Kokoda Front Line!
From the Archive
•
9m 7s
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. 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 Kokoda Track over the Owen Stanley Mountain Range. Australian troops arrived on the Kokoda Track two weeks prior to the landings, having been warned of an imminent attack. The subsequent Kokoda campaign would last four months and strike a deep impression in the hearts and minds of the Australian people. This emotional documentary was filmed by the Australian war photographer Damien Parer and shared the Academy Award for best documentary in 1943. Parer was killed in September 1944 on the island of Peleliu. Please note: This film may contain distressing scenes and contemporary language no longer considered appropriate.
Up Next in From the Archive
-
Okinawa Bulletin: Final Phases
The campaign for Okinawa, located just 350 miles south of Japan, was one of the bloodiest of the war. US land forces faced a Japanese defence occupying a system of tunnels, caves and fortifications exploiting the natural defensive advantages of the hilly southern region of the island. At sea, ves...
-
Living History: The Somme Battlefields
The Battle of the Somme, which began on 1 July 1916, is remembered as one of the bloodiest events of the First World War. On the first day of the offensive, one man was killed every 4.4 seconds, making it the bloodiest single day in the history of the British Army. There were over a million casua...
-
Protect and Survive: What To Do When ...
Protect and Survive was a series of films made by the British government in the late 1970s and early 80s. The films accompanied a booklet of the same name, which was issued to households across the country detailing suggested precautions and responses to a nuclear attack. Today, these films with ...