Here's what happened in the Pacific in 1943:

JANUARY
2 U.S. and Australian troops take Buna.
4 Japanese begin evacuation of Guadalcanal.
12 U.S. begins moving into the Aleutians.
22 Allies complete occupation of Papua (New Guinea).
23 U.S. captures Mt. Austen (Guadalcanal).
28 Unsuccessful Japanese attack on Wau (New Guinea).

FEBRUARY
1-8 Japanese evacuate Guadalcanal.
9 U.S. complete occupation of Guadalcanal.
14 Britain begins "Chindit" operations in Burma.

MARCH
3-5 Battle of the Bismarck Sea.
5 Japan begins offensive up the Yangtze River (China).
26 Battle of Komandarski Island (Bering Sea).

APRIL
7-12 Japanese air offensive in the Solomons and New Guinea.
18 Admiral Yamamoto shot down over Bougainville (Solomons).

MAY
11 U.S. lands on Attu (Aleutians).
14 British offensive in Burma ends in retreat.
30 Attu secured.

JUNE
21-25 Allies land on New Georgia.
29-30 Alles land in Nassau Bay (New Guinea).
30 U.S. takes Rendova (Solomons).

JULY
5-6 Battle of Kula Gulf (Solomons).
12 Battle of Kolombangara (Solomons).
28 Japanese evacuate Kiska (Aleutians).

AUGUST
6-7 Battle of Vella Gulf (Solomons).
15 U.S. and Canadian troops land on Kiska.
28 End of Japanese resistance on New Georgia.

SEPTEMBER
4-5 Allies land near Lae (New Guinea).
11 Japanese evacuate Salamaua (New Guinea).
22 Australians land near Finschhafen (New Guinea).

OCTOBER
Stilwell's Chinese troops advance in Burma.
2 Australians take Finschhafen.
4 Japanese evacuate Kolombangara.
6 Battle of Vella Lavella (off New Georgia).
23-24 U.S. air raids on Rabaul.

NOVEMBER
1 U.S. Marines land on Bougainville.
1-2 Battle of Empress Augusta Bay (Bougainville).
20 U.S. Marines land on Tarawa and Makin (Gilberts).
24-25 Battle of Cape St. George (New Georgia).
29 Australians capture Gusika and Bonga (New Guinea).

DECEMBER
2 Australians capture Huanko (New Guinea).
8 Australians take Warea (New Guinea).
15 U.S. lands on Arawe Peninsula (New Britain).
Australians take Lakona (New Guinea).
26 U.S. forces take Cape Gloucester (New Britain).

If I left anything important out, I'm sure someone will remind me.

I'll let someone else answer the rest of your questions.

On the Russian front there are many good histories on the late war period- one of my favorites is Earl Ziemke's "Stalingrad to Berlin: the German Defeat in the East."

Patrick:

If you haven't seen the BBC's "World at War" -you're missing out. It's astoundingly great, and covers much of the Russian and Pacific experience, as well as some of the suffering of China under the japanese occupation.

As I understand things, the Red Chinese were not an important part of WW-2. Neither, really, was Chang Kai Chek. Both fought as little as possible to preserve themselves for their coming struggle. China, like most of Asia in those days, was as backwards as Africa. Not much of an economy to base a large active army on.

-Lupo