Kokoda Track campaign
A World War II campaign in Papua over rugged jungle terrain.
The Kokoda Track campaign was a series of battles fought between July and November 1942 in the Australian Territory of Papua, as part of the Pacific War of World War II. It involved Japanese forces under Major General Tomitarō Horii and Australian and Papuan land forces under New Guinea Force, with the Japanese objective of seizing Port Moresby via an overland advance across the Owen Stanley Range.
- Start
- July 1942
- End
- November 1942
- Location
- Australian Territory of Papua (Kokoda Track)
- Belligerents
- Japan vs. Australia and Papua
- Japanese Commander
- Major General Tomitarō Horii
- Allied Commander
- New Guinea Force
- Outcome
- Japanese withdrawal; Allied pursuit and victory
Quick Facts
- Conflict
- Kokoda Track campaign
- Part Of
- the New Guinea campaign of the Pacific Theater (World War II)
- Date
- 21 July – 16 November 1942
- Location
- Territory of Papua
- Result
- Allied victory
- Combatant1
- Australia / United States · 1912
- Combatant2
- Empire of Japan
- Commander1
- USA · 1912 Douglas MacArthur / Australia Basil Morris / Australia Thomas Blamey / Australia Sydney Rowell / Australia Edmund Herring / Australia Arthur Allen / Australia George Vasey
- Commander2
- Empire of Japan Harukichi Hyakutake / Empire of Japan Tomitarō Horii
- Strength1
- 30,000McCarthy · 1959 · p=234
- Strength2
- 13,500McCarthy · 1959 · p=146
- Casualties1
- 625 killed / 1,055 wounded / 4,000+ sickMcCarthy · 1959 · pp=334–335
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
Japanese forces landed near Gona and Buna on 21 July 1942, opposed initially by four platoons of the 39th Battalion and elements of the Papuan Infantry Battalion. They captured Kokoda and its airfield on 29 July. Despite Australian reinforcements, the Japanese pushed forward, with the 21st Brigade narrowly avoiding capture at Mission Ridge – Brigade Hill from 6 to 8 September. The 25th Brigade fought the Japanese to a halt at Ioribaiwa from 13 to 16 September but withdrew to Imita Ridge. The Japanese advanced within sight of Port Moresby but withdrew on 26 September due to supply issues and reverses at Guadalcanal. The Australian pursuit faced strong opposition at Templeton's Crossing and Eora Village from 11 to 28 October. After unopposed recapture of Kokoda, a major battle at Oivi and Gorari from 4 to 11 November resulted in an Australian victory. By 16 November, two brigades of the Australian 7th Division crossed the Kumusi River and advanced on Japanese beachheads, which held out until 22 January 1943.
Reader's Guide
The Kokoda Track campaign is significant for its harsh jungle conditions and logistical challenges. Australian reinforcement was hampered by limited aerial resupply and primitive techniques. Australian command deemed Vickers machine guns and medium mortars too heavy for the terrain, leaving troops without artillery or mortars against Japanese mountain guns and light howitzers, which proved decisive. The campaign revealed Australian unpreparedness for jungle warfare, leading to widespread changes in doctrine, training, equipment, and structure that persist today. A 'crisis of command' resulted in the sackings of three high-ranking Australian officers, with criticism of Generals MacArthur and Blamey for unrealistic perceptions of terrain and conditions. The campaign has been mythologized as Australia's Thermopylae and incorporated into the Anzac legend, though the premise of a vastly numerically superior enemy has since been shown incorrect.
Did You Know?
- The Japanese objective was to seize Port Moresby by an overland advance from the north coast.
- Japanese forces landed near Gona and Buna on 21 July 1942.
- The Japanese withdrew on 26 September 1942 due to supply problems and reverses at Guadalcanal.
- The campaign led to sackings of three high-ranking Australian officers amid a 'crisis of command'.
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