Kokoda was arguably Australia’s most significant campaigns of the Second World War. The track crosses some of the most rugged and most isolated terrain in the world, and is only passable by foot. Being poorly equipped, and having not developed effective jungle warfare tactics, troops had to manoeuvre through the rough terrain. “In these moss forests, where you couldn't see the sun, the roots of the trees are all covered in moss and the track was only root from root. Further along, where it was not quite so high, you would spend three hours climbing up a small pad through the jungle.” (Simonson, 1995) Australia’s involvement through this jungle-enclosed pathway was the last resource Australian troops needed to conquer to defend the mainland from dire threat. Through nightmare conditions like torrential rain, leeches, malaria horrific fighting and more Australia managed to push the Japanese back to where they came from. Despite the relatively small size of our armed forces, Australians fighting in the Kokoda campaign made a significant outcome to world war two. The complex issue of a track that crosses some of the most rugged and most isolated terrain in the world which is only passable by foot made the fight between the Australians and the Japanese. The kokoda track began along the gentle slope of Buna on the coast of the kokoda valley, but soon revolved into steep ridges, plunging to deep valleys, to dense rainforests with dripping moss and leeches. The kokoda track is a footpath across the Owen Stanley ranges in Papua New Guinea. It runs from the highland town of Kokoda to the Sogeri plateau about 25 miles east of Port Moresby. During the war neither the Japanese nor Australians had proper maps of the track over mountains, the tr... ... middle of paper ... ...om.au/2011/10/04/kokoda-coin-marks-australias-most-significant-wwii-campaign/ state libaray. (2014). kokda track campaign. Retrieved from ergo: http://ergo.slv.vic.gov.au/explore-history/australia-wwii/abroad-wwii/kokoda-track-campaign the kokoda track. (2014). jungle warefare. Retrieved from the kokoda track: http://kokoda.commemoration.gov.au/jungle-warfare/malaria-and-dysentery.php the kokoda track foundation. (2014). condition along the track. Retrieved from kokoda track foundation: http://www.kokodatrackfoundation.org/conditions-along-the-track.aspx wilkinson, o. j. (1942). kokoda campaign. Retrieved from kokoda treks: https://www.kokodatreks.com/history/thekokodacampaign/index.cfm World Book Online. (2014). Kokoda Trail. Retrieved March 30th, 2014, from World Book Online: http://www.worldbookonline.com/student/extmedia?id=ar303750&st=kokoda+trail&em=lr006094
In 1937, Japan started a war against China, in search of more resources to expand its empire. In 1941, during World War II, Japan attacked America which is when the Allies (Australia, Britain etc.) then declared war on Japan. Before long the Japanese started extending their territory closer and closer to Australia and started taking surrendering troops into concentration camps where they were starved, diseased and beaten. When they were captured, one survivor reports that they were told
of the book. Upper Saddle River: Pearson, 2007. 695-696. Print. The.
Lewis, R. (n.d.). The Home Front - World War 2. Retrieved April 1, 2014, from www.anzacday.org.au: http://www.anzacday.org.au/history/ww2/homefront/overview.html
Vol. 8. Chicago, IL: World Book, 2009. Print. G Freeman, Shanna.
The Kokoda Battle occurred from the 21st July 1942 to 16th November in 1942, during World War II. It was a campaign which resulted in an aggressive fight between the Japanese and the Allies. I believe that, based on my research, the Kokoda Battle in World War II was a significant battle for Australians to a great extent. I believe this for three reasons: firstly, the battle was culturally significant to Australia: secondly, the battle was strategically significant to Australia: and thirdly, the battle was of military significance to Australia. I will argue that these reasons are three strong reasons.
Australian involvement in World War II was drawn by their relationship with Britain. Due to Australia’s and Britain’s bond , Australians were expected to support and provide
To outline the main features of the Kokoda campaign, it was an unexpected victory from the Australians side to which had little expertise and knowledge
The landscape of Iwo Jima was hellish itself. From the large jagged volcanic mountains to the steamed it leaked that smelt like sulfur. The total area of this little hell is less than seven square miles. The island had many aspects that would favor the defender. The island had few beaches, which made it harder for enemies to invade and take the island over. Also it had a "lunar" like landscape with du...
Australia is at war with Japan and Port Moresby is under threat of invasion from Japanese forces. The film tells the story of a small group of Australian soldiers who are sent out as forward patrol, past the defensive perimeters already in place, and ordered to contain the incoming Japanese attacks. The Australian soldiers were quickly dominated by Japanese forces and the group quickly found themselves trapped behind enemy lines. Isolated, the group begin to conquer the unforgiving and harsh landscape separating them from the rest of their mates in Isurava. It is during this part of the film where the theme of Mateship takes centre stage at the forefront of the film. After three days with no food or sleep, and the soldiers now feeling the effects of malaria and dysentery, alliances are formed, strengths and weaknesses appear, and leadership struggles threaten to destroy the
It is believed that the ANZAC legend originated from where the soldiers came from, which was a newly federated convict country. These men wanted to prove something and as shown by their bravery and courage, their strong characteristics were shore revealed. Despite not having a military victory, the ANZAC’s showed immense amounts of courage, endurance, discipline, initiative and mateship, which has since become the qualities known as the Anzac Spirit. The ANZAC’s were also known as ‘diggers’, which referred to men who were extremely determined and men who had immeasurable amount of bravery. These qualities are still recognized and are associated with brave and courageous behaviour, which shows that Australian still think that the ANZAC legend is important
War time propaganda and censorship has been widely recognised as a means of ‘managing public opinion and boosting morale’ (dl.nfsa.gov.au, n.d.). This control of information was handled by the Department of Information, which was set up at the start of WWII to control the production and censoring of information. Primarily, the government controlled information that was being presenting to the Australian public through the radio and print media, with a view to maintaining high morale and projecting a positive image of the allied action.
The last line of defence, that’s what we were. Untrained, unknown and unrecognised until this time. The battle on the Kokoda trail was the worst experience of my life. Day by day there was nothing left in my body; the only thing that kept me going was the urge to make it back successfully. We didn’t know much about the Japenese, just that they were highly trained and outnumbered us severely...that’s all that really mattered anyway.
Their Task was to hold Kokoda at all cost because of the Air Base their, If the Japanese took the air base they would be able to bomb Australia with ease. Source 6 shows the conditions the Australians were fighting in. They could barely see the path they were following and anything to the sides of the path was a mystery. The deep undergrowth of the New Guinea meant that Japanese soldiers could be hiding in bush or scrub bordering the path, the 19 year old men would have had to be incredibly courageous to keep walking through this dense jungle. In late July 1942 the Japanese managed to capture Kokoda. But even though the force had already been beaten by the Japanese they refused to lay down, they retreated and attacked once reinforcements came, by August the 7th Kokoda was back in the hands of Australian Soldiers. This would have to be one of the bravest things a 19 year old could do, the men who had survived the attack on Kokoda and had lost the battle to retreat and then convince themselves to return and fight the enemy who had just beaten them. The Australians in Kokoda, by displaying bravery, they saved many Australian cities from the
University of The People. UNDERGRADUATE CATALOG UNIVERSITY OF THE PEOPLE. Retrieved February 11, 2017, from
In the film the difficulties of war such as lack of water, starvation and health are not identified like they are in primary sources. This is evident as an Australian solider by the name of “Lieutenant F.H. Semple” stated, “One of the greatest difficulties here is the shortage of water…I had the first shave for a week and my face was coated with dust and grime I had got through all the recent fighting and trench digging. After I had finished the water in my mess tin it was muddy and I washed my face in that and then had my tea out of the same tin”. This daily life in Gallipoli writing by “Lieutenant F.H. Semple” clearly illustrates that in Gallipoli one of the greatest challenges was the lack of water. This shows that the life of Australian troops in Gallipoli is different through the life depicted through primary