The Battle of Sattelberg - November 1943

Although largely unknown, like most Australian actions other than Kokoda, the Battle of Sattelberg was one of the toughest engagements in the New Guinea campaign. In fact, it was a turning point in the wider Pacific War, when the main Japanese defenses in the South West Pacific were fatally breached, and the 18th Japanese Army began to look to their own survival, rather than victory. At Sattelberg the 9th Australian division was tasked with driving the Japanese from a nearly impregnable mountain fortress. Although defeated around Finschhafen, General Katagiri's 20th Japanese division was not only still in the fight, but holding some excellent defensive ground, and driving the suicidally brave Japanese from this terrain would lead to some of the most brutal, unforgiving and violent mountain battle seen throughout the Pacific War. Standing some 1,000 meters tall, Sattelberg was a position that had been nearly perfectly sculpted by nature to act as a fortress, and it was only through the commitment, valor, technical skill and firepower, in addition to a good bit of generalship, that brought the allies final victory in the eastern Huon Peninsula.

0:00 The Battle of Finschhafen
7:52 Clearing the Sattelberg Road
34:51 Coconut Ridge and Steeple Tree
1:03:39 Pabu and the Japanese Counterattack
1:27:41 Sattelberg the Citadel
1:51:27 Saving Pabu and the Wareo Advance
2:26:59 Victory and Retreat

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