How Did Kokoda Become Immortalised

Australia entered the war in 1939 and it became at their doorstep on the 19th February 1942, Nazi Germany and Japan were major enemies to Australia during the war. Australia’s foreign policy and changing alliance during 1942 impacted our national identity because Australia developed a new relationship with America, while it weakened the strong connection with Britain, which demonstrates that Australia was starting to become its own independent country. At the beginning of war, Australia had a strong relationship and alliance with Britain, making Britain their leaders when entering the war. Secondly, as the war progressed Australia began to look to America as an opportunity for protection from the Japanese, while Britain was fighting their own

The First World War was the first war that Australian’s ever fought as a Federated nation. World War one was a time of great change for Australia. World War one had an enormous impact on Australian society and I will be support this argument by looking at how the loss of troops meant that more men had to be enlisted to fight and how the role of women changed during the war. I will also be examining the use of propaganda used to influence the civilian population. World War I had a significant and lasting impact on Australian society.

The Second World War was a massive event that left the whole world shocked and saddened of the outcomes. World War 2 was known mostly because of who ruled, Adolf Hitler was the leader of the Nazis. The Nazis where a German army who terrorized Europe and the world with the in humane treatment of people and mostly the treatment of the Jews. Australia’s involvement in ww2 will be the main focus of this essay. Australia lost over 30 000 people who became in prisoned by the Nazis. To follow on with the hypothesis of Australia’s involvement and contributions to WW2 was significant due to their alliances with Great Britain and the USA largely affect Australia even to this day, I will be discussing this through the rest of the essay.

Although Australia’s relationship with the British was weakened as the result of actions during WW2 our relationship with the USA was the reciprocal; this period resulted in a strengthening of ties with the Americans. A few key events were pivotal in this change. The first of these was when General Douglas MacArthur took over the defence of Australia and the Pacific Campaign in March 1942, discarding the current battle plan of holding ‘The Brisbane Line’. Instead in his quote “...so I instantly changed the conception (The Brisbane Line) with the basic thought that the ‘battle of Australia’ would be settled in the little islands to the north, north-east and north-west. I would make my fight there - win, lose or draw” explains that the battles, in which the fate of Australia would be decided, were to occur in the Philippines.

This was also the first campaign the Australia basically manned by them self, proving the Australia need to be taken serious in the world war. At the start of the war Australia was not taken as a threat more as a giant island that has good post position in Asia. As Japan was concurring Asia the last piece of the puzzle was Australia which they japan was going to concur by using papa new Guinea as a vantage point which would have gave them easy access to Australia. This lead Australia to deploy its troops in Port Mosby. As most of the better trained had already been deployed this lead Australia to deploy the “backups”. This ultimately lead Australia becoming a major power in Asia, also providing to Australia overall strength as a

The significance of Kokoda for Australian’s can be seen in many different ways. In a strategic sense and also in a symbolic sense. Firstly, the Kokoda Campaign saved Australia from possible invasion, or more precisely from being isolated from the United States of America . Secondly, Kokoda was the battle that lead to victory in the Second World War, as well as to improvement of Australia’s post-war practices and military operations. Symbolically, the Kokoda Track will be remembered when Australia’s think of the Second World War, just like when you think of the First World War, the landing at Gallipoli looms large, both have captured the Australian imagination. Each year five thousand Australians take up the mentally and physically

Although both the World Wars had significant impacts on Australians, the statement that wartime controls in World War One had a greater impact on Australians than they did in World War Two is fairly inaccurate. There are a number of reasons as to why this was the case, as demonstrated through the government 's wartime controls. One of the wartime controls that was utilised by the government in both World Wars but had greater impact on Australians in World War Two was conscription. Another wartime control that had a higher degree of impact on Australians in World War Two than in World War One was the detainment and isolation of ‘enemy aliens’ when the government again took steps to protect their national security. With such a large number of servicemen deployed overseas, the role of women in Australia also changed drastically to meet the needs of the armed forces, the government and the economy and this influenced Australian life more in World War Two. Therefore, although both wars affected the lives of many Australians in mental, physical, social and economic aspects, the wartime controls of World War Two had a much greater impact on Australians than in World War One.

The Kokoda campaign is significant to Australia’s war history, since the Australian’s battled on, with the odds against them, and came back and won, saving Australia. The Kokoda campaign is momentous because the soldiers displayed courage, fearlessness and bravery, even when their leader called them ‘scared rabbits’. Despite the odds, the Australian’s ‘soldiered’ on and came back and defeated the Japanese, which was a first. The battle of Gona was suicide for the Australians, yet they showed courage, fearlessness and bravery, and fought on till their last breath. Even though the few men of the 39th and 53rd militia was poorly trained, they beat the odds and ruthlessly held back the brute force of 13,000+ Japanese soldiers, for weeks until reinforcements

Australians have contributed in defense of the country and for allied countries in World War 2, displaying the significance of the fall of Singapore and Kokoda. The fall of Kokoda and Singapore were all related to a series of attacks from the Japanese and were counteracted by various campaigns Australia has formed. The intentions of the Japanese from both battles were distinctive, as throughout the second world war Japan was allied with Germany, who fought against Australia’s allied forces. From Kokoda and Singapore, the position of which alliances take part in are illustrated and the contributions to the various campaigns that are proposed. Thus, the role Australia plays can be distinguished and able to indicate the significance between both

Other than causing the liberation of France and the establishment of a new battlefront, the invasion also relieved the Soviet Union’s pressure. Before the Invasion, Germany had over two million troops fighting against the Red Army in the Eastern Front, and many of Soviet’s cities were captured. The Russians fought desperately to protect their cities. However, after the invasion, with the launch of a new major battlefront in the West, Hitler had to transport many of his forces to the West in order to defend his own country. Without as many troops to fight against, the Soviet army was able to push through Czechoslovakia, Poland and eventually penetrate into Germany; the Soviet Union’s progress greatly sped up the endof the war. (Naval History and Heritage- D-Day, the Normandy Invasion, 6 - 25 June 1944)

This battle lead to amazing feats and tactics by the Australians soldiers which led to the growth of the nation both economically and in armed forces. Kokoda was the battle that lead to WW2 victory, as well as to the improvement of Australian’s post-war practices and military operations. This battle also boosted the Australian pride of the public. The Kokoda track is also significant in a symbolic sense. When Australians remember the First World War, they think of the landing at Gallipoli. And when they think about WW2 the word “Kokoda” looms larger. Each year 5,000 Australians take up the mentally and physically challenging task of walking the Kokoda track.

Beginning in May 1940 Hitler occupied Northwestern France to grow his nation and wipe out all of the Jews. This was an early start to D-Day because France was one of the U.S.’s Allies during World War II. D-Day forced the Germans to fight a two way war just like in World War I (mtholyoke). The Germans could not handle a war on both sides of them (mtholyoke). By D-Day 157 German divisions were stationed in the Soviet Union, 6 in Finland, 12 in Norway, 6 in Denmark, 9 in Germany, 12 in the Balkans, 26 in Italy and 59 in France, Belgium and the Netherlands (Wikipedia the free encyclopedia). D-Day was started on

The Kokoda Campaign was a four month struggle that involved battled relationships between the Japanese Forces and Allied Forces. The Japanese Forces landed in Papua New Guinea in the early months of 1942 and had conceived a plan to take over Port Moresby through the Kokoda Track, which was a 96km long trail, and from there they could carry out an advance towards Australia. As you can see in the source above, Papua New Guinea is relatively close to Australian country with roughly 6 km between the two at the nearest point. If the Japanese forces held Port Moresby under their influence and then use the airfield there and create a base, they can launch an attack on Australia, so Port Moresby has its strategic importance.

     The United States sent aid to the Soviets to help fight off the Nazi party. A second front needed to be open to keep the Germans from conquering Russia. United States and Britain began fighting in North Africa. It proved effective, diverting German troops to split up their powerful army. Another war front was opened in France. June 6, 1944 became known as D-Day as American troops attacked by the beaches of Normandy. The Allies liberated Paris

German invasion of the Soviet Union in June 1941 marked a new level of brutality in warfare.