The Kokoda Campaign 1942

Myth and Reality

Peter Williams

• Publisher: Cambridge University Press
• Year: 2012
• Print ISBN:
  9781107015944
• eBook ISBN:
  9781107481961
• Topic: History
• Subtopic: Military & Maritime History
• Index: History

The fighting on the Kokoda Track in World War II is second only to Gallipoli in the Australian national consciousness. The Kokoda campaign of 1942 has taken on mythical status in Australian military history. According to the legend, Australian soldiers were vastly outnumbered by the Japanese, who suffered great losses in battle and as a result of the harsh conditions of the Kokoda Track. In this important book, Peter Williams seeks to dispel the Kokoda myth. Using extensive research and Japanese sources, he explains what really happened on the Kokoda Track in 1942. Unlike most other books written from an Australian perspective, The Kokoda Campaign 1942: Myth and reality focuses on the strategies, tactics and battle plans of the Japanese and shows that the Australians were in fact rarely outnumbered. For the first time, this book combines narrative with careful analysis to present an undistorted picture of the events of the campaign. It is a must-read for anyone who is interested in the truth of the Kokoda campaign of 1942.

Table of contents

• Cover
• The Kokoda Campaign 1942: Myth and reality
• Series Page
• Title
• Copyright
• Dedication
• CONTENTS
• PHOTOGRAPHS
• MAPS
• TABLES
• KEY TO MILITARY SYMBOLS
• ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
• NOTE ON THE TEXT
• GLOSSARY
• CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION
• CHAPTER 2 STRATEGY
• CHAPTER 3 MILITARY INTELLIGENCE
• CHAPTER 4 THE NANKAI SHITAI
• CHAPTER 5 FROM THE LANDING TO DENIKI
• CHAPTER 6 ISURAVA
• CHAPTER 7 GUADALCANAL AND MILNE BAY
• CHAPTER 8 THE JAPANESE BUILD-UP
• CHAPTER 9 FIRST EORA–TEMPLETON'S
• CHAPTER 10 EFOGI
• CHAPTER 11 IORIBAIWA
• CHAPTER 12 JAPANESE ARTILLERY
• CHAPTER 13 MALARIA AND DYSENTERY
• CHAPTER 14 THE JAPANESE SUPPLY CRISIS
• CHAPTER 15 SECOND EORA–TEMPLETON'S
• CHAPTER 16 OIVI–GORARI
• CHAPTER 17 THE WAR IN THE AIR
• CHAPTER 18 CONCLUSION
• NOTE ON SOURCES
• NOTES
• BIBLIOGRAPHY
• INDEX