Mules, horses and their attendants ready to set off down the mule track on the first stage of the journey to the small village of uberi, on the kokoda trail. Kokoda 2006 internet movie firearms database guns in. In that month the japanese landed troops at buna and gona on the papuan north coast and in the following month they landed another force at milne bay. More australians died in the months of fighting in papua, than in any other campaign of world war ii. Kokoda not only was the most important battle won and fought by australians but it also shaped australias postwar training practises and military. It was australias first military test when its security was directly threatened. Lastly, kokoda was the battle that lead to ww2 victory, as well as to the improvement of australias military operations. A compelling documentary commissioned by the australian army on the 50th anniversary of the kokdoda campaign. Forming part of the kokoda track campaign of the second world war, the battle involved military forces from australia, supported by the united states, fighting against japanese troops from major general tomitaro horiis south seas detachment who had landed around buna and gona in papua midjuly 1942.
Charlie has led more than 90 expeditions across the kokoda trail over the past 26 years. The kokoda track campaign or kokoda trail campaign was part of the pacific war of world war ii. The battle of kokoda consisted of two engagements fought in late july early august 1942. The campaign consisted of a series of battles fought from july to november 1942 between japanese and allied forces in papua. Kokoda wwii timeline timeline created by janderson5698. Kokoda follows a lost platoon of australian soldiers cut off from their supply line on the kokoda track during the battle for isurava in 1940s papua, new guinea. Now bestselling author peter fitzsimons tells the kokoda story in a gripping, and moving, style for all. Comparable to paths of glory or brotherhood, it will certainly have place in my war films collection. Newsreels boost morale history, topic 4 australia and world war 2. The significance of the kokoda campaign was that is saved australia from the threat and risk of an invasion from japan, which would of probably forced australia to surrender.
Video blocking the kokoda trail how did australia troops push back japanese troops from advancing along the kokoda trail in papua new guinea. Brian freeman knows the kokoda trail better than almost any other living australian. One of the most brutal conflicts in australian war history, the kokoda campaign was a powerful victory that directly saved australia from the threat o. Buried secrets of wwii tv national geographic australia. The history and significance of the kokoda campaign. In july 1942, japanese forces landed on the northern coast of papua.
It is the kokoda campaign, however, that holds a central place in the australian publics consciousness. Brilliantly narrated and visual documentary on the entire kokoda campaign. The kokoda track memorial walkway is a unique tribute to the bravery of australian troops who fought through atrocious conditions and against vastly superior enemy numbers in the papuanew guinea campaign of july 1942january 1943. The campaign consisted of a series of battles fought between july and november 1942 in what was then the australian territory of papua. To play the downloadable video, you need quicktime 7. Road to kokoda 1942 clip 1 on aso australias audio. See more ideas about anzac day, world war and world war two. Battle for new guinea 19421945 ww2 documentary film. This blackandwhite clip from the cinesound newsreel kokoda front line. This primary source is from the australian war memorial website, its a photograph of the kokoda trail. Using a mixture of archival footage, interviews and dramatic reconstructions, it tells the story of the fierce and bitter campaign, from the fighting. A new documentary takes viewers back 75 years along the kokoda trail 6. A situation that directly threatened australia as most of the allied forces were consumed with fighting their own battles many thousands of miles away. But also marked the point at which japans resources became too stretched to support further offensive operations.
A collection of public domain world war ii books, radio broadcasts, vdiscs, films, and other ephemera. Conclusion the battles on the kokoda trail and the defence of port moresby played an important role in both the defence of australia and the defeat of japan. Their objective was to make their way overland along the kokoda track and capture port moresby on the southern coast. Lost battlefield of kokoda battle kokoda track ww2 book. The kokoda trail was 145 miles 233 km long and, in many places, only. Kokoda australian best dvd documentary wwii books on war. Kokoda track essaysthe japanese wanted to take australia out of the war and to do this they had to capture port moresby in new guinea because it could be used as an aircraft base for them.
It was one of four winners of the 15th academy awards for best documentary. The strategy and tactics of kokoda by prezi user on prezi. The kokoda trial is so important to the defense of australia that the soldiers made the every effort to win the war. The incredible wwii escape of major damon rocky gause. Imho this is arguably the best film docco on the ww2 kokoda campaign in new guinea. The battle of the kokoda trail of 23 july november 1942 saw the japanese army reach further south than at any other time during the second world war, in an attempt to capture port moresby, but also marked the point at which japans resources became too stretched to support further offensive operations, and ended as a clear australian victory. Patrick lindsay is one of australias leading nonfiction authors, having written 20 bestselling books, including the spirit of kokoda, the spirit of the digger, back from the dead on the bali bombing, the spirit of gallipoli, heart of a champion the greg welch biography, cosgrove, portrait of a leader general peter cosgrove biography, fromelles, kokoda spirit, our darkest day, the.
To download a free copy of this video clip choose from the options below. A comment made by a trekker, on a recent trip over the kokoda track has prompted me to elaborate on an issue that is rarely even considered let alone written about. This would give them control of papua, and a base from which to attack the australian mainland and shipping in. Download an order form and send to the australian war memorial click here. As the australians did, the japanese forcefully had to adapt to the vigorous terrain at kokoda. After watching this it will make it easier to understand why for so.
Battle of the kokoda trail history channel on foxtel. A twopart documentary which tells the true story of the brutal world war ii military campaign fought between australia and japan in the green hell of the mountains of papua new guinea. We then see air drops of supplies, wounded men being carried on stretchers by native porters, and men leaving camp to go to the front. Thanks to the generosity of the rights holders, we are able to offer australias front line from the newsreel road to kokoda as a high quality video download. Good war film about australians in ww2, fighting the initial dealaying battle against the japanese who were using the kokoda track to cross the owen stanley mountains in papua new guinea. The strategies and tactics used by the australians helped them defeat the japanese soldiers, despite their inexperience in.
It shows members of the 16th brigade moving up the train, between nauro and menari, during the australian advance, in october 1942. See more ideas about wwii, world war and world war ii. A featurelength documentary commemorating the wwii kokoda campaign and exploring the spirit of kokoda, then and now. On the kokoda track, the australians contacted the japanese rearguard forward of templetons crossing on 8 october but the rate of the australian advance depended on the establishment of adequate dumps of airdropped supplies and the ability of the men to carry supplies forward from those dumps. The track a historical desktop study of the kokoda track. A featurelength documentary commemorating the wwii kokoda campaign and. It was primarily a land battle, between the japanese south seas detachment under major general tomitaro horii and australian and papuan land forces under. Kokoda was arguably australias most significant campaign of the second world war. The battle of the kokoda trail was one of the most significant campaigns undertaken by australians in the pacific war of wwll.
The defense of australia kokoda trial history essay. Kokoda rt japanese perspective how did the outcome of the kokoda campaign affect the japanese during wwii. A documentary on the kokoda campaign and trekking today. These scenes include footage of soldiers in the care of the salvation army. The documentary follows in the footsteps of australias illequipped and poorly trained conscripts, the chocolate soldiers, and the battle hardened troops of the australian imperial forces, walking the treacherous 98kilometre jungle trail from port moresby to kokoda, then on to the bloodstained battlegrounds of gona, buna and sanananda. This victory marked the first major turning of the japanese ground forced during the pacific war taylor et al p. It is aimed at people who want to find out more about what it was like on the kokoda trail during ww2. The adaption to this terrain was more difficult for the japanese as they. The nine network will broadcast kokoda, the spirit lives on anzac day 2020 at 1pm. Although it may seem slow at times, it manages to reflect the main features of the campaign.
This transport unit carries stores to men at forward areas over some of the roughest country in new guinea. The kokoda track or kokoda trail fighting was some of the most desperate and vicious encountered by australian troops in the second world war. Part fascinating military history, part gripping archaeological mystery, part exciting adventure, the lost battlefield of kokoda is the story of the trail and that longago battle how it was fought, then lost and found. This twopart documentary tells the story of the brutal world war ii campaign fought between australia and japan in the green hell of the.
He previously served in the australian army for 21 years. For australians, kokoda is the iconic battle of world war ii, yet few people know the names of the men who fought on the track, or even the details of what happened. It covers more than 800 metres from rhodes station to concord hospital in sydneys innerwest, and runs along the. Explore the enduring spirit that sustained the soldiers at kokoda and which still inspires. The battle of the kokoda trail saw the japanese army reach further south than at any other time during wwii, in an attempt to capture port moresby. The battle of kokoda was a fourmonth struggle, which began with the japanese landing in papua in july 1942. Kokoda 2010 kokoda is a 2010 abc australian broadcasting corporation documentary about the kokoda campaign.
In july 1942 australia had just two militia brigades in port moresby, the administrative centre of papua. Rabaul became the forward base for the japanese campaigns in mainland new guinea, including the pivotal kokoda track campaign of july. Although the successful capture of port moresby was never going to be precursor to an invasion of australia, victory on the kokoda track did. Along this track were combat situations with the japanese and the australians at kokoda, deniki, isurava. Kokoda was also the head of the kokoda trail, a primitive track leading over the owen stanleys to port moresby. Often described as a battle that saved australia, kokoda has come, during the last ten years or so, to rival gallipoli as a focus of national commemoration and reflection. Battle of the kokoda trail timeline timetoast timelines. The japanese advance force first landed in july 1942 with over.
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