Want to listen to a vetran who fought in the Kokoda battle? Click here for an interview
Key individuals involved:
"'Duty,' 'Honor,' 'Country' - those three hallowed words reverently dictate what you want to be, what you can be, what you will be. They are your rallying point to build courage when courage seems to fail, to regain faith when there seems to be little cause for faith, to create hope when hope becomes forlorn." |
Douglas Macathur:
Douglas MacArthur was an American general who led the Southwest Pacific in World War ll (which was between 1939 to 1945) and who planned the successful Allied occupation of post-war Japan. After the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor on Dec. 7, 1941, MacArthur commanded the define of the Philippines until March, 1942, when, under the orders of President Roosevelt, he left for Australia to take command of Allied forces in the Southwest Pacific. Macathur also launched the New Guinea campaign from Australia and later (October, 1944-July, 1945) he directed the campaigns that led to the liberation of the Philippines. In December 1944 he was promoted to the rank of being general of the army, which is a five star general. In Missouri on September 2, 1945 surrender was accepted by Macarthur of Japan on the U.S.S. In Japan we was then named the commander of the Allied powers and directed the Allied occupation of Japan. Macathur was a great leader who contributed very positively and greatly to the Kokoda campaign. |
If ever a man was born to lead this nation into a time of peace and in the paths of peace it was John Curtin. If ever a man was born to apply his vision of what Australia at peace could be, his vision of what Australia at peace should become in his time, he was John Curtin. |
Curtin:
In the dark period of World War 2 John Curtin rose to become Australia’s fourteenth prime minister. Curtin led the country (Australia) through the toughest of times, most definitely including Kokoda of course. Today he is regarded as one of Australia’s most successful leaders and a great hero. Curtin was the first Australian prime minister who faced enemy attacks on the Australian mainland and the possibility of invasion. Curtin’s actions after the war changed Australian foreign policy and displayed a fundamental change in the way Australians saw themselves and Australia’s place in the world. The alliance of Australians to the British Empire weakened because they had to strengthen their alliance to the United States as they couldn’t rely on Britain anymore after it had been defeated by the Japanese. Alliance with the US was more practical in the battle for survival against the Japanese. Besides Curtin being a great wartime leader he also developed polices for the reconstruction of Australia following the war. This included planning for full employment, assisted immigration and better social security. |
Fuzzy Wuzzy angels:
During the Kokoda campaign 600 Australian lives were lost. The Fuzzy Wuzzy Angels was the name given to Papua New Guineans, from the Australian troops, who during World War 2 helped and escorted injured Australian troops down the Kokoda trail. Many more lives would have been lost if the native Papua New Guineans had not helped, |
Fuzzy Wuzzy Angels Poem |