Peter fitzsimons published his best selling book on the kokoda campaign in 2004. Battle of stalingrad august 21, 1942 february 2, 1943. Forming part of the kokoda track campaign of the second world war, the battle involved military forces from australia, supported by the united states, fighting against japanese troops from major general tomitaro horiis south seas detachment who had landed around buna and gona in papua midjuly 1942. Australian soldiers fighting on the kokoda trail during. It was first released in australian cinemas on 17 september 1942. As in the first world war, australia was not directly threatened by this conflict. Much of it can only be travelled on foot, which meant that all supplies and heavy equipment had to be carried. Most people were more familiar with the conflict in europe, so footage of. Cameraman damien parer has just returned from the front in new guinea, where hes documented australian troops in action. Theres a tiny bit of possibly staged combat footage. Kokoda front line 1942 the first australian film to win an oscar. Kokoda not only was the most important battle won and fought by australians but it also shaped australias postwar training practises and military. The booklet, which is reproduced below, provides a fascinating snapshot of reality in 1942.
The film, kokoda frontline, captured some extraordinary images and for the first time brought home pictures of a war raging only about three hundred miles from the australian coastline. We then see air drops of supplies, wounded men being carried on stretchers by native porters, and men leaving camp to go to the front. The 39th battalion, commanding officer, ltcol owen, is mortally wounded and the 39th battalion is driven out of kokoda and falls back to deniki. It features footage shot by war correspondent damien parer for the commonwealth department of information.
It was filmed by the australian war photographer damien parer and directed by ken g. Cinesounds kokoda front line is undoubtedly the most famous newsreel. The kokoda action lasted until november 1942 and is remembered as one of the most difficult operations by australian troops in world war ii. Kokoda campaign sequence of events kokoda trail treks. Our soldiers are thrown into a battle with next to no preparation, supplies or support. On 29 july 1942, the japanese captured the village of kokoda and its vital airfield. Here they waited for the 8,500 japanese soldiers of the 144th regiment. Having been unable to land at port moresby in may a move that resulted in the battle of the coral sea they now planned to reach the capital on foot, taking the. Lt col owen was taking part in close fighting with the japanese on the kokoda trail, in the most forward position at the most threatened point in seekamps sector, on the very lip of the plateau. This is a list of the nominees for the best documentary academy award 1943 from imdb. This blackandwhite clip from the cinesound newsreel kokoda front line. Januaryaugust 1942 12 3 the kokoda track and the kokodasanananda track 48 4 second kokoda, 810 august 1942 49 5 isurava, 2631 august 1942 63 6 nankai shitai supply line, midseptember 1942 96 7 first eora, 15 september 1942 110 8 efogi, 68 september 1942 122 9 ioribaiwa, 1416 september 1942 6. Kokoda propaganda film nabbed australias first oscar 75.
Initial plan for german attack on ussr, operation barbarossa. Kokoda front line by neil mcdonald books hachette australia. Kokoda frontline went on to win an oscar for best documentary. Kokoda track campaign ww2 timeline july 21st november. It was one of four winners of the 1942 academy award for best documentary. But also marked the point at which japans resources became too stretched to support further offensive operations. Helton as used in the mandated territory of new guinea in 1942 was developed to assist our soldiers to understand the local culture and language. Filmed by damien parer, it won an oscar for the documentary category the first time an australian filmdocumentary was awarded an oscar. A collection of public domain world war ii books, radio broadcasts, vdiscs, films, and other ephemera.
In this report from the front line, a sergeant recounts some of the australian. The australians mount an attack to retake the kokoda airfield. Battle of the kokoda trail timeline timetoast timelines. The terrible physical and even mental agony of the advance through the owen stanleys cannot be imagined by anybody who has not seen this wild and incredible. Army doctor captain william wotherspoon mclaren tending wrist on wounded soldier captain henry devenish steward viewed the film, 1 april 1982 and claimed that the doctor is himself. Kokoda, on the north side of the owen stanley range, was recaptured yesterdayit was the mest important strategic gain by australian troops since they began their. Kokoda propaganda film nabbed australias first oscar 75 years ago. Kokoda track campaign ww2 timeline july 21st november 16th, 1942 australian isolation at the hands of the japanese was thwarted through the kokoda track campaign of world war 2.
These scenes include footage of soldiers in the care of the salvation army. See more ideas about wwii, world war and world war ii. Tribute to battle of kokoda late august 1942 kingsbury vc dvd trailer duration. Seventy five years after a propaganda film won australia its first academy award, the oscar lies locked in a vault in canberra largely forgotten. By the end of march 1942, there was a line of japaneseheld territory directly to. In 1942, as thousands of soldiers and civilians were dying in the papua and new. After having pushed aside the defenders at gorari, japanese forces move down the trail to kokoda to capture the kokoda plateau and airfield. The battle of the kokoda trail saw the japanese army reach further south than at any other time during wwii, in an attempt to capture port moresby. See also kokoda front line, the completed newsreel cinesound version f01582. A company, 39th battalion retakes kokoda from a handful of japanese troops and holds kokoda plateau for 2 days. While researching his work he acknowledged the unique contribution of damien parer. The 39th battalion retook but failed to hold the village 9 10 august 1942 and fought a desperate holding action at deniki 14 august 1942 before falling back and digging in at isurava.
In march 1943, an australian newsreel called kokoda front line. Kokoda, on the north side of the owen stanley range, was recaptured yesterdayit was the mest important strategic gain by australian troops since they began their northward advance at loribaiwa ridge, on. Nov 17, 2005 in 1942 damien parer turned his camera to documenting the brave fight of australian troops against the japanese along the kokoda track in new guinea. It won the 1943 academy award for best documentary along with the films the battle of midway, mos. Army special services nominees africa, prelude to victory. First oscar ever won by an australian part of national film and. Force the aif found themselves fighting the germans and italians in egypt, libya. Australia recapture kokoda but it was another 7 weeks before japanese withdraw from coastal towns of buna, gona and sananda.
The battle of the kokoda trail of 23 july november 1942 saw the japanese army reach further south than at any other time during the second world war, in an attempt to capture port moresby, but also marked the point at which japans resources became too stretched to support further offensive operations, and ended as a clear australian victory. Lt col owen died on 29 july 1942, in papua, aged 37 years. Back on the kokoda trail the situation was still very fluid on 1 september 1942. Rabaul 1942 rabaul, on the island of new britain, was the administrative capital of the australian mandated territory of new guinea. His photographs and films brought the war home to australians and are now an integral part of our military history. The australians were trying to protect their crossing of eoraiora creek, by having the remains of 39th battalions a, b and c companies establish positions that would prevent the japanese firing on the crossing, before all remaining australians had crossed. But the impact of the kokoda front line on the australia psyche endures. Navy kokoda front line australian news and information bureau moscow strikes back. In july 1942, japanese forces made landings at gona on the north coast of modern papua new guinea, as part of a wider plan to defend the naval base of rabaul. It was one of four winners of the 15th academy awards for best documentary, and the first australian film to win an oscar. Fire and fury games battlefront wwii free scenarios. Aug 15, 2016 documentary short about the australian army in new guinea. The battle of kokoda consisted of two engagements fought in late july early august 1942.
Kokoda front line unedited the australian war memorial. The academy award newsreel form 1943 depicting the fighting in new guinea. Battle of the kokoda track erupts world war ii today. They battled through mountainous jungle in a tropical climate rife with malaria and dysentery.
The japanese had not been blind to an american response following its attack on pearl harbor and quickly moved to establish defensive positions all across the. This victory marked the first major turning of the japanese ground forced during the pacific war taylor et al p. Why was it so difficult for the australians to fight on the kokoda trail in 1942 during ww2. This date was exactly two years to the day that this film, kokoda front line. See more ideas about ww2, world war and world war two. Aug 28, 2012 his most famous documentary is kokoda front line. They were significantly outnumbered by the enemy and less armed. Documentary short about the australian army in new guinea.
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