Port Moresby in New Guinea was vital to the defense of Australia. Whoever controlled Port Moresby would control the region and determine the outcome of battles. The Japanese strategic goal was to take Port Moresby to enable bombing of northern Australia. The Australians strategically fought to prevent this. Through costly battles in September, the Australians pushed the Japanese back towards their starting point. By mid-November, the Japanese abandoned their plan to take Port Moresby.

4. What was the strategic importance of
Kokoda?
Port Moresby was vital to the defence of Australia.
AnyAllied attack to the north through New Guinea required Port
Moresby as a base. Similarly for any attack south towards Australia,
the Japanese required Port Moresby.
• If the Japanese took control of Port
Moresby, they could begin a series of
bombing attacks against north
Queensland. If Japan decided to invade
Australia they would have launched the
attack from Port Moresby.

6. What was the strategic importance of
Kokoda?
TheAllied strategy in the same
• The military strategy of Japan from December 1941 to mid-
1942 was an aggressive one: to advance to occupy locations of
strategic importance, either resource rich areas, or places that
would allow them to better defend their gains.
TheAllied strategy in the same
period was defensive, simply to
prevent the Japanese achieving their
strategic goals.
The fighting there was perhaps the
most significant battle fought by
Australians

7. What was the strategic importance of
Kokoda?
The Japanese approached to within 40kms of their objective
In September theAustralians, in a series of costly engagements,
pushed the Japanese back the way they had come.
By mid-November the Japanese were forced to abandon their planBy mid-November the Japanese were forced to abandon their plan
to take Port Moresby.

8. Questions
1. Why was Port Moresby important in the context of the
Japanese advance towards Australia?
2. What was the military strategy of the Japanese?
3. What was the military strategy of the Australians?

9. Kokoda Warfare
In the SecondWorldWar in Europe and Africa vast arrays of
tanks, aircraft and artillery supported the infantryman.
Little of this was available in Papua which is best understood
as a foot soldier's war.
The tactics of infantry fighting are built upon fire and
movement.movement.
When attacking, one group moves towards the enemy while
the other fires to keep enemy heads down.
Communication was difficult due to steep slopes, few tracks,
thick jungle and deep treacherous streams
“The fighting on the Kokoda track was an infantryman's war in close jungle where the
enemy was often not seen until he was a few metres away...”

11. The Track
The 96-kilometre Kokoda track takes about 50 hours walking time.
That is about two kilometres per hour...
“The rain will find you at any
height and cloud will sometimes
descend to 1000 metres,giving
the feeling of walking through
thick mist.”
“Sometimes the ascent so
closely approaches the
perpendicular that hands
must assist feet.”
“Carefully negotiating your way down
a narrow track,crossing a slippery log
bridge over a fast flowing stream at the
bottom,then climbing steeply and
slowly.”

13. Mapping Activity
Using the map provided for you and the worksheet, complete
the mapping activities

14. Timeline
Use page 147 of the reading‘EON Kokoda and POWs’ on
Moodle to create a timeline of the main events of the Kokoda
Track.
Do not copy the information. You will need to summarise it
and use the most important parts.and use the most important parts.
A worksheet will be provided for you.

15. Military Terms
Organisation Strength Made up of Commanded by
Army Two or more corps General
Corps 30,000 or more Two or more divisions Lieutenant General
Division 10,000 – 20,000 3 brigades Major General
Brigadier (General)
Australian Army Military Organisations
Brigadier (General)
FORMATIONS Brigade 2,500 – 5,000 3 battalions
Battalion 550 – 1000 4 companies Lieutenant Colonel
Company 100 – 225 3 platoons Captain or Major
Platoon 30-60 3 sections Lieutenant
(SUB) UNITS Section 9-16 Corporal / Sergeant
Source: www.awm.gov.au/atwar/structure/army_structure.asp

16. 39th Battalion
The first Militia battalion ordered up theTrack was the 39th
Battalion which was mainly volunteers
They volunteered in October or November of 1941 and by
Christmas they were steaming for Port Moresby
• They completed their basic• They completed their basic
training inVictoria using
wooden replica weapons and
the first time they handled
Bren machine guns was when
they unpacked them and
cleaned the grease off them on
the ship.

17. The 39th Battalion cont.
The 39th Battalion were put to work at labourers when they
arrived instead of learning the techniques of jungle fighting.
They were ordered up theTrack in the face of the Japanese
landings at Buna
The young Diggers of the 39th were burdened with packsThe young Diggers of the 39th were burdened with packs
weighing almost 30 kilograms and wore desert khaki
uniforms instead of jungle camouflage kit.
Many were already malarial because their anti-malaria
medicine had been administered too late.

18. The Fuzzy Wuzzies
The Papuan carriers were critical to the Australians' success
in the Kokoda campaign.
Their practical experience on theTrack, combined with their
invaluable bush skills, physical strength and dedication,
enabled the Diggers to create and maintain a human supplyenabled the Diggers to create and maintain a human supply
line between the frontline deep in the jungle and the base at
Port Moresby.

19. Disease on the Track

20. Walking the Track
In pairs, make a list of 20 items you would need, and how
many of each, for a ten day walk along the KokodaTrack.
Remember that you have to carry everything yourself so keep
it down to bare minimum. Th eonly things you don’t have to
take with you are water and food. Water can be obtained
from the mountain streams, and three basic meals will befrom the mountain streams, and three basic meals will be
provided by the tour company who will guide you along the
track.
HINT: you will need clothing, footwear, toiletries and
camping equipment. There are no shops, hospitals or hotels
along the track.

21. List of items for walking the Kokoda Track
1 hat with a wide brim
1 long sleeve shirt (for evening
wear at campsite and to sleep
in)
1 top to wear while walking
(wash and dry each night)
1 spare top – aT shirt
1 pair of shorts to walk in
1 small towel
1 back pack
1 light sleeping bag
1 tent
1 camel pack or water bottles
4 pairs of thick socks (it is
essential to keep feet dry)
2 toilet paper and/or wet
wipes
1 soap
1 hand sanitiser (optional)
Anti-malarial medication
1 garbage bag (to keep your
clothes dry)
1 pair of shorts to walk in
(wash and dry each night)
1 pair of long trousers (it gets
cool at night on the mountain
tops)
1 pair of water-proof good
quality trekking boots (broken
in)
1 pair of thongs (use for
crossing creeks to keep your
walking boots dry)
essential to keep feet dry)
2 pairs of underwear
1 poncho style rain jacket
1 sleeping mat
1 insect repellent
1 sunscreen
1 sunglasses
1 head torch & spare batteries
1 spoon/cup/bowl/fork
1 tooth brush and tooth paste
water purification tablets
1 camera
Favourite sweets, one or two
each day, for an energy boost
1 hiking pole
1 inflatable camping pillow
1 first aid kit

22. Australian Veterans of Kokoda

23. Japanese Veterans of Kokoda