Kavieng Massacre: A War Crime Revealed

Title: Kavieng Massacre: A War Crime Revealed
Author: Raden Dunbar
Description: An engaging book revealing the shocking truth of the Kavieng Massacre in March 1944. During the push southward in the Pacific by the Japanese during World War II, a large group of expatriate Australian men and German Catholic missionaries were trapped on New Ireland, many interned by the Japanese in September 1942 at Kavieng. They disappeared without trace in March 1944. After the Pacific war ended in August 1945, the Australian Government commenced a largely secret enquiry into the fate of these missing civilians. In June 1947 it was discovered that all the Kavieng internees had been secretly murdered by their captors because the Japanese had assumed Kavieng was shortly to be invaded by US Marines. Unknown to them, the US invasion of Kavieng had been suddenly cancelled by the US high command at the last moment and replaced with a diversionary naval bombardment. After the defeat of Japan, the Japanese naval officers responsible for the Kavieng massacre elaborately concealed their embarrassing crime to mislead Australian investigations. This concealment was successful and delayed revelation of the truth until 1947. The war, the people, the crime. the cover-up, and finally the truth.
No. of pages: 304
Cover type: Paperback
Trim size: 235 x 155
Colour type: B/W
Series:
Imprint: Sally Milner Publishing
ISBN: 978 1 86351 368 5
RRP: A$29.95

Contents

PART I: THE SETTING, THE BACKGROUND AND THE CRIME Kavieng, December 1941: a rather wonderful tropical paradise The future is bright Not a place for anyone to be moving to in December 1941 The raids were executed with violence and precision by the Japanese Escape Into captivity The Kavieng internment camps The American offensive War returns to Kavieng, February 1944 Captain Tamura’s instruction A change of plan: the great bombardment of Kavieng, March 1944 'Kill the Europeans!’ The vision of Hell PART II: THE CONCEALMENT The fabulous lie PART III: THE CRIME REVEALED A very difficult investigation I am a naval officer and will speak the truth! A neat, diminutive, wiry young man of unusual intelligence and curiosity I am indeed sorry to have to inform you . . . Extremely unlikely that Europeans would have been on the ship For official purposes his death has been presumed We know you did it! How did you do it? The prisoners of Sugamo The trial Punishments to fit the crime And then what happened? Appendix A: Lists of the Kavieng victims 1. List compiled from Australian sources 2. Commonwealth War Graves Commission list Appendix B: The civilian and missionary victims of the sinking of the Montevideo Maru 1. New Guinea Civilians Previously Reported Missing Now Reported Lost at Sea 2. New Guinea Missionaries Previously Reported Missing Now Reported Lost at Sea
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