1. With reference to Sources 1 and 2, explain the strategic significance of Papua New Guinea to Japan in 1942. (4 marks)
There are two main points which explain the strategic significance of Papua New Guinea to Japan in 1942. Firstly, Japan had already obtained “the rubber of Malaya, the oil of Borneo and the quinine of Java” (Source 2) and Papua New Guinea was in close proximity to these countries. This is also displayed on the map in Source 1 which shows the great extent of Japan’s control. Secondly, obtaining Port Moresby would allow Japan access to other neighbouring countries, due to the air bases. As Source 2 depicts, “Papua was one of those places which would form a useful link in the chain of defences of the newly conquered area” and
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This displays the importance of the battles of Papua New Guinea to Australia since it was vital that Australia defended it. If Japan were to win the battle, Australia would have lost its biggest base and Japan may have eventually captured Australia as well. If Australia was unsuccessful in the battles, the Japanese could have eventually taken control of Australia, which would have made it much different to what it is today. Hence, the battles in Papua New Guinea were very important for …show more content…
This source represents the level of determination displayed by the Australian soldiers, even though they were fighting “against a seasoned, skilful and fanatical enemy”. The Australians continued to persist even though they were not thought to be as capable as the Japanese army. Hence, for Australians, the battles of Papua New Guinea were the most important ever
... to hold Port Moresby from the Japanese until the AIF assisted. Kokoda lead to the growth of the nation because of the conditions that the Australian troops had to go through was unbearable and amazing how they were still able to defeat the Japanese.
Kokoda was arguably Australia’s most significant campaigns of the Second World War. The track crosses some of the most rugged and most isolated terrain in the world, and is only passable by foot. Being poorly equipped, and having not developed effective jungle warfare tactics, troops had to manoeuvre through the rough terrain. “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. Further along, where it was not quite so high, you would spend three hours climbing up a small pad through the jungle.” (Simonson, 1995) Australia’s involvement through this jungle-enclosed pathway was the last resource Australian troops needed to conquer to defend the mainland from dire threat. Through nightmare conditions like torrential rain, leeches, malaria horrific fighting and more Australia managed to push the Japanese back to where they came from. Despite the relatively small size of our armed forces, Australians fighting in the Kokoda campaign made a significant outcome to world war two.
In World War II the Allied Forces had a "Europe First" campaign of invading the Atlantic countries before the Pacific. This is because Germany served as a bigger threat than Japan to the Allied Powers. In the United States, Franklin Delanor Roosevelt was the President. He kept America neutral at first, but later entered in after Pearl Harbor. George Patton was a popular U.S. Army leader who started tank warfare in America. Bernard Montgomery commanded the 8th Army which had victories in Europe including D-Day. At the near end of the war Omar Bradley toured through Germany notifying the rest of the world what had gone on there with all of the death camps during the Holocaust, which was where the murder of over 6 millioin Jewish people took place.
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.
The Anzac Legend is the source of the Aussie Fight and bravery that will live on for future generations to understand and to acknowledge their courage and bravery.
Parks, G. (2005). The Importance of the Battle of Long Tan. Retrieved May 28th, 2014, from City of Parramatta RSL Sub-branch: http://www.parramattarsl.com.au/rsl9/BLTI.htm
I will also discuss how the young, naive soldiers arrived at war, not knowing what warfare entailed. They were shocked by the conditions and the casualties. I will also discuss the bravery shown by the ANZACS in the most dangerous conditions. I will conclude with my reasons for why the Gallipoli campaign holds such value and importance in Australian history and ideology. Australian men were very keen to get involved in the war because they felt that it was their duty and if they didn’t go to war it would make them look cowardly.
The motive for Japan’s plan to attack Midway Island was to claim dominant power over the Pacific Ocean and to...
Although, most of it is accounted by the war itself, the suffering of many Australian veterans had much to do with...
When the Great War began, Australia went to war as a nation which not only held its own but was invaluable to many ...
Morison, Samuel, E. (1960). Victory in the pacific, 1945 – history of the united states naval operations in world war ii. (Vol. 14, p. 389). Boston: Little Brown.
The Australian participation in WW2 was similar to that of WW1 in many ways. After the British declared war on Germany on September 3rd 1939, an Australian declaration of war was automatic. Aussie troops were soon sent to different parts of the world to help the British and other allied countries. It was not until late 1941 that they were recalled in order to defend the homefront. Darwin had been suddenly attacked by Japanese planes and small enemy submarines had snuck into Sydney Harbour. Darwin was repeatedly bombed by Japanese planes until July 1941, when along with American troops, the Aussies managed to drive them out of the Solomon Islands and northeastern New Guinea and eliminate a strong Japanese base at Rabaul. Without General MacArthur's troops, the enemy may very well have invaded Australia. This illustrates the importance of alliances.
„h There they where watching us fighting such inhumanly, to take out as many of the enemy as possible, and to return none, that was the order and we did nothing but follow it. Something the British where to afraid to do, and we Australians where demanded to endeavor.
One of the major battles that was fought for control of an island was the battle of New Guinea. New Guinea is located off of the North coast of Australia, and is part of the Solomon Islands. New Guinea is the second largest island in the world, but the large block of land in the middle of the Pacific was not the only reason why Japan wanted to take control of it. The Japanese wanted New Guinea for a number of reasons. For instance, in Papua, the Japanese wanted to use this side of the island as a first step to defend Rabaul. The Japanese had a military base on Rabaul, a city on the gulf of New Guinea, and needed a place on the island to protect it, this is why they wanted Papua. The battle of New Guinea was really a series of battles on several different islands around the larger one.
Wars are good business. They create an immediate demand for a wide variety of materials needed by the government in order to fight the war. They create work opportunities for people that might not ordinarily be considered part of the normal work force. And, while not necessarily good for the soldiers engaged in the fighting, wars are always good for the businesses that provide the materials used in a war. The Second World War was very good for business.