The strategic conquest of New Guinea, world's second largest island,* was completed last week by General Douglas MacArthur.
There was still some fighting to be done along the 1,500 miles of its length; 55,000 to 60,000 Japanese troops had been trapped in pockets along the north coast. But for U.S. and Australian troops a grueling, malarial campaign which began two years ago (when the Japs almost took Port Moresby) had ended in a brilliant victory. Its final phase was all but bloodless.
Considering its strategic importance, MacArthur's coastal campaign had been one of the most...
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