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The Battle Of Balikpapan 1945

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The Balikpapan battle took place on July 1, 1945. Division VII Australia, consisting of the XVIII, XXI and XXV Infantry Brigades, with reserve forces landing on land and sea, codenamed "Obo Dua Operation", a few miles north of Balikpapan, on the island Borneo. The landing was preceded by massive bombings and shootings by Australian and US Navy and AU. The number of Japanese armaments is altogether more, but like other battles in the Pacific War, many are killed in combat, massive operations have ceased from July 21st. This was the last battle that occurred in World War II, occurring a few weeks before the bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki that effectively ended the war. Japan surrendered as Australia combed forests to search for the stray, following the surrender, the 3 brigades were overwhelmed by the occupation until February 1946. The XXI Brigade was assigned to Makassar on the island of Sulawesi to accept the surrender of Japanese forces, to free prisoners of war and to preserve the public order. 

Massive operations have ceased from July 21st. This was the last battle that occurred in World War II, occurring a few weeks before the bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki that effectively ended the war. Japan surrendered as Australia combed forests to search for the stray. Following the surrender, the 3 brigades were overwhelmed by the occupation until February 1946. The XXI Brigade was stationed in Makassar on the island of Sulawesi to accept the surrender of Japanese forces, freeing prisoners of war and preserving the public order.

The Battle Of Balikpapan 1945

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Man Burnt Alive - Death by Flame Thrower (Pacific War). Footage shows the Australian 7th Division attacking Balikpapan (Borneo, Indonesia) which had been invaded by the Japanese. The 1945 Battle of Balikpapan concluded the Allied Forces' Borneo campaign. Footage also shows American General Douglas MacArthur onboard a vessel during the barrage.   The footage demonstrates the true horrors of war when a man runs out of a hut on fire. It is unclear whether this is a Japanese soldier or a native.  The whole unedited clip can be viewed here: http://www.britishpathe.com/record.ph...  

At that time 21,000 Australian 7th division soldiers set out for Balikpapan, crammed into a troop carrier. Their vessels are on alert for approximately 15 Kilo meters off the coast of Balikpapan. When the clock shows at 08.00 many of the ship's allies of various kinds move to Balikpapan by using fan formation. At that time they were really ready to shoot and just wait for their commander's command via radio. Not long afterwards the command of the commander was heard from the radio of the soldiers, as the awaited signal came, the beating of tens of cannons from the ships of the allies sounded very clear to each other. Concentrated smoke covered the city of Balikpapan from the sea at that time, after the smoke fogs subsided, it was the turn of the aircraft carriers from the allied aircraft carrier at some point in Balikpapan - not to forget to search & pound the Japanese defense post. The F6F Hellcat aircraft carried out the bombing to the Sepinggan Airfield Arena used to be Parramatta Ridge (Pasir Ridge now.) In the meantime, the SB2C Haldiver strucker plane destroys the Japanese battery of Meriam around Mount Dubbs.

Meanwhile, TBM torpedo bomber Gruman Avanger flies around the shallow Balikpapan Bay & river estuary to destroy the hiding Japanese ship. Still the air wars are running, some Japanese aircraft have flown & give resistance, but success is thrown by Hellcat aircraft. Meanwhile, Haldiver aircraft also got resistance from anti-air gun battery. In other areas, successful torpedo bombers do their job well. In Muara Jawa, one of Japan's ancient cruisers succeeded in drowning. In Muara Pegah, two Japanese ships were also destroyed. Begitun in Muara Pantuan. One by one the Japanese ship was drowned before the resistance. After the planes were in action, so the other allies came from Morortai. This group of aircraft consists of P-38 Lighning; B-24 Liberator; B-25 Fortress; Corsair bomber; Duntless bomber (American); Beaufighter hunter. the planes strike in unison. Surely the city of Balikpapan who became the Japanese defense menajdi ruined. When 20 hri Balikpapan became the target of allied bombs of the weather & sea.

Balikpapan assumes the destruction of allied bullets. Not just a building, the beach that creates the beauty of coastal beaches Balikpapan has no visible. The city of Balikpapan, especially the area Oil Refinery & Klandasan has been exhausted only the remaining debris. Porrara Balikpapan does not mean the end of the Japanese troops who average very steadily above the caves like in Manggar almost untouched bomb ally. The bombing just created the Japanese soldier deeper into the cave. every chance the Japanese troops were trying to install a cannon in the cave to shoot allies who had started landing.

Allied officers seemed satisfied to see Balikpapan destroyed although not believed the ability of the Japanese troops in the city was exhausted. The position of the Japanese cannon in the Manggar cave that leads the sea in the hills can not be destroyed from many allied ships in Balikpapan Bay. The top commander of the allied command then agreed to drop the Napalm bombs against the Japanese defenses on the coast. This bombing was carried out by dozens of B-29 No. Fortress aircraft based at Easley Mariana Field Arena. It can be imagined how destroyed Balikpapan would be if every bomb dropped had great devastating power. Almost 90% of Balikpapan city when it became a cremation site for Japanese soldiers by allied bombs, and balikpapan became a city of fire.

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COMBAT BULLETIN NO. 65 - Department of Defense 1945 - PIN 20330 - BIG THREE CONFERENCE IN SESSION--ADDITIONAL FILMS OF BALIKPAPAN INVASION--ACTIVITIES ON OKINAWA-REUNION ON OKINAWA-- 914-MM MORTAR.

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After Balikpapan was controlled by allies against 1 July 1945, registered 5,700 Japanese troops were killed by an allied bomb from a B-29 bomber. plus 4,000 Japanese soldiers killed on the run to Samarinda. Allied invasion of Balikpapan did not provide any benefit because all facilities were destroyed by allied bombs. The oil refinery they encountered was just rubble. Installing the oil before it is bombed by allies and has been destroyed by Japan. Allied troops may not get oil, but they are able to finish off Japan's unforgiving power & surrender when they are on the verge of defeat. This time the oil can be ignored, the most important is to grab Balikpapan which is the key to defeat the Japanese capability in Indonesia, especially the Japanese troops in Java, Japan's defeat in Tarakan & Balikpapan became the beginning of Japan's defeat in Indonesia before allies dropped the atomic bomb at Nagasaki & Hirosima, who created the Japanese surrender not on condition on board the USS Missouri to August 14, 1945. Balikpapan's liberation is as well as one of the liberation of Indonesia from the clutches of Japanese fascism in Asia.

Special Thanks To

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 I dedicate this post to my late grandfather, , because him I know a lot of world history, he really like to tell me a story, thank you for all the stories you have given me, grandpa! 

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^{Reference source: Kompas, GNINA, WarArchivesChannel, Wikipedia.}