Hello everyone, and thank you once again for listening to the saga of World War II, Akassas Belly project.

In our last episode, we talked about the new Georgia campaign, so now we will finally come to the end of the Solomon's campaign overall.

We won't get quite to finishing off New Ireland or New Britain, but we will set ourselves up to begin the Central Pacific campaign.

We will also discuss some developments in military organization implemented during the campaign,

which I hope shed some light on what non-combat troops were doing this whole time.

Anyway, let's begin episode 43, the end of the Solomons.

Ah, have been astonished that Japan should in a single day have plunged into war against

the United States and the British Empire.

What kind of a people do they think we are?

Is it possible they do not realize that we shall never cease to persevere against them

until they have been taught a lesson which they and the world will never forget? The

The On Halloween night,

The men of the first marine amphibious corps were once again steaming toward enemy-held beaches

from their starting points at Guadal Canal for yet another island assault.

This time though, they were preparing to land on Bougainville, the northwestern most island

of the Solomon Chain.

Leading the invasion was the now Lieutenant General Vandergrift.

The Marines were prepared for the operation to be difficult and costly, so much so that

Halsey nearly decided to bypass the island entirely,

but in the end concluded that Bougainville provided invaluable locations for air bases

from which to strike Robaule.

Though the 3rd Marine Division constituted the main effort on the morning of November 1st,

...