Essay On Kokoda Battle

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Kokoda Battle World War II 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. Firstly, the Kokoda Battle was an important event because of its cultural significance to Australia. The Kokoda track stands as an icon for Australian participation in the Second World War, just as Gallipoli serves the same purpose for the First World War. In 1942, the Australian Territories of Papua and New Guinea were in law if not in public sentiment, as much a part of Australia as the Northern Territory. It is then quite true to say that Australian soil was invaded by the Japanese in 1942. The main objective of this battle was for Japan to capture Port Moresby via the Kokoda track and from there they would control the Pacific. This war was also very significant because of the mateship, loyalty and hard work the Australians did to protect our country even when they were “flat out” of energy, as evidenced by this quote I must admit to some degree of amazement as to how active they were, to be able to keep going. We were flat, absolutely flat out! Physically exhausted! And so they must have been! Still, when they encircled us at Efogi in an area like that...You'd have to be a qualified mountain goat t... ... middle of paper ... ...uld find a mass of blood around the bottom of your legs and these would be full of leeches, dropping off and lying on your socks. But 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. If you were the last in the evening, and it had been raining for two hours, you were dead unlucky. The mud was a foot deep all the way along. [Don Simonson, 39th Battalion, interviewed on the Australia Remembers Pilgrimage to Papua/New Guinea, June/July 1995, http://www.kokodatreks.com/history/thekokodacampaign.cfm ] In conclusion the Kokoda Battle was a highly significant event to Australia firstly because of its cultural significance then and now: secondly, because of its strategic significance and finally, the military significance to Australia and the condition they faced during the War.

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