Eighty Years Ago: Asia Pacific, Jan 7 – 13, 1943

Jan 7, 1943: A total of 50,000 American land, navy and air troops are now present on Guadalcanal

Jan 8, 1943: In letter to US President Franklin D. Roosevelt, Chinese leader Chiang Kai-shek rules out offensive against Japan in spring 1943

Jan 9, 1943: Australian 17th Brigade is airlifted to Wau, New Guinea

Jan 10, 1943: US submarine Argonaut is sunk by Japanese destroyers off Rabaul

Jan 11, 1943: Chinese Ambassador to Washington Wei Daoming and US Secretary of State Cordell Hull (see photo above) sign treaty formally abolishing American extraterritorial rights in China, marking a huge step towards end of Asian giant’s semi-colonial status

Jan 12, 1943: US forces land unopposed at Constantine Harbor on Amchitka Island in the Aleutians

Jan 13, 1943: US Thirteenth Air Force is activated with headquarters at Espiritu Santo, New Hebrides

Categories: War

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