Operation Cartwheel

Operation Cartwheel (1943–1944) was a major military operation undertaken by the Allies in the Pacific theatre of World War II. The ultimate goal of Cartwheel was to neutralize the major Japanese base at Rabaul. The operation was directed by the Supreme Allied Commander in the South West Pacific Area (SWPA), General Douglas MacArthur, whose forces had advanced along the northeast coast of New Guinea and occupied nearby islands. US forces from the South Pacific Area, under Admiral William Halsey, advanced through the Solomon Islands toward Bougainville. Allied forces from Australia, the Netherlands, New Zealand, and various Pacific Islands took part in the operation.