The Defeat of Japanese Forces in The Kokoda Campaign of 1942 - Literature review Example

THE DEFEAT OF JAPANESE FORCES IN THE KOKODA CAMPAIGN OF 1942 The Battles of Kokoda from July to November 1942 maintain greatest significance in over one hundred and fifty years long history of Australia, which turned a weak, scattered and disorganized state into a strong, powerful, organized and systematic country of the globe. It is therefore, the battles of Kokoda are compared to the Franco-Prussian War of 1871, which completed German unification by the defeat of France and turned the disintegrated Prussian states into one sturdy unit under the dynamic leadership of Otto Von Bismarck. Thus, Australia turned out to be supreme and one of the most powerful sovereign states of the region. The analysts declare 1942 as the most decisive and fortunate year of the entire Australian history, when the then military might of the region i.e. Japan underwent humiliating defeat at the hands of the Australians, who were determined to defend every inch of their country. For there can be no doubt that 1942 was for Australia - as a nation and as a people - the most important single year of all those two hundred. It was the turning point in the making of modern Australia. In the fire of that tremendous crisis were forged all the elements which have shaped our national life and destiny, to this day.1 The incident took place during the horrible WWII, at the time when the Japanese supremacy was a bitter reality in the region. Kokoda was a small jungle-track village of Australian administered Papua during WWII, which has now got the status of a station town of Papua New Guinea since 1975. The region obtained special attention as well as great strategic significance during the World War II, when Japanese forces tried to capture this small, but important land area, 1. R. L. J. Hawke. Remembering Kokoda Campaign. 1988 (Quoted in http://www.users.bigpond.com/battleforAustralia/intro.html) to use it as the overland route in order to have access to the capital city of Port Moresby, while their powerful campaign against the Allied forces. The strategic location of the Kokoda route was equally imperative for both Australia and Japan, as fall of the Port Moresby could put the independence of Australia in jeopardy. During the period July – October 1942 Australian and Japanese soldiers were locked in a desperate battle along a narrow jungle track connecting villages across the rugged Owen Stanley Ranges in Papua New Guinea. 2 Though there was a great difference in respect of the nature and number of Australian and Japanese forces, yet the former one defeated the latter force with the passion to protect and safeguard every inch of the country. Surrender in Kokoda was the very first defeat of Japanese army in the Pacific zone, after the chain of its successes throughout. It was quite unexpected for Japan, which was not familiar with such a military humiliation particularly in WWII. Japan invaded Kokoda track on July 21, 1942 with the ambition of obtaining easy and immediate access to the Owen Stanley Range and the capital city via Kokoda Trail. The capturing of Moresby could foil the Allies’ plans of attacking the Japanese land from the Pacific. At that time, the area was under the control of famous US commander General MacArther. Port Moresby was situated on the southern coast of the Australian Territory of Papua and separated from the Australian mainland by a 500 kilometer stretch of the Coral Sea. 3 2. Charlie Lynn. Call for Official Kokoda Day Proclamation 2002 (Retrieved in www.articlejoe.com/article.php%3fid=33859%26act=print) 3. James Bowen. The Kokoda Campaign: Japans second Attempt to Capture Port Moresby and isolate Australia from the United States. 2006. (Quoted in http://www.users.bigpond.com/battleforAustralia/battaust/KokodaCampaign/KokodaIndex.html) A dangerous, narrow track hacked out of the jungle and carved out of the mountains, it crosses the Owen Stanley Range at 7000 feet via a series of twisting switchbacks and rough-hewn steps cut into steep slopes. 4 At the eve of Japanese invasion, Australian forces were fighting shoulder to shoulder with the British 8th Royal Army in the aftermath of the fall of Singapore at the hands of Japan, and her announcement to fight from the side of Axis Powers against the Allied forces. Fall of New Guinea could result in the isolation and subsequent fall of entire Australia in the hands of Imperial Japan. It could certainly deteriorate the plans of the Allied forces to remain supreme and dominant in the west Pacific. The military intelligence of Imperial Japan was quite aware of the strategic position of the region; it is therefore, it invaded the land with nearly eleven thousand troops at Buna and Gona. Many times the Kokoda Trail was captured and recaptured by Japan and Australia from July to November 1942, which was ultimately captured by Australia. There were many causes behind this decisive military crush of the Japanese forces, which can be discussed as under: 1. Undue Delays Made by the Japanese Forces: Soon after the declaration of the WWII, the Japanese forces engaged themselves in China and Singapore, which delayed their campaign towards the West Pacific. Hence, it was the end of the third year of WWII when Japan invaded on Papua to get the command and control of the Pacific region. In wars and battles, each and every decision takes at exact moment of time maintained significance. Delay of the Japanese invasion blessed the 4. Larry Parker. Thermopylae, Balaklava and Kokoda (2006) (Retrieved in http://www.militaryhistoryonline.com/wwii/articles/kokoda.aspx) Allied forces with an opportunity to set their strong footing in the region and keep a keen eye on the developments being made all around them. The Japanese were also delayed by operations in the Indian Ocean and were not able to mount a major invasion force against Port Moresby until early May. Then in the battle of the Coral Sea, aircraft from the Lexington and Yorktown, plus land-based aircraft from Townsville, struck at the force covering the Japanese invasion fleet. 5 It is therefore, Japan had to undergo failure in overcoming the small area of Kokoda. 2. Role of Political and Military Leadership of Australia: The Australia had won freedom after a long and sturdy struggle in 1901. The Australian leadership was very much conscious regarding their sovereignty and freedom. It is therefore, they had kept a persistent eye upon the changing global political scenario. Soon after the mobilization of German troops towards Central Europe in 1936, as well as the Japanese invasion over Chinese territories, Tibet and Singapore during 1937 to 1939, the Australian leadership had made the military and the masses at high alert regarding possible foreign invasion. It is why Australia declared war on the Axis Powers as soon as her patterns-in-chief i.e. the UK declared war on Germany and Italy by the end of 1939. For the first and only time since white settlement Australia faced the prospect of a foreign invasion. Since the outbreak of war in 1939 the government had been required to make a series of decisions about strategic deployments, such as to send forces to the Middle East, to take part in the Empire Air Training Scheme, to deploy forces to Malaya, and to 5. David Horner. History Conference-Remembering 1942: High Command and the Kokoda Campaign. 2002 (Quoted in http://www.awm.gov.au/events/conference/2002/horner.asp) approve the Greek campaign. 6 John Curtin, the then prime minister and defense minister of Australia, remained in close contact with the cabinet, military leadership and the parliament on the one hand, and with the foreign friends and overseas allies on the other to make and revise the defense strategies time and again. The Australian political leadership had already communicated and entered into contract with the big powers in respect of her solidarity and security of her soil. Hence, the Australian politicians had kept the military on high alert to combat any uneven situation at the boundaries on the one hand, and had sought the support of Allied forces on the other, which supported her a lot in respect of defending her soil from the foreign invasion. Furthermore, she bounded her reserved force consisted of young, dynamic and courageous youth, which stood as firm as rock to defend its country. 3. Unflinching Passion and Devotion of the Australian Troops: The history reveals the very fact that the initial resistance of the Japanese invasion, at Kokoda, consisted of just newly-trained Australian troops, who had no practical experience of war at all. In addition, they were not as well-equipped as their enemies. Even then, they girded up their loins and fought with the enemy relentlessly. They did never consider their position as the inferior one. On the contrary, they kept their morale very high and were determined to push back the Japanese from the region. Their act and performance was a bit suicidal, and the young soldiers offered their lives to save their country from falling into the hands of the rival forces. To counter the Japanese threat, Australia rushed a militia unit, the AMF 39th Battalion, up the Kokoda Trail. Clad in 6. David Horner. History Conference-Remembering 1942: High Command and the Kokoda Campaign. 2002 (Quoted in http://www.awm.gov.au/events/conference/2002/horner.asp) Khaki uniforms appropriate for desert conditions but completely unsuited for jungle warfare, shod in leather boots which soon rotted away, equipped with World War I vintage Enfield rifles, the Aussies were supported by nothing heavier than light mortars and Bren and Lewis machine guns. 7 They kept the Japanese completely engaged in a fruitless campaign, which wasted the time and energies of one of the best armies of the world. The Japanese could neither make any headway towards the Owen Stanley Range, nor could they allocate their concentration towards any other direction. The Australian soldiers – young, inexperienced and heavily outnumbered faced an overwhelming fanatical foe who had not tasted defeat since their entry into World War 11.in the Pacific War. The track along which they fought carried the name Kokoda. 8 4. Uneven Kokoda Track: The Kokonda trail was extremely narrow, down trodden, rough and uneven. In addition, the area was also quite new and unfamiliar for the Japanese. On the contrary, the region was familiar for the Australians, and they had great love for their motherland. Though the troops of Japanese commander, General Horii, reached Ioribaiwa after a long struggle of over two months, and captured the entire region, yet the Aussies left no stone unturned to get the same back. The long and unabated resistance made by the Aussies was unexpected and tedious too for the invader Japanese forces. It is therefore, the Japanese troops had turned very tired, exhausted and worn out. In addition, they also ran short of 7. Larry Parker. Thermopylae, Balaklava and Kokoda 2006 (Retrieved in http://www.militaryhistoryonline.com/wwii/articles/kokoda.aspx) 8. Charlie Lynn. Call for Official Kokoda Day Proclamation 2002 (Retrieved in www.articlejoe.com/article.php%3fid=33859%26act=print) proper food and edibles. From that ridge they could see the searchlights of their prize, Port Moresby. But they were now a long way from their north coast base and their lines of supply and communication, under attack by Allied aircraft, stretched back over the wearying and rugged Kokoda Track. 9 (Rowell 2008) It is therefore, it had become very hard for the Japanese to continue their campaign against the Aussies. 5 Over-Confident Japanese Military: The Japanese forces were highly trained and well-equipped in comparison with the newly trained Australian troops. It is why they were over confident and highly ambitious of winning the battle within days, and thus underestimated their rival force. It was their mistake to consider the opponent as the inferior one during the combat, which resulted in their final defeat in the end. They did never believe that it would take time to capture Owen Stanley Range; rather, they thought they would be able to cross the Range within shortest span of time. It was due to their continuous triumphs over seas and lands in past, as well as their superiority over the Aussies in respect of both men and material, that their confidence level and morale were high, though all their efforts ended in smoke and they had to run amuck back to their station after the four month fruitless struggle of taking the control of the land of Kokoda. The Japanese did not imagine even that the resistance of their rival forces would be as hard as rock, so they had to bear the brunt of under-estimation of their enemy. 9. Allen Rowell Kokoda Commanders (Retrieved in http://www.kokodatreks.com/history/thecommanders.cfm) 6. Dynamic Commandment of General MacArther: The military command of the Western Pacific Region of the Allied forces was at the hands of the professional American soldier and Commander General Douglas MacArthur, who had long experience of participating and commanding the wars in divergent areas of the globe. Furthermore, his deep vision, innate leadership qualities and exceptional analyzing and immediate decision-making capabilities, which he exercised as the military commander of the whole west Pacific region, won the battle for him and his troops. He used to observe the changing war scenario very keenly, and acted and reacted according to the strategic position of the enemy forces within a jiffy. He remained in constant communication with his subordinates and sent them continuous commands with outstanding gifted abilities of head and heart. In addition, he was already alert of the Japanese invasion in that piece of land. It is therefore, he issued the commands of defending that area on emergency basis. 7. Deployment of the Fresh Allied Troops: It was the part of the allied strategy to keep the Japanese army in a trivial war campaign, so that the areas like Singapore and China could be vacated on the one hand, and the South Asia could be saved from the access of the Axis Powers on the other. It was the intelligent strategy that came out to be highly beneficial and supportive for the Allied forces, as in the very beginning, the Australian army, consisted of little trained troops, remained engaged in fighting with the Japanese and surrendering some area of their land to the Japanese. Australian and American defenders of Milne Bay force the Japanese to abandon their landing near the south-eastern tip of New Guinea. Its the first Japanese retreat of the war. Nearly one-third of the 2,000-man Japanese force has been killed. In the Solomons, U. S. Army Air Force fighters blast a convoy of Japanese barges trying to sneak reinforcements to Guadalcanal. Only half of the barges disembark troops. 10 CONCLUSION: The Australian decisive re-capturing of the Kokoda is one of the brightest chapters of the two hundred years history of the country. The young and little-trained Australian troops displayed outstanding valor while defending every inch of their motherland, ignoring the very reality that a majestic and well-trained army of the world is on the opposite side. The planning of the political and military leadership made a wonderful combination to raise the flag of independence and freedom of their country. It was perhaps the greatest challenge for the Australians, in which they proved themselves as the committed and strong nation of the globe. Kokoda war not only taught the Japanese forces a remarkable lesson, but also it could be declared as the turning point towards the final defeat of the Axis Powers in the World War II. 10. Larry Parker. Thermopylae, Balaklava and Kokoda (2006) (Retrieved in http://www.militaryhistoryonline.com/wwii/articles/kokoda.aspx) REFERENCES: Department of Defense Australia. The Kokoda Campaign 1942. Strategic Overview. 2004 (Retrieved in http://www.defence.gov.au/army/ahu/history/Battles/Kokoda.htm) Bowen, James. The Kokoda Campaign: Japans second Attempt to Capture Port Moresby and isolate Australia from the United States. 2006. (Quoted in http://www.users.bigpond.com/battleforAustralia/battaust/KokodaCampaign/KokodaIndex.html) Boyer, Paul S., Clark Jr., Clifford E., Kett, Joseph F., Salisbury, Neal, Sitkoff, Harvard & Woloch, Nancy. The Enduring Visions: A History of the American People from 1865. ISBN 1999. Hawke, R. L. J. Remembering Kokoda Campaign. (Quoted in http://www.users.bigpond.com/battleforAustralia/intro.html) Horner, David. 2002 History Conference-Remembering 1942: High Command and the Kokoda Campaign. (Quoted in http://www.awm.gov.au/events/conference/2002/horner.asp) Kokoda Spirit. The Kokoda Campaign World War 2 History of the Kokoda Trail: The Turning Point & Final Phase 2008 (Retrieved in.kokodaspirit.com/writing-history/kokoda-campaign-turning-point-5.htm) Lynn, Charlie. Call for Official Kokoda Day Proclamation 2002 (Retrieved in www.articlejoe.com/article.php%3fid=33859%26act=print) Fortune City. WWII. (Quoted in http://meltingpot.fortunecity.com/tenison/297/wwii/194209.htm) Parker, Larry. Thermopylae, Balaklava and Kokoda (2006) (Retrieved in http://www.militaryhistoryonline.com/wwii/articles/kokoda.aspx) Rowell, Allen. http://www.kokodatreks.com/history/thecommanders.cfm Read More