Eighty Years Ago: Asia Pacific, Jan 29 – Feb 4, 1942

Jan 29, 1942: US troops arrive on Fiji, preparing to replace New Zealand forces on the islands

Jan 30, 1942: British-led troops evacuate from Malaya into Singapore

Japanese military admits setbacks in southern China, at time of rapid offensives elsewhere in the Pacific

Jan 31, 1942: Japanese forces occupy the city of Moulmein in southern Burma

Feb 1, 1942: US planes from aircraft carriers Yorktown and Enterprise launch surprise raid against Japanese forces in Gilbert and Marshall islands

Feb 2, 1942: Rear Admiral Ugaki Matome, Chief-of-Staff of Japan’s Combined Fleet, reacts in diary to surprise US attack on Gilbert and Marshall islands the day before: ‘This is the best way to make us look ridiculous. Adventure is one of their characteristics’

Feb 3, 1942: Japanese planes raid Singapore

Feb 4, 1942: Dutch Rear Admiral Karel Doorman leads Allied cruiser-destroyer strike force against Japanese Navy in battle of Makassar Strait

Categories: War

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