Rabaul? in world war two?

Question:what importance was the island of rabaul to Japan in world war two?

Best Answer - Chosen by Asker: what importance was the island of rabaul to Japan in world war two?

It was the largest fortress for the Japanese military in the SE Pacific, located on the island of New Britain. It was a major air, navy, and submarine base with 200,000 troops at it maximum strength.

The base allowed the Japanese to threaten and attack the Solomons (Guadalcanal), New Guinea, and Australia, including the major sea lanes from the US to Australia.

Given its size and strength, the Allies by passed it on the drive to recapture the Philippines, but kept it under continuous observation and attack. Admiral Yamamoto, the architect of Pearl Harbor, was shot down while en route to Rabaul.

"Rabaul was important because of its proximity to the Japanese territory of the Caroline Islands, including a major Imperial Japanese Navy base, on Truk."

- Wikipedia