History is basically about past events that can be associated with a place, a thing or someone, and there are so many of such events all over the world of which Kokoda track campaign is one. Kokoda campaign is about the area that was attacked on Australian territory by Japanese forces back in the year 1942 during World War II. This was tagged the Pacific War portion of the World War.
Kokoda campaign is around Papua New Guinea, a part of the Australian territory at that time. As the Axis (of which Japan was a part) continued their advance on Allied countries in Europe, the Japanese considered invading Australia in furtherance of their assault in the Pacific coast. However, after considerable thoughts in its imperial general headquarter, the idea of invading Australia was dropped because Australia was considered as a country whose military might was too strong for Japan. Thereafter, the thought of separating Australia forces from the US forces in the Pacific was invented and given a push by the Japanese forces by an invasion on the Owen Stanley Ranges (Kokoda Trekking) in order to capture Port Moresby in Papua New Guinea. Before then, Australians were of the opinion that they are faced with a threat of Japanese invasion, so had to look for ways of planning a response to the perceived attack on its territory.
That was the first real threat to the Australian nation and the first test of its military forces’ strength (Stephens). The Australian intelligence was limited by issues such as waging war in a terrain that was unfamiliar, having a map that is out-of-date and being unable to do an effective aerial photography of the war in which the war was fought. Nonetheless, with the aid of other Allied forces, the Japanese were forced to surrender in November of the same year the attack was launched, 1942 (The Kokoda Track).
The debate now is if the campaign should be considered a part of Australian history or not. On one side, it will be a yes because it is in history that the campaign took place in an area that was then within Australian territory and that was the event that has helped in building-up the Australian the strengths and weakness of its military, improve individual and unit training as well as building a strong logistic and medical infrastructure. Another lesson learnt from the cut-off of supply to ground forces is focusing on increasing military airpower.
On the other hand however, it may be argued that the historical place in which the event took place is no longer under the control of Australia, so it should be forgotten in Australian history and associated with the country now in control of the attacked area.
Looking at both arguments, there are valid points in both and it is possible to take either side, however, if reference is to be made to the effect that the war campaign had on the military forces of Australia, the side according Kokoda campaign a place in Australian history may be well supported.
References:
- Kokoda Trekking. The History of the Kokoda Trail (online). http://www.kokodatrail.com.au/history.html
- Stephens, Tony. Why Mine Bay is part of Kokoda’s Legend. The age (Melbourne).
- The Kokoda Track, Exploring the site of the battle fought by Australians in World War II (online). http://kokoda.commemoration.gov.au/
