The Saber and Scroll Journal Volume 9, Number 3, Winter 2020 | Page 184

The Saber and Scroll
Physical deterioration also led to a deteriorating state of mind . The realization that they had no weapons capable of destroying the Japanese bunkers created a sense of hopelessness , the worst state of mind a soldier can have . What they had did not work . What they needed ( tanks , flamethrowers , bazookas ) was unavailable . Yet , the division commander , General Harding , ordered another major attack for 26 November .
Harding had little choice but to order another attack . General MacArthur consistently prodded him and was growing impatient . Harding put together everything he had to support the new attack . Six Australian guns , a dozen 81-mm mortars , heavy machine guns , and thirty-five aircraft would play a role . None of it mattered . The air attack was inaccurate ( precise bombing in the jungle is nearly impossible ), the artillery and mortars did little damage , and the infantry was once again driven back . Defending against these attacks was not difficult ; they were all frontal attacks . The terrain gave US commanders little choice . To break the stalemate and to drive the Japanese from their bunkers , tanks and better artillery were needed . General Harding pleaded for tanks . They would come . Harding was gone when they arrived . 14
General MacArthur was not a patient man . He never visited the battlefield ; he never saw the conditions his men were fighting and dying in . He also had Australian officers in his headquarters chirping in his ear about the “ inadequate ” fighting abilities of US soldiers . 15 He wanted Harding out and looked to Robert Eichelberger to replace him . Eichelberger received one of the more famous sendoffs in American military history :
I want you to go to Buna and capture it . If you do not do so I don ’ t want you to come out alive and that applies to your Chief of Staff also . Do you understand Bob ? Time is of the essence ! I want you to relieve Harding Bob . Send him back to America . If you don ’ t do it I will . Relieve every regimental and battalion commander . Put corporals in command if necessary . Get somebody who will fight . When do you want to start Bob ? 16
Eichelberger left for Buna the next morning . He did not launch an immediate attack , a decision that no doubt infuriated MacArthur . After inspecting the front he noticed several major deficiencies :
1 . The state of mind of the troops must improve . They above all needed a sense of aggressiveness , a desire to close with and defeat the enemy .
2 . All indirect fires would be placed under the control of a Fire Direction Center and the location of all Japanese positions would be registered . Vigorous scouting and patrolling would begin immediately to pinpoint those positions .
3 . Commanders would operate from the front , not rear command posts .
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