List of wars involving Fiji

A number of wars occurred throughout Fijian history, from the Fijian tribes (pre 1871) to the Kingdom of Fiji (1871–1874), Colony of Fiji (1874–1970), Dominion of Fiji (1970–1987), and the Republic of Fiji (1987–present).

Fijian tribes (pre 1871)

Conflict Combatant 1 Combatant 2 Results Casualties
Battle of Nawaidamudamu
(Late 1700s)
Vutia Kalabu Decisive Victory for Kalabu 350 slain
Battle of Nayau Cicia Lakeba Lakeba Victory
(Mataisalia Tui Cicia slain, many warriors slain, survivors enslaved)
?
Battle of Vauroka Nadi people,
Sikituru (Yavusa Saunivalu)
Sabeto people Nadi-Sikituru Victory
(Sikituru assisted Nadi people against Sabeto)
?
Battle of Kedekede Vuaka Loa (led by Nakorotubu) Lakeba Vuaka Loa Victory
(4 women given as "qusi ni loaloa")
?
Attack of Malomalo and Wai Nabekasiga (grandson of Wakanimolikula),
Nadroga warriors
Namotutu people,
Malomalo,
Wai villages
Decisive Victory for Nadroga
(Villages of Malomalo and Wai ravaged, many killed, survivors fled/taken prisoner, lands taken by Nabekasiga; later re-established by Nakadriudriu. Nabekasiga killed at Narara after continuing campaign up Sigatoka River.)
Many killed
Some taken prisoner
Nabekasiga killed
Battle of Wairiki Tui Cakau (Ratu Golea),
Cakaudrove warriors,
Catholic missionaries (Father Favre)
Ma'afu (Tongan Prince),
Wainiqolo (Tongan warlord),
Tongan forces
Decisive Victory for Cakaudrove
(Preservation of Cakaudrove autonomy, significant conversion to Catholicism)
Many Tongan casualties (some reportedly eaten)
Cakaudrove: ?
Conflict of Navatu
(Nawaqalevu vs. Mulase Dispute)
Mulase (Vusatabua supporters)
Navatu people
Nawaqalevu
Nalawa army
Rakiraki army
Decisive Victory for Navatu/Mulase
(Rakiraki army repelled, 'Eki of Nalawa killed, Navatu claimed independence from Tu Navitilevu authority)
'Eki (strong man of Nalawa) killed
Others: ?
Battle of Suva (Denison and Duncan Roads) Suva scouts
Suva army
Vuna men
Rō Camaisala
Decisive Victory for Suva
(Rō Camaisala fatally speared, Vuna army fled, cannibal feast ensued)
Rō Camaisala killed
Others: ?
Battle of Drekeniwai (Wainibuka) Nayavu
Bau
Wailevu
Nasautoka
Qelema
Victory for Nayavu, Bau & Wailevu ?
**Attack on Wakaya**
(c. 1838)
Tui Levuka
Ovalau warriors
Wakaya Decisive Victory for Ovalau
(Wakayan men of Korolevu killed, women captured; Wakayan chief perished)
Wakayan men: all killed
Wakayan women: all captured
Wakayan Chief: killed
**Battle of Matari Beach** Yale army Tavuki warriors Decisive Victory for Yale
(Tavuki warriors killed)
Tavuki warriors: 40+ killed
Others: ?
**Namena Massacre**
(1839)
Viwa Namena Decisive Victory for Viwa
(Namena people, while visiting Viwa, were massacred)
Namena: Many killed
80 women were strangled in the 'loloku' ritual in response
**Battle of Qereqere** Tui Daku and his warriors Kaibu islanders Decisive Victory for Tui Daku
(Kaibu was attacked, survivors taken captive)
?
Battle of Nasolo Dreketi Drakaniwai army (from Lekutu) Decisive Victory for Dreketi
(Drakaniwai army butchered, survivors fled)
Drakaniwai army: Many butchered, some fled
Others: ?
Battle of Waidranudranu Vuya Bua (Navotua warriors) Decisive Victory for Vuya
(Sabebelo and all his army slaughtered)
Sabebelo and entire Bua/Navotua army slaughtered
Battle of Waimate (Lami) Natodre people
Lami people
Lomaivuna army Decisive Victory for Natodre/Lami
(Lomaivuna army killed in a river nearby, their attempt to take over Lami repelled)
Lomaivuna army: All or many killed
Others: ?
Battle of Matava Kadavu warriors (led by the Ratu/chief) Rewa warriors Decisive Victory for Kadavu
(Rewa warriors defeated, battle site named Matava)
?
Battle of Tavarua Malolo (assisted by Viwa) Yaravoro (Kwa Levu of Nadroga)
Nadroga people
Decisive Victory for Malolo/Viwa
(Yaravoro and Nadroga people clubbed)
Yaravoro killed
Nadroga people: ?
Attack on Nawaka (Navo-NoiVulani vs. Nawaka Alliance) Navo
NoiVulani (under instructions from Navula)
Nawaka people
Noi Naiqoro
Naua
Utiloaloa
Decisive Victory for Nawaka Alliance
(Attackers repelled, Navo village burned, Navo and NoiVulani scattered)
?
**Battle of Vatukoro** Yalatina
Navatusila
Nadrakuma
Navakadevo
Bau Decisive Victory for the Highland Tribes
(Bau forces defeated)
Bau: ~70 warriors killed
Highland Tribes: ?
**Battle of Qoibau** Macuata army Labasa tribes Decisive Victory for Labasa
(Macuata army defeated)
?
**Battle of Yasawa (Matacawalevu-Nacula vs Teci)** Tui Bua
Matacawalevu
Tamasua (Yasawairara)
Teci
Nacula
Decisive Victory for Tui Bua and Allies
(Teci forces were worsted)
?
**Quarrel of the Yam Gardens**
(or **Battle of Navo**)
Noi Navo Vucunisai
Kai Loa
Decisive Victory for Vucunisai and Kai Loa
(Noi Navo, armed only with digging sticks, were attacked and chased from their gardens)
Noi Navo: Several slain
Others: ?
**Battle of Nairaiwaqa** Drau (Nadereivalu) Waimaro (Nagonenicolo) Decisive Victory for Nadereivalu
(Nadereivalu forces ambushed and slaughtered the Waimaro-Nagonenicolo army)
Waimaro-Nagonenicolo army: Slaughtered
Others: ?
**Sack of Rewa Lomanikoro** Bau
Tokatoka
Burebasaga
Rewa Decisive Victory for Bau and Allies
(Lomanikoro sacked and burned, over 300 slaughtered, Rewa's capital devastated, Kania targeted but escaped)
Over 300 slaughtered (Rewa)
Kania (Tui Dreketi) survived
Others: ?
**Battle of Bau (Lasakau vs. Bau)** Lasakau Bau Decisive Victory for Lasakau
(Bauan bure set on fire, Bauans forced to flee to mainland)
?
Namosi-Dravuni War
(Including Battle of Delainavua)
Tui Namosi
Namosi forces
Dravuni
Korolevu
Decisive Victory for Dravuni & Korolevu
(Tui Namosi repelled, Son of Kuruduadua killed, Namosi ambushed, Namosi forced to abandon Delainavua and retreat, finally forced back to Namosi)
Considerable losses on both sides initially
Son of Kuruduadua killed
Large number of Namosi killed
1840 Fiji expedition Fiji United States Defeat Fiji: 74-104 dead
4 villages destroyed
U.S.: 2 Dead
1855 Fiji expedition
(October 1855)
Fiji United States Defeat
?
Battle of Kaba
(1855)
Fiji
Tonga
Rewa Province
Bau
Victory
Fiji: ?
Tonga: 21 killed 20 wounded
1858 Fiji expedition
(6–16 October 1858)
Fijians United States Defeat
14 killed
~36 wounded
115 huts destroyed


Colony of Fiji (1874–1970)

Conflict Combatant 1 Combatant 2 Results Casualties
Bougainville Campaign
(1943–1944)
United States
Australia
 New Zealand
Colony of Fiji
 Japan Victory
USA:

727 dead Australia:

516 dead
Guadalcanal Campaign
(1942–1943)
United States
United Kingdom
 • Solomon Islands[1]
 • Fiji[2]
Australia
 New Zealand
Tonga[3]
 Japan Victory
7,100 dead

7,789+ wounded 4 captured 29 ships lost

615 aircraft lost
Malayan Emergency
(1948–1960)
Commonwealth forces:
United Kingdom 

Australia Australia
New Zealand New Zealand
Supported by:
Thailand (Thai-Malaysian border)

Communist forces:
Malayan Communist Party

Supported by:
China China[4][5][6]
North Vietnam Viet Minh (until 1954)
North Vietnam (from 1954)[7][8][9]
Soviet Union[6][10]
Indonesia[5][6]

Victory
Killed: 1,346 Malayan troops and police

519 British military personnel

Wounded: 2,406 Malayan and British troops/police

Dominion of Fiji (1970–1987)

Conflict Combatant 1 Combatant 2 Results Casualties
First 1987 Fijian coup d'état[11]
(1987)
Fijian Government Royal Fiji Military Forces Military Victory
Second 1987 Fijian coup d'état[11]
(1987)
Royal Fiji Military Forces Fijian Government Victory

Republic of Fiji (1987–present)

Conflict Combatant 1 Combatant 2 Results Casualties
Bougainville Civil War
(1988–1989)
Bougainville Interim Government (BIG)

Supported by:
Solomon Islands
Fiji 

Papua New Guinea
  • Buka Liberation Front
  • Bougainville Resistance Force

Supported by:
Australia

*Bougainville Peace Agreement
1,000–2,000 fighters killed
2000 Fijian coup d'état
(2000–2001)
Republic of Fiji Hardline i-Taukei Rebels
  • *   Fijian Army Mutineers
Victory 8 killed
2006 Fijian coup d'état
(2006)
Republic of Fiji Military Forces Fijian government Military Victory
  • Josefa Iloilo is ousted by the Army
  • Bainimarama took the presidential power and office

References

  1. ^ Zimmerman documents the participation by native Solomon Islanders in the campaign at pp. 173–175.
  2. ^ Jersey, pp. 356–358. Assisting the Americans in the latter stages of campaign were Fijiian commandos led by officers and non-commissioned officers from the New Zealand Expeditionary Force.
  3. ^ Garamone, Jim (9 November 2010). "Mullen Thanks Tonga for Steadfast Support". U.S. Navy. Archived from the original on February 24, 2013. Retrieved 9 January 2018.
  4. ^ John W. Garver (1 December 2015). China's Quest: The History of the Foreign Relations of the People's Republic of China. Oxford University Press. pp. 219–. ISBN 978-0-19-026106-1.
  5. ^ a b A. Dahana (2002). "China Role's in Indonesia's "Crush Malaysia" Campaign". Universitas Indonesia. Archived from the original on 19 July 2016. Retrieved 19 July 2016.
  6. ^ a b c Mohd. Noor Mat Yazid (2013). "Malaysia-Indonesia Relations Before and After 1965: Impact on Bilateral and Regional Stability" (PDF). Programme of International Relations, School of Social Sciences, Universiti Malaysia Sabah. Archived from the original (PDF) on 19 July 2016. Retrieved 19 July 2016.
  7. ^ Ching Fatt Yong (1997). The origins of Malayan communism. South Seas Society. ISBN 978-9971-936-12-9.
  8. ^ T. N. Harper; Timothy Norman Harper (9 April 2001). The End of Empire and the Making of Malaya. Cambridge University Press. ISBN 978-0-521-00465-7.
  9. ^ Major James M. Kimbrough IV (6 November 2015). Disengaging From Insurgencies: Insights From History And Implications For Afghanistan. Pickle Partners Publishing. pp. 88–. ISBN 978-1-78625-345-3.
  10. ^ Geoffrey Jukes (1 January 1973). The Soviet Union in Asia. University of California Press. pp. 302–. ISBN 978-0-520-02393-2.
  11. ^ a b "The Literature of the 1987 Fiji Coup".