A few important dates
- September 1939 : The Second World War is declared in Europe.
- June 1940 : France's capitulation. Signature of Armistice by Marshal PETAIN.
- 18 June 1940 : General DE GAULLE calls for a fight for a free France.
- 19 September 1940 : Nouméa's population, and especially those in rural areas, tough men and ardent patriots of the interior, put on a triumpant welcome for Henri SAUTOT who took possession of the New Caledonian government with full civil and military powers. The Vichy government represented by the colonel Governor DENIS would move aside after a little resistance for this character who was so well-liked by the New Caledonians and who they referred to as "father Sautot".
- 2 August 1941 : Creation of a civic militia of 2 000 men led by Capitain G. DUBOIS which played a very important role alongside the American forces.
- 7 December 1941 : Japanese attack on Pearl Harbour.
- 12 March 1942 : Arrival of the first American convoy comprised of 15 large ships, with troops and military equipment, escorted by a dozen cruisers and escort ships.
Some leading figures
Marcel KOLLEN, Georges CHATELAIN, Raymond POGNON formed a committee in favour of the Rallying of troops from New Caledonia to free France (at the personal request of general DE GAULLE to POGNON).
The Governor from France, the commissaire Henri SAUTOT : a small, jovial man who was close to the oceanic populations, would be de Gaulle's chosen representative and administrator of the free French government in the South Pacific.
The Admiral Thierry d’ARGENLIEU, promoted to High Commissioner of France, and one of DE GAULLE's close collaborators would play an eminent role in the South Pacific and would ensure its defence.
But the two men detested each other, thus bringing a sombre period of political troubles to New Caledonia.
Why did the Americans choose New Caledonia ?
New Caledonia is a foothold of strategic importance.NC is on the route from Australia.
The Japanese couldn't be allowed to advance towards the south.
Firstly, it is the biggest land mass after Australia and New Zealand and has the right infrastructure to cater for the American army. It has a good road network.
The Tontouta aerodrome opened in 1941 as well as that on the "plaine des Gaïacs".
Nouméa's port is sheltered. Access to the passes can be controlled (anti submarine nets)
Nouméa's port is large enough to cater for a large number of boats.
Secondly its climate is ideal compared to neighbouring islands. It is a healthy cimate as there is no malaria.
And finally, New Caledonia is a allied country since its rallying for free France.
The American presence in New Caledonia
War chronicles
The American expeditionary corps under Brigadier General ROSE's command is formed to occupy and defend New Caledonia. This is Force 6814, code name « Poppy Force » with a contingent of 17 500 men who disembarked on 12 March 1942 on the Nickel peninsula.
A young french soldier wrote : « The Americans disembarked their men, then the equipment. It took the whole night. At dawn they brought out the jeeps. With surprising rapidity, they set up their camps, little villages of tents and small prefabricated houses with panels. The units were scattered across Nouméa to the "col de Tonghoue" cluttered up with heavy artillery convoys. »
On all Nouméa's hills and aerodromes are anti-aircraft defence posts (DCA). Nouméa is becoming the headquarters of the Pacific. Observation and aerodrome posts are installed all over the Mainland.
On 16 and then 18 March, these units would be reinforced by the « 67th Pursuit » of 25 P400 Curtis fighters.
General PATCH who arrives to take command of the beachhead around Nouméa then organises New Caledonia into a bastion to become one of the pivots of the US strategy. New Caledonia would become transformed into a support base for large American offensive attacks against the Solomon archipelago.
The Battle of the Coral sea had been raging since May 1942.
1 500 men belonging to the « peep troops » took off from the runway at "la plaine des Gaïacs" in large B26 aircraft. They would return to their base in very poor condition. In waves, from the large aerodrome of the Tontouta plain, fighter planes took turns to go out day and night.
The injured soldiers would be treated at the Polyclinique built on Anse Vata or in the "Grand Hospice" of Dumbéa called the "General Hospital" with more than 1 000 beds.
The large American headquarters was set up on the Anse Vata. This was called the "Pentagone".
From 1944 to 1945, Nouméa's port became the 2nd largest port of the Pacific after San Francisco.
The arrival of the Americans
The periods
Period 1 from March 42 to June 42
This is the period of defence and of the creation of a resistance base. The island is defended against the Japanese. American morale is at its lowest. (Pearl Harbour had been a big shock).
Period 2 from June 43 to June 44
This is an active period. NC is the operational centre of the Pacific
It is both a naval and air-land base.
The Battle of the Coral Sea - May 42
The battle of Midway – June 42
At the end of December 42 there were 100,000 GIs stationed in New Caledonia.
The men's camps are based on the West Coast
The GIs prepare for the front - The Battle of Guadalcanal
Period 3 from June 44 to February 46
8 May 45 – The German Capitulation
2 September 45 - The Japanese Capitulation
August 45 – The Hiroshima and Nagasaki bombs
The American military
Organisers of the army base
Medical personnel, personnel entrusted with setting up the base, looking after the equipment, maintenance and with creating links with the population.
The soldiers and naval personnel
They are spread out in rural camps and undergo intensive combat training
(Battle of Guadalcanal of August 42 to February 43)
They spend their leisure time in Nouméa
These men need to be equipped
And the soldiers fed
Large scale agriculture. The Americains rented out the land and cultivated it.
US ARMY – PX Post Exchange shops are opened
"Magasins Ménard".
Chronicles of the daily life of New Caledonians
Nouméa is doing well and enjoys the American presence. Dollars flood in. Chocolate, chewing gum, coca-cola, egg powder, vitamins, Californian pâtés, «vitamin supplements» and cigarettes are appreciated by New Caledonians.
Local restaurants make a fortune selling such things as roasted venison with green papaya, marinated fish salads, "bulime" snails from the Isle of Pines, and fruit bat stews all at very high prices.
New Caledonians throw themselves into the production and sale of fruit and vegetables; laundries, snack bars and businesses of all types open. The black market for cigarettes, spirits and other illicit foods including the clandestine alcohol smuggling are organised. The cost of living becomes expensive.
While the battle of the Coral Sea in the Eastern Solomons was intensifying, the dollars were filling the "touques". With the prospect of death in combat ever present, these soldiers wanted to have fun.
The New Caledonians in the company of these 300 000 soldiers attended boxing and catch matches. Jazz concerts, theatre, free films projected outside, dances, and performances by Hollywood idols who came to Nouméa to keep up the troops' morale. Local personnel was needed for laundering, housekeeping and looking after these men These soldiers needed to be entertained.
2 daily English newspapers, one of which was printed in 8500 copies.
"La France Australe" prints articles in English.
Bonds were created between the local population and the American soldiers 77 marriages took place between New Caledonians and Americans in Nouméa and many New Caledonian women followed their husbands back to the USA.
On 9 February 1943 General PATCH anounced the total and complete defeat of the Japanese forces of Guadalcanal. The road to Tokyo was open and the South Pacific was saved.
In November 1943, at Doniambo, a handling error of some munition created a partial explosion of the enormous stock of American munitions leaving 50 dead on the American side and placing the capital in danger. A New Caledonian pilot, Louis Henin, detached a cargo ship just in time, which, loaded with bombs, could have set the quays on fire. Civilians were saved.
On 8 May 1945 Germany capitulated. Japan would capitulate on 2 September 1945. The war was at its end. Nouméa would spend a night of celebration.
All the material brought over by the Americans would be either sold at auction (few objects in fact), buried (toothpste, food), or according to rumours, sunk in the great rifts of the lagoon.
21 May 1946, the boat named the « Sagittaire » arrives in Nouméa with New Caledonians from free France.
1946 : The right to vote is given to New Caledonian women.
June 1946 : date of the total evacuation of the American forces from New Caledonia.
In 46 months of American presence, more than one million GIs stayed on this island transformed into a giant aircraft carrier, and a platform for the reconquest of the Pacific.
Tracing the American presence in Nouméa
- "Le Mémorial Américain" – Baie de la Moselle (1992)
- "Ancien Marché de Nouméa" ( Le triangle Garden) where the boxing and catch matches took place.
- Rue Gallieni – Magasin Ménard - Théâtre
- Rond point du Général PATCH – hôtel du Pacifique
- Domiambo – arms and munitions
- Montravel - stock of camp material and American warehouses
- Numbo – foodstuffs
- "La Vallée du Tir" – the Pink House (Maison Rose) reserved for American military .
- Anse Vata - "La Polyclinique" (psychiatric hospital during the American presence)
"Le Pentagone" (ex Commission du Pacifique Sud) - Anse Vata, Val Plaisance, Receiving, Motor Pool and In Bourail, the New Zealand cemetery, today are districts of Nouméa which were at the time occupied by the US forces.
- In Bourail, the New Zealand cemetery– canons put in place in 1941
- Receiving Station – 1 500 seat outdoor theatre which had performances of stars visiting the American troops.
- Motor Pool – equipment stocks for vehicles.
- Eglise du Vœu – built in 1948 and consecrated in 1953 to bless the Virgin Mary for having protected New Caledonia from Japanese invasion.
- Baie des Citrons - US Marine Goettges camps
- Rue Carcopino – Maison de l’Amirauté.
- The Tontouta aerodrome.
- The Plaine des Gaïacs memorial
- In Bourail, the New Zealand cemetery
Bibliography
| « 1942 – 1945 Les Américains en Nouvelle Calédonie » | Paul-Jean Stahl |
|---|---|
| « La vie quotidienne en Nouvelle Calédonie de 1830 à nos jours » | Jacqueline Senes |
| « Laissez vous guider dans Nouméa » | Jacqueline Julien |
Several very illustrated articles from the New Caledonian Society of historical.
- Le jubilé SEH N° 92 ( début de l’installation des Américains et quand revivent les héros).
- Les hôpitaux US et la Plaine des Gaïacs – SEH N° 59
- L’aviation US dabs le Pacifique – SEH N° 93