The New Guinea campaign was one of the major military campaigns of World War II. Fighting in the Australian mandated Territory of New Guinea (the north-eastern part of the island of New Guinea and surrounding islands) and Dutch New Guinea, between Allied and Japanese forces, commenced with the Japanese assault on Rabaul on January 23, 1942. Rabaul became the forward base for the Japanese campaigns in mainland New Guinea, including the pivotal Kokoda Track campaign of July 1942-January 1943. The New Guinea campaign continued until the war ended, in August 1945. Combatants Allied Powers Axis Powers Commanders {{{commander1}}} {{{commander2}}} Strength {{{strength1}}} {{{strength2}}} Casualties 17 million military deaths 7 million military deaths World War II, also known as the Second World War (sometimes WW2 or WWII), was a mid-20th century conflict that engulfed much of the globe and is accepted as... Dutch New Guinea was a common name of western New Guinea while it was a colonial possession of the Netherlands. ... The group of countries known as the Allies of World War II came together as World War II unfolded and progressed. ... The Battle of Rabaul, around the main town of Rabaul on the island of New Britain, in early February 1942, represented a strategically-significant defeat of Allied forces by Japan, in the Pacific campaign of World War II. Following the capture of Rabaul, Japanese forces turned it into a major... January 23 is the 23rd day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... This article is about the year. ... Space Radar Image of Rabaul Volcano Rabaul was the capital of East New Britain province, on New Britain Island, Papua New Guinea until 1994. ... The Kokoda Track Campaign or Kokoda Trail Campaign was part of the Pacific War of World War II. The campaign consisted of a series of battles fought from July 1942 to January 1943 between Japanese and Australian forces in the Owen Stanley Ranges of Papua New Guinea. ... 1943 (MCMXLIII) is a common year starting on Friday. ... 1945 (MCMXLV) was a common year starting on Monday (link will take you to calendar). ...