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Background Events That Led To The Kokoda Campaign

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There were many background events which led to the Kokoda Campaign. The Japanese attempted to capture Port Moresby for two reasons, first, fighter aircrafts. These were needed to fly air protection over the invading fleet before, during and after landing and because the planes had a short range an airfield was required close to the target. Secondly, transport ships were needed to send supplies, equipment and reinforcements after every attack. Therefore if they base is too far then they are short of supplies. (The War in Papua: The Strategic Context, 2014). However the main objective of the Japanese had been to capture Port Moresby as it would not only enable them to isolate Australia from the US (Source 2). Japan had originally attempted to capture Port Moresby via the sea but after defeat at two naval battles the Coral Sea …show more content…

The Kokoda Trail was a critical supply line which ran over the Owen Stanley Range and straight to the capital city of Port Moresby. Control of this on Japan’s behalf gave them a huge advantage in obtaining supplies (Alex. D, 2014). On July 21st-22nd 1942 Japan had arranged to land their troops on the northern coast of New Guinea so they could advance to Port Moresby along the Kokoda Trail (source 2). On September 24th 1924 the Japanese began a slow withdrawal and headed back down the trail towards the northern beaches. Their withdrawal was followed by an Australian advancement (Kokoda Campaign Key Dates, 2014).
Two major events events occurred as the Australian’s and Japanese fought along the Kokoda Trail. On the 6th July, 1942, approximately 300 men from the Papuan Infantry Battalion (PIB) and young Australian men form the 39th Militia Battalion, known

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The extent in which the film Kokoda (2006) accurately represents aspects of the Kokoda campaign is moderate. The Kokoda campaign lasted four months and consisted of battles fought between Japanese and Australian forces. The battles began when Japanese forces arrived at the north coast of Papua New Guinea in July 1942. Their strategy was to advance through a track over the Owen Stanley Range and occupy Port Moresby, in order to use it as a base for launch operations and threaten Australia. As a defence, Australia sent the newly formed 39th Battalion to cross the Kokoda Track and defeat the Japanese.

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The Battle of Kokoda was a Japanese attempt to isolate Australia from their allies of the US so that they could not use their resources and weaponry. Kokoda was a direct result of other failed attempts by the Japanese for example, the Battle of Coral Sea. Kokoda gave the Australian military the opportunity to fight a forward defensive battle on foreign soil rather than an attempt to repel an enemy from its sovereign soil, within its victory it assisted in improving the moral of both the soldiers and its citizenry by providing a much needed victory that showed the Japanese could be defeated. Additionally, it was the first occasion where the new alliance between the Australian and American forces was tested and with this the alliance was cemented not only for world war to but continuing to present

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The Kokoda campaign consisted of multiple battles fought between Japanese and Allied forces between July and November in 1942. Various leaders of Australia’s political parties were aware of the risk of invasion, however the Japanese had plans which involved not directly targeting Australia,

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The Kokoda track consisted of a sequence of battles that occurred in-between July and November during 1942. The countries that were involved in this part of the war were the Japanese and the Allies, mainly the Australians. The battles were initiated in the eastern area of Papua New Guinea. The Japanese arrived at Buna and Gona on the the North Coast of Papua New Guinea during July.

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This was so important for the Pacific war as it marked the first time that the Japanese had been stopped in their advance across the pacific and stopped the Japanese from capturing Port Moresby. If the Japanese were able to successfully capture Port Moresby, then it would have put Australia at risk as the Japanese could have then invaded or attacked Australia. The Kokoda campaign is also significant for its use of military tactics that As significant as the Kokoda campaign was for the Pacific War, there was also many other campaigns and battles that were also extremely significant such as the Battle of the Coral Sea, the Siege of Tobruk, the Battle of Milne Bay, the Battle of the Bismarck Sea, and the Battle of Guadalcanal all of which were only a few of the many important battles that helped the success and safety of Australia and were vital to the allies attempt to overtake the axis powers. While, these battles the Australians were involved with were extremely helpful and vital to the Australians success in the war but the Kokoda campaign was significant in its own way for its use of military tactics such as jungle warfare and fire and movement where one of the group makes their way toward the enemy while another fires, to keep the enemy distracted and it saved Australia from being

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There are two sides to every story to many Australians Kokoda was recognized as the efforts of the Australian soldiers being critical to the defense of Australia against the threat of the Imprial Japanese Army. Such famous historic figures such as paul Keating and John Howard retelling the Kokoda story with the exaggeration of the Anzac’s defending Asutralia. But to some Australian’s such as the former senior historian at the Australia war memorial, DR Peter Stanley, has stated that the Japanese were not planning to make themselves masters of Australia in 1942 and that any Japanese threat to Australia in 1942 was greatly exaggerated by wartime prime minister John Curtin for his own political ends. I t is also known that Hideki Tojo the prime minster of Japan in 1942 stated, as being unfeasible to invade given Australia 's geography and the strength of the Allied defenses. Invading Australia was never an option for the Japanese Imperial Army.

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