Manus.

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South Pacific U.S. Navy deja vu all  over again?

Manus Island, south of the equator? Yet one more American geography lesson. In World War Two it was Guadalcanal, Kolombangara, Tassafaronga. 2018 it is Manus?

More American and Australian joint military venture. As reported by the Iraian PressTV [controlled?] and the tip from Jeff.

"US to partner with Australia to redevelop naval base in Papua New Guinea"

"The United States says it will partner with Australia to redevelop a naval base in Papua New Guinea (PNG) at Manus Island, in an apparent move to ramp up its presence in the South Pacific to counter China perceived influence there"

AMERICA AND AUSTRALIA HAND-IN-GLOVE PREPARING FOR A CONFRONTATION OF SOME SORT? ANOTHER JOINT MILITARY VENTURE IN THE SAME MANNER AS MRF DARWIN?

See previous blog entry and further links to that joint American/Australian military venture MRF Darwin:

https://militaryanalysis.blogspot.com/2017/04/mrf-2017.html

Si vis pacem, para bellum. China, are you listening? 

coolbert.

Impasse?

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Australians now at odds with the French? Shortfin now fini? Soryu yes Barracuda no? I thought this was a done deal!

From the story as seen at Freeper.

"Aussies At Impasse With France Over New Sub; Japan May Win"

"You don’t often think about France and Australia, unless you really know your history and know that a French explorer arrived in the Antipodes days after the First Fleet arrived from Britain and that much of the vast continent was surveyed by French sailors. But France and Australia may grow much closer . . .  if they can sign a strategic partnership agreement to clear the path for work on a stealthy attack submarine known as the Shortfin Barracuda. That is beginning to look less likely, with French and Australian politicians and policymakers increasingly questioning the program."

"France and Australia must resolve major differences over the Aussie’ new submarine program before a new Australian government is elected next year, and the most obvious alternative is Japan."

A$50 billion [Australian dollars] contract at stake here? NO chump change as they say.

See previous blog entries the topic of which was the next-generation RAN submarine. Royal Australian Navy having decided first on the French model Shortfin Barracuda but now the impasse?

https://militaryanalysis.blogspot.com/2018/02/shortfin.html

https://militaryanalysis.blogspot.com/2018/04/steel.html

coolbert.

DWI Darwin.

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Another American military man behaving badly. Aussies beware.

"Head of US marine force in Darwin stood down for drink-driving on nightclub strip"

Thanks to the tip from Freeper and the story by Jacqueline Breen courtesy ABC.

"The head of the US marine force stationed in the Top End [Darwin] has been relieved of his command for drink-driving on Darwin's nightclub strip."

"Colonel James Schnelle, 48, appeared in Darwin Local Court this morning, charged with medium-range drink-driving."

Charged and evidently relieved of command. Pending conviction? That is not clear? Nonetheless the man removed from his position.

Be ashamed. Be very ashamed. Setting a poor example for the lower ranking and younger men.

See previous blog entry [with further links] the topic the USMC contingent stationed Darwin:

https://militaryanalysis.blogspot.com/2017/04/mrf-2017.html

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Sumatra.

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The Burma Railway I had heard of. The Sumatra Railway I had not heard of. Both often referred to as the Railway of Death. As it was in Burma so was it too in Sumatra.

From that era of the Second World War. Allied prisoner of war [POW] and Asian impressed labor [Javanese] forced to build a railway to expedite cross-island [Sumatra] Japanese military movement.

That loss of life during construction of the railway horrific in the extreme. Allied POW and impressed labor basically succumbing to harsh working conditions, cruel and barbaric treatment, disease, malnutrition, etc. What else you might ask!

Thanks to the tip from the BBC History magazine and the original article by Dr Lizzie Oliver.

"The Sumatra Railway, also referred to as the Pekanbaru Death Railway, was a railway project of the Imperial Japanese army in Sumatra during the Second World War. It was designed to connect Pekanbaru to Muaro in an effort to strengthen the military and logistical infrastructure for coal and troop shipments . . . They used forced labour and prisoners of war. 6,500 Dutch, mostly Indo-Europeans, 1000 British prisoners of war along with 300 POWs from America, Australia and New Zealand. This number of POWs was dwarfed however by the over 120,000 Indonesian, mostly Javanese, forced workers called Romusha which were put to work by the Japanese army. By the time the work was completed in August 1945 almost a third of the European POWs had died and only around 16,000 of the 120,000 Indonesian Romusha had survived."

"The railway was completed on VJ Day, 15 August 1945. It was only USED ONCE and then quickly became overgrown by the jungle."

SURVIVORS ALLIED POW AND JAVANESE IMPRESSED LABOR BOTH FORTUNATE THE WAR ENDED ABRUPTLY AND IN THE MANNER AS WHICH IT DID. LAST-LEGGERS [A person who is . . . very tired or near to death] THEIR LIFE EXPECTANCY TO BE MEASURED IN WEEKS IF NOT DAYS! ASSISTANCE AND REMEDIAL CARE ARRIVING FORTUNATELY AND ABLE TO AVERT FURTHER CATASTROPHE!

Being a captive of the Japanese during WW2 not a pleasant experience fully understood and for which no further elaboration required!!

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Monitors.

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You are being watched!

From the Russian media outlet Russian Times [RT] and as originally reported by other sources.

More on the combined effort to track ship movements vicinity North Korea. Observe and report actual and possible embargo violations.

"US sets up coalition to track foreign ships delivering fuel to North Korea – report"

"A US Navy ship will reportedly host military personnel from the Five Eyes countries plus Japan and South Korea to monitor foreign vessels delivering fuel to the North in violation of UN sanctions.:

"The coalition will include the US, the UK, Australia, New Zealand and Canada – America’s partners within the Five Eyes intelligence-sharing alliance – as well as Japan and South Korea, the Wall Street Journal reported, citing an American military official. This is apparently the first US-led effort to track fuel deliveries to North Korea."

See previous blog entries as germane:

http://militaryanalysis.blogspot.com/2018/09/ran-korea.html

http://militaryanalysis.blogspot.com/2018/09/kayforce-ii.html

Ships! Planes! Personnel! All this a demonstration of solidarity and resolve. Kim take note!

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RAN Korea.

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RAN - Royal Australian Navy.

From a Hot Mail courtesy Harry at Sharkhunters and thanks to WIZARD.

"RAN ON THE MOVE - A pair of Royal Australian Navy mine hunters have departed Sydney for a three-month deployment to North-east Asia, the first such deployment in over seventy years. The deployment comes amidst a major shift in focus for the service as it looks to refocus on Asia after decades in the Middle East."

NORTH-EAST ASIA! Presumably this means waters contiguous to the Korean peninsula?

Yet one more further show of solidarity with allied powers - - an Australian response to the Korean Crisis?

See as well the most recent blog entry as relevant to this naval deployment.

"Forward Australia Fair"!

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Kayforce II.

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Kayforce = New Zealand military contingent Korean War, United Nations Command.

First and thanks to the tip from Jay, ANZAC  [Australian New Zealand] deploying additional military aircraft to the Sea of Japan.

"Australia, New Zealand deploy aircraft to Japan to help enforce North Korea sanctions"

"WELLINGTON/SYDNEY (Reuters) - Australia and New Zealand said on Friday their governments were deploying three maritime patrol aircraft to Japan to assist with efforts to enforce United Nations sanctions against North Korea."

One patrol aircraft currently on station [Australian]. Three more patrol aircraft [two Australian and one New Zealand] to follow.

VIOLATORS OF INTERNATIONAL SANCTIONS BEWARE! YOU ARE BEING WATCHED! AND RETURN OF THE KIWI!

Kayforce that New Zealand military contingent their contribution to the United Nations Command [UNC] effort during the Korean War unknown to me.

"New Zealand in the Korean War"
Korean War - - Page 1 – Introduction

"New Zealand military forces were involved in Korea from 1950 to 1957. First, they took part in the United Nations ‘police action’ to repel Communist North Korea’s invasion of its southern neighbour. Better known as the Korean War, this conflict lasted from 25 June 1950 to 27 July 1953, when an armistice was agreed. A reduced New Zealand force then remained in Korea in a garrison role until the last troops were finally withdrawn in 1957."

Devoted readers to the blog recall the officer-in-charge of the United Nations Command Rear is an Australian! The "southern people" do have a stake in the current Korean Crisis.

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