Division's command post, kitchen areas and medical aid stations. Elements of the attacking force managed to penetrate as far as the original U.S. beachhead around Zanana, but were repulsed by artillery and counter penetration forces. Meanwhile, the Japanese 229th Infantry Regiment attacked the high ground held by the U.S. 103rd and 169th Infantry Regiments, where they came up against stiff defense. Eventually, the Japanese counter
caption: The New Georgia group of islands
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