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Removed the following information from the main page as it is not relevant to the article but information about the author may prove useful. Page originally created by the IP 139.168.102.95 CheekyMonkey 23:27, 25 October 2005 (UTC)
"The writer was a radio operator attached to 2/16th Infantry Battalion & finally left Makassar in mid February 1946 per Liberty Ship for Australia and discharge from the Army after five years service."[reply]
"My source is my personal involvement and memories."
This article is in great shape and would easily meet the GA criteria as it stands. I have a few suggestions for it's further development:
I'd suggest mentioning the RAAF and US mining operations and USAAF strategic bombing raids on Balikpapan (for the former, see pp 601-602 of this, for the latter pp. 316-22 of this)
The debates within the Australian Government over the operation could be covered in more detail. David Horner provides good coverage of this in his book High Command. MacArthur's duplicity is worth mentioning (in which he played the US Chiefs of Staff off against the Australian Government, with neither being enthusiastic about the operation but both believing that the other party was).
It might be worth checking if the 7th Division had had the same massive turnover of personnel as the 9th had experienced before the Borneo Campaign (as veterans were demobilised or assigned to other duties).
"Three US Navy escort carriers were also assigned to provide fighter support" - I think that this was due to concerns that Tarakan wouldn't be ready in time as a base for fighters?
I'd suggest discussing the tactics the Allies used in this battle, where massive amounts of firepower were made available in an attempt to minimise casualties. From memory, Gavin Long commented on the massive extent to which the 7th Division was reinforced and supported.
On the topic of Long, there might be some maps which could be used from the now-PD volume of the official history?
" beginning a few weeks before the bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki effectively ended the war." - the Soviet intervention is usually also noted as being one of the main factors as well
"In this regard, and in light of the strategic situation which had effectively negated many of the Allies stated reasons for the operation," - I think that historians go further than this, arguing that as there was no intent to make the planned follow-on attacks into Java by the time of the landing at Balikpapan, it should never have occurred. Nick-D (talk) 01:19, 26 October 2019 (UTC)[reply]
G'day, Nick, thanks for these points. I think I have addressed them now. Unfortunately I don't have High Command, but added a bit from Pratten instead, which seemed to cover it. Regards, AustralianRupert (talk) 07:31, 26 October 2019 (UTC)[reply]
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