Lesson 19: The Battle of Kokoda

TASK 1: Glossary

Find the meanings of the following words and add them to your Glossary page:

• Militia

• Battalion

• Kokoda

• Maroubra Force

• Papuan Infantry Battalion (PIB)

• Fuzzy-Wuzzies

TASK 2: Comprehension

Read through the following information below and the complete the questions

The Kokoda Trail is an approximately 96-kilometre narrow path connecting Port Moresby to the village of Kokoda in Papua New Guinea. In 1942, the Japanese navy had been frustrated in its attempts to seize Port Moresby from the sea, so the Japanese army was forced to launch an overland assault on the town via the Kokoda Trail. If Japan had successfully seized Port Moresby, it could have used the town as a base for attacks on northern and eastern Australia. Australia’s Prime Minister John Curtin recalled the AIF to defend Australia, but it took time for these troops to be transported to Papua New Guinea. This meant the Kokoda campaign was initially fought by under-equipped militia units, known as the ‘Maroubra Force’. This force was composed entirely of CMF and local Papuan infantry units. As a result, it was underprepared for frontline combat. The soldiers had received little training in jungle warfare, and were equipped with old, outdated weapons. Many of these young men had only recently turned 18.

The Kokoda campaign is arguably the most significant military campaign in Australia’s history. Although it is generally accepted that Japan did not plan to invade mainland Australia during World War II, this was a real fear at the time. Given the limited information available to them, the soldiers of Maroubra Force believed they were fighting the ‘battle to save Australia’. Had the militia units of Maroubra Force not held up the Japanese advance until the AIF arrived with reinforcements, the war in the Pacific would have continued for much longer, and cost even more lives. The campaign is made even more incredible by the conditions in which it was fought.

Approximately 625 Australians were killed fighting along the trail, while at least 16 000 were wounded and more than 4000 suffered from serious illnesses such as malaria. In the immediate aftermath of the campaign, members of Maroubra Force were hailed as ‘the men who saved Australia’. The campaign also had an immediate impact on the organisation of both the American and Australian armies. The Australian troops on the trail had been poorly supplied because of the unreliability of air drops. Both the Australian and American militaries developed new techniques for dropping supplies after their experiences at Kokoda.

Questions

1. Approximately how long was the Kokoda Trail and where is it located?

2. What would have happened if the Japanese successfully seized Port Moresby?

3. What happened as a result of the AIF taking their time to be transported to Papua New Guinea?

4. Outline the problems faced by the Maroubra Force.

5. Briefly explain why the Kokoda campaign is arguably the most significant campaign in Australia's history.

6. Briefly explain the impact of the Kokoda campaign on Australia. (Hint: how many casualties were there, what did this mean for Australia's development of their armies)

TASK 3: Conditions of the Track.

Read through the source below and complete the questions

"Imagine an area of approximately one hundred miles long. Crumple and fold this into a series of ridges, each rising higher and higher until seven thousand feet is reached, then declining in ridges to three thousand feet. Cover this thickly with jungle, short trees and tall trees, tangled with great, entwining savage vines. Through an oppression of this density, cut a little native track, two or three feet wide, up the ridges, over the spurs, round gorges and down across swiftly-flowing, happy mountain streams. Where the track clambers up the mountain sides, cut steps - big steps, little steps, steep steps - or clear the soil from the tree roots."

Source 1: Description of the track by Sir Kingsley Norris, an army medical officer for the Australian 7th Division.

Questions

1. How did you feel reading Sir Kingsley Norris' description of the track?

2. How does he describe the vegetation on the track?

3. What do you understand more clearly about the environment of the Kokoda Track after reading his description?

4. Imagine climbing and descending the track carrying a weapon and supplies while fighting a better trained enemy. Discuss your thoughts with the person next to you.