During World War II many different groups of people displayed Bravery and represented their country to the best of the ability and did everything they could to benefit their country. Both the allies and the Axis of evil displayed bravery. The Royal Air Force displayed bravery on many different occasions; The Japanese Kamikaze bombers used extreme bravery to put their country before themselves, the young Australians in New Guinea, proved how young men could also be brave, some of the lesser recognized soldiers, such as the Kenyan’s displayed bravery in tough situations. Not only the soldiers, Navy and Air Force showed bravery but the citizens of London during the bombings. These groups ultimately changed the history of the world. Squadron number …show more content…
250 was a unit of the RAF (Royal Air Force) and the RAAF (Royal Australian Air Force) and they displayed a large amount of bravery during aerial fighting with the Germans and the Italians over the Libyan Desert. One of the pilots, Murray Adams later spoke to the ABC and stated, “The Germans had vastly superior speed and rate of climb.” This meant that the British and Australian pilots were incredibly brave to agree to fight with planes that could chase them down easily and be able to react to their manoeuvres extremely quickly. Murray is an exceptional case of bravery because when he joined the RAAF he did not know how to fly, he was never taught how to parachute out of the plane due to the reason that the RAF believed that if you had to use the parachute, then you would learn pretty quickly. During one of the Dog Fights, a German fighter plane managed to hit his plane when he was just above 14 000 feet, his plane started spinning around. When talking about this Adams said “ We didn’t really know how to get a Tomahawk (the type of plane) out of a spin in those days.” Murray decided the best thing to do was to parachute away from the plane. When he tried to open the aircrafts canopy to escape, he couldn’t because a bullet had pierced it, so it couldn’t slide. Because he was spinning oil was all over the place making it hard for him to see. Luckily for him the engine seized up and the plane came out of a spin by itself with about 200 feet to go. Adams then calmly pulled into a belly landing and once on land avoided a German ground patrol and was the picked up by a British Colonel passing by. When Japan was invading the Pacific an army of young Australians left for Port Moresby.
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 …show more content…
Japanese. When Africa was under threat from German and Italy the KAR (King’s African Rifles) were responsible for the defence of the whole area of East Africa that Britain occupied. In 1939 they were numbered at just under 3000 men compared to the 250 000 that the Axis of Evil had. 98 000 Kenyans volunteered to join the KAR, this represented 30% of the armed force. This bravery was magnified because of the racism that was evident at this time. The majority of the Kenyan force was black which means that would of faced enemies from German. and Italy but also from Britain and white Africans. A British Army policy meant that a white officer commanded everyone and the highest that a black man could be promoted was Warrant Officer. The Kenyan soldiers fought in harsh conditions as shown in Source 1. This source shows that the conditions they were fighting in were very harsh and dry, the long grass looks as if it would thrive in hot conditions that places such as Africa do have, this would of added another dimension to how brave the Kenyans would have had to volunteer in the army. The Kenyans fought in the successful East Africa campaign, as well the Invasion of Madagascar and the Burma Campaign when they were trying to push the Japanese out of Burma. A few select Kenyans fought with the Royal Army and the Royal Flying Airforce. Source 2 shows the inadequate protection that was supplied to them and how vulnerable to attack they were, they have barely any weapons and their only method of escape is the camels, and the camels are loaded with packs, so wouldn’t be that fast anyway. This shows that they put their life on their line in order to do their best for Great Britain. During the Second World War, it was not only the soldiers that displayed acts of courage, but also the civilians. In London the citizens acted bravely by continuing their lives as they had before. Source 3 depicts many people from London walking past the debris of the bombs as if they did not notice it, by doing this they showed the Germans that they are not scared of them and created a sense of confidence for their Air Force to fight the Germans, knowing that the whole of Britain was behind them. This was particularly evident during the first month of the Blitz. The Luftwaffe dropped 5, 300 tonnes of explosives on Britain. The attacks by the German Air Force were focused on major landmarks to try and break the British spirit which stayed strong, this angered Hitler so he ordered an enlarged attack. The Britain people stayed strong and did their best to continue their everyday lives, the government enabled them to stay in the London Underground overnight(shown in source 4) This made the citizens feel safe during the night so that during the day they could go about their normal lives. By displaying their faith in their Air Force they showed incredible bravery that was a pivotal point in turning the war in Britain favour. The bravest act of the World War must come from Japan.
The Kamikaze pilots would crash their plane, filled with explosives into American ships in a bid to destroy them. The Japanese force always followed the Bushido code, which stated “Death before Surrender.” The Japanese leaders believed that by sacrificing some of their aircraft and men that they would turn the war on it’s head. As shown in Source 5. Originally the Vice- Admiral of the Japanese Navy, Tikijiro Onishi suggested the idea and his superiors stated that the men must be volunteers. Onishi asked 23 men to be in the first kamikaze squad to attack an American Air base, not one of the men refused. The Japanese men knew that they were going to die, they knew there was no hope but they did it because it was what their Emperor and their country wanted from them. One Japanese pilot, Ichiso Hiyashi wrote this to his mum before his Kamizake mission. “I am pleased to have the honour of having been chosen as a member of a Special Attack Force that is on its way into battle, but I cannot help crying when I think of you, Mum. When I reflect on the hopes you had for my future.” Hiyashi is honoured to be picked to fly his plane into an American ship or base, he knows how much pain he will cause his mum but he still does it. Doing something even though you know you are going to die if you do it the greatest feat of
bravery. In conclusion, the Second World War was decided by how brave each nation was, both as a collective and individually. The Royal Air Force in Libya, The Australians in Kokoda, the Kenyans in the King’s African Rifles, the citizens in London during the Blitz, and the Japanese Kamikaze pilots. Other examples of Bravery were evident in the war but these examples either won their nation a war or were incredibly brave. By winning their battles when it mattered they changed the history of the world. Bravery was just as important in World War II as the machinery that a nation had, if their warriors had no bravery, then they would lose the battle
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
Peter Weir re-created one of the biggest historical events in New Zealand through the tragic tale of Archy Hamilton, an innocent boy who lost his life in Gallipoli during 1915. The audience is emotionally weaved into the film by use of music, dialogue, tracking shots and close ups to create a climax of a despairing ending to the film Gallipoli. Courage was the main theme communicated by Weir throughout the film. The film exposes an underlying message for teenagers, to be brave in our everyday lives when wanting to achieve your goals
The gravity of the atomic bombings was not taken lightly by the nations surrounding Japan, but the United States refused to lose any more men in a long-winded assault; the enemy 's resolve was unmatched by American standards. Majerus states, "This firm resolution of the Imperial Army to fight out an all-or-nothing battle until virtually the very last man ultimately did not go unnoticed by US government officials." (5). Further proofs of these arguments were demonstrated by the Japanese when they deployed the kamikaze (suicide pilots) to Pearl Harbor. The raising question is, however, did decisional certainty regard any ulterior motive at the time considered to prevent the death of American troops, or had there been any considered possibilities within a peaceful resolution? This has sparked another theory among the nation 's scholars. Did the U.S. drop the bombs to save American lives, or to intimidate their rivaling ally, the Soviet Union? It was later revealed that the USSR was willing to help the United States in the assault of Japan. History teacher Brent Dyck states, "At the Potsdam Conference held in July 1945, Stalin told Truman that the Soviet Union was ready to help the United States and invade Japan on August 15."
Bravery is a hard topic, even for leaders. We all have to step up and be brave. Life cannot be successful without bravery, so this starts
Eventually Australian reinforcements and heavier artillery came and intimidated the weakened Japanese militia- of whom were now far from their own supplies and suffered like the Australians had in the beginning, from their dugouts on Ioribaiwa ridge where they had planned to stay for defences and caused them to retreat6. In short term, the success of the Australians in recapturing Kokoda and defending Port Moresby allowed the allied forces to intercept Japanese shipping and supply runs easier due to the strategic setting of Moresby and the Islands near that the American had taken to intercept shipping. Casualties were extremely high and could have been much easier to avoid if ample training and time had taken place, even for just the supply boys – the Chockos, of whom were the bravest of the lot and the only men to receive medals for gallantry within the Kokoda campaign for their efforts and bravery. Long term, the Kokoda campaign was practically the beginning of guerrilla warfare as the Australians go. The way the defence force adapted to the campaign through bettering their training and supply hauls certainly helped the Australian military for the
The Kokoda Campaign refers to the sequence of fights and disputes between the Japanese and Australian soldiers from July 1942 to January 1943 (The Perth Mint Australia, 2011) where it was located in Papua New Guinea. The major goal for the Japanese during the Kokoda campaign was to take control of Port Moresby to situate their base in order to be capable of attacking the American navy and the U.S and Pacific bases located in Australia. However, the Japanese did not accomplish this as they were defeated by the Australian soldiers with there good fight and defence against the Japanese forces.
There were a vast array of people from different regions that were involved in the Kokoda campaign. The two that had the biggest impact on Kokoda were the Japanese and Australians. The Japanese had a plan to capture Port Moresby to protect their base at Rabaul and this is what caused Australians to fight back, as Port Moresby was Australia’s territory. Papuan’s and American’s were also involved in the campaign, fighting against the Japanese and with the Australian’s. 18,000 Papuan’s, also known as The Fuzzy Wuzzy Angels were involved in the Kokoda campaign. Majority of the 18,000 were carries of supplies for the troops and they played a vital role in this battle. As the number of sick and/or wounded troops increased, Papuan men also carried
The battle of Kokoda is recognized as being one of the most celebrated and significant battle fought by the ANZAC'S because of the fear of the looming invasion by the Japanese at the time of Kokoda. Australian's were threatened by the Japanese after hearing about monstrosities such as Nanjing Massacre. 20sec (5)
"The total strength of the Japanese Army was estimated at about 5,000,000 men. …The Air Force has been reduced mainly to reliance upon Kamikaze, of suicide, attacks," (Henry Stimson, Secretary of War). While the Japanese were in a weak state, they still had an army of substantial size, and a dangerous air force, even if they had no missiles. Kamikaze pilots crashed their airplanes into American ships, causing considerable amounts of damage. The United States military attack plan for the invasion of Japan utilized a little over 5,000,000 men. (Stimson). The size of the armies remaining on both sides were close to equal and could have resulted in a bloodbath. Since the Japanese were such fierce fighters, the death toll could have been drastic. Further, after Japan ran out of mussels, they began using Kamikaze. These suicide missions involved a pilot flying their plane directly into enemy ships. (Photo of attack). The Japanese also had no remaining allies to replenish their supplies with, so the kamikaze was a last resort. The Americans could have seen the attacks as a sign of weakness, struggle, and a near end to the war. Yet the Japanese mentality of never surrendering would have had them fighting to the last man. Finally, if the war had dragged on any longer dangerous allies could have been formed, causing the war to continue and be more dangerous and life threatening. A message, named 'Magic', was intercepted from Japan to Russia.
Courage is not the absence of fear. It is fighting one’s way through, no matter what challenges are waiting ahead. Khaled Hosseini’s The Kite Runner, features various individuals utilizing courage to overcome the adversities they face in Afghanistan and America. Amir, the protagonist is a coward person who will have to face many situations that require courage. Hassan is Amir’s friend who displays bravery whenever it is necessary, especially if Amir is involved. Baba who’s known to be a courageous person will face various situations that requires bravery and often challenges his beliefs. When an individual commits an act of courage, then they will further nurture their personal integrity, because they managed to overcome their fears and express
People face many different kinds of fear and have got to be brave. Police officers, firefighters, Emergency Medical Technicians (EMT’s), paramedics, and soldiers all have to be courageous to help people when they are in need. Police officers have to be bold every time they pull someone over and step out of their vehicles. Firefighters have to have bravery when they run into a burning house to try to find somebody. The EMT’s and paramedics have to be on the site of collisions or infernos or accidents; they must be exceptionally brave to be able to do their jobs. Soldiers are willing to fight for our country and protect it with their lives. Bravery is in everyone that has ever admitted to overcome a challenge in life.
They had already invaded Northern PNG, and planned to advance towards Port Moresby along the Kokoda trail. They planned to set up a base on the plateau where the village of Kokoda was situated. When Australian intelligence learnt of this plan, the only troops on hand at the time were sent immediately to Port Moresby to meet the enemy head on. The Australian troops were not prepared for what lay ahead. They only had three months of basic training and knew little or nothing about jungle warfare. They were also grossly out numbered. On the 23rd of July 1942 the battle of Kokoda trail
One man is not capable of changing a nation, but he is able to change the people in it; to show them humility, sacrifice, and forgiveness. Louis Zamperini was an unlikely hero for America, and an even unlikelier role model for the world. “Louis Zamperini was a World War II prisoner of war, an Olympic athlete and an inspirational figure and writer” (Biography). He was born into an immigrant Italian family and faced discrimination, and lacked support throughout his early life, but he became an advocate and representative for the best aspects of America and the human race through his determination to improve himself and those around him. The words bravery, courage, and heroism are often used to label a person whose actions exceed or surpass the
On December 7, 1941 during WWII the Imperial Japanese Navy Air Service ran a surprise bombing on Pearl Harbor joining the world war, in revolt against the surprise bombing the U.S. retaliated with lethal force using the first nuclear weapon. Through acceptance we learn from our past to grow our communities in the spirit of a hopeful future by showing humility and changing to adapt.