There is no doubt about this - the young Americans had not been properly trained and prepared for the task they were given and the conditions they fought under were atrocious. Australia owes them a great debt however because we would not have stopped the Japanese advance in PNG without the support of their land, sea and air forces.
In all fairness, the poor performance by the Americans in the later Buna campaign was undoubtedly because they were national guardsmen (basically reservists)! The Marines, or Patton's 8th, they definitely were not! Macarthur of course grossly exaggerated their "contribution" and used this as a PR exercise to garner support from home. The US didn't have to be there, the Australians by comparison faced occupation and probable genocide if they lost. Of course we fought hard!
Macarthur liked to lead from the rear. Even his own troops nicknamed him "Dugout Doug" in the Phillipines. That said, he did whip up American support for a War that the American public was initially queasy about winning. He was a demanding SOB, and if he hadn't been, the Americans could well have thrown in the towel (which the Japanese had basically gambled on the US doing). He basically told the US public the glory stories they needed to hear...at the expense of Australian troops nevertheless.
"A Bastard of a Place" by Peter Brune .. bloody read it .. and it was Militia, namely 39 bn, that gave their most to save Australia until the AIF turned up and then Militia and AIF forgetting their differences and worked together to saved our Great Country. AND Australia IS being infiltrated today .. will we too stand and fight again for OUR Australia ????; our government isn't. Thank you to my distant relative; Private Roy John SCHMIDT, V104462 39 Bn, attached to NG Force Sigs KIA 01JAN1943.
And yes we have, Carlson's Patrol: Japanese forces 2,500, Americans 700, successful raid by the Americans, Battle of Midway was not an even battle, The Japanese had better pilots, better aircraft, and more aircraft carriers, Battle of Bastogne a small American force held the town for almost two weeks until they were relieved. while lacking air power, heavy tanks and supplies numbers11,000 enlisted + 800 officers vs 120,000 Germans, Battle of Luzon japs outnumbered us 3-2.
@VanOstrum Carlson's Patrol (nothing to do with Macarthur,he wasnt even there) was a great battle no doubt.Same as Midway,it was the Navy and airforce that won that one.In fact none of them had really anything to do with Macarthur did they.Not once have I belittled the American troops.But consider this, Australian troops were the first forces to stop both the Jap and German rampage (Tobruk and Kokoda) in WW2.This isnt a competition.Take a look at the title of the vid thats the topic
Although it was completely unfair, in war, you pretty much have to do whatever the command structure orders, and sacrifice your life for people who might not care about your country, because otherwise the enemy will cut you down while you squabble internally about who does what.
If the Allies had not presented a united front, and argued internally about one force not taking enough fire, they would have fallen victim to the united front presented by the Axis.
All I can say is both all parties in the below tet ah tet have lost the point. The Aussie Diggers of The Boer War, WW1 and WW2, the Borneo conflict, Korea, Vietnam, Iraq, Somalia, and Afghanistan all deserve the honours bestowed upon them. None can ever take away from the spirit when so hard fought are the trials.
@AlienFirefox The fact that MacArthur was not the man for the job is not in dispute however I would hope that you would have enough command of the English language to get your point across without having to resort to type language you used.
@AlienFirefox We had a different way of fighting because there was only 400 of us at the time.
They attacked the japs then ran to another spot hit them again and ran to onther posision and so on...The japs thought there was alot more of us due to this tactic.
it made it look like we were running in the eyes of macarther but it was the only way we could do it...we would of got taken out in a few days if we used macathers method.
@AlienFirefox yeah the young kids that ran lived on the streets of melbourne so the jungle was very harsh for them.
also they had no training like you said so when they heard the first gun shot it scared the shit out of them.....part of the training is learning what gun fire sounds and feels like ect ect.....but it was only one small group that ran.
The rest of 39th were some of the bravest and toughest troops the japanese had seen.
@Scharfuhrer MacArthur didnt have a clue of the conditions or the numbers that the diggers were facing.The strength the Aussies showed made the Japs think they were facing a force many times bigger than the truth.If they knew they were facing a force of a few hundred they would have won but they didnt thanks to the brave Aussies.
i know he called australian soldiers cowards even after australian army reserves (chocos) had shown the same ferociousness and aggressiveness as the japanese in new guinea and the american army reserves cowared in the grass and wouldnt fight. the australian miltia were better soldiers then the american marines and the miltia had only 2 weeks training if they were lucky.
z sopecial unit is the ancestor of our sasr and is in fact the model for the british sas the original british sas disbanded in 1945 and was reestablished in 1947 although using old sas traditions and tactics and all they used z special unit stealth tactics.
z force is old and its an australian film. z force were a highly elite australiian special commando unit during ww2 they also recruited foreign allied soldiers like dutch kiwis and brits the americans never made it though LOL
macarthur was nothing but a joke and dont go thinking you know what i am and what i aint i could be anybody you fucking arsehole.
if you want a truly accomplished man look up general sir john monash led the final spearhead that won ww1 and was considered the greatest general of both world wars. though i doubt a like fucktard like you even knows who that is.
think you guys may find that the japanese were the 155 th marines under hirori and the aussies were the 39th militia strengthened at isurava by 2nd 14th aif and 2nd 16th aif back from italy and tubruk
@robdave1974 With the 39th being the equilent to todays reserves. Know as the "chocolate soldiers" they were meant to melt in the heat of battle though they proved to be anything but.They fought for 2 months withhardly any food yet still held the thousands of Japs up enough to stop them from continuing south.AThe pride of Australia to say the least.
I now offer apologies in the name of all US cowards, and beg for judgement without mercy, from you, gods gift to planet earth in general, and all of us American cowards specifically. May god have mercy on all of us pathetic squirmers, for I know the Australian overlords shall not. Oh wait....
I mean all of that, except the COMPLETE OPPOSITE. I really don't understand where everyone gets the idea that Americans are such assholes.You'd be hard pressed to find 1 of us trashing Australia.Fuck off.
@Shakesdicke Touche, mr shaky cock: well played, indeed.Adam West offers you his praises as well.
HOWEVER, savor your victory now, for there shall Be A RECKONING! So lang as the boy george concert is on, NOT 1 SINGLE DROP OF AMERICAS BEST(,Mad Dog 20/20, Thunderbird and Night Train) SHALL PASS FROM OUR SHORES THAT THE YOGURT PIGS AND THE TRASH NIBBLERS WIL STIR THE POT AT LONG LAST!
@matThaHatter nooo not with that attitude you should respect this or fine sonthing else to say that about us not here and us cowards we were the first countrie to make the japs retreat
@Eshayzbra96 I'm just joking around. About some of it, anyway. I think Australia is great. Almost every Australian I've met has seemed worthy of respect, even those who I personally disliked. Of course, a POSITIVE blanket statement is still as mucha prejudiced statement as NEGATIVE blanket statement. Therefore, I suppose there are some Australians who are douchebags, but I haven't met any.
This being the case, I do not understand why I so often here Australians bashing Americans. That's all.
@matThaHatter America's idol in MacArthur was an idiot ,plain and simple.He didnt listen to the Australian chain of commnd and neally lost his most valuable ally at the time.He underestimated Australias troops and and neally condemned them to hell.He wasnt a great commander,he was an idiot.
@OzisGodscountry I don't like MacArthur(well, he's dead & I never met him anyway). I just get tired of the constant drone of "I HATE THE USA" that I constantly hear.
If that doesn't make sense to you, and all you plan to respond with is more about how stupid and clumsy we are, spare me. I already know what you have to say.
@VanOstrum I got a comment in my email, but now I see it's been removed. Seeing how it seemed to be a response based on a SERIOUS misunderstanding of what I've said, or just directed toward the wrong person altogether, so I won't say anything yet.
My position here is unquestionably pro-US(but NOT anti-Australia). So as I said, I think that it may have been sent mistakenly. Want to shed some light on that? Thanks
@matThaHatter Did I badmouth the US or its soldiers during ww2? No I bad mouthed Macarthur for his actions during the Kokoda Campaign.Macarthur was an arrogant fool who wasted mens lives needlessly to fuel his own ego basically.
@OzisGodscountry Dude, didn't we already have this conversation MONTHS AGO? But since you've revived it, I'll restate my my thoughts: my original post was an undirected comment on the frustration I feel when I constantly hear people deride my country;
I made a joke to'Shakesdicke.'
Then you said you didn't like MacArthur.
I agreed with you.
Then'VanOstrum'accid. directed a comment towards me & I asked him about it.
Now you're telling me you hate MacArthur. Again. Why? I got it the 1st time.
@OzisGodscountry Battle of New Orleans: British 11,000. : Americans 4000 Americans still won, Battle of Craney Island British forces: 2,000. American forces150, Americans won, Battle of Fort Stephenson 1,400 British regulars and Indians vs 160 U.S. regulars, Americans won, Siege of Fort Harrison Belligerents
Native Americans 600 vs 50 Americans, Americans won. Battle of Red Bank: 1,200 Hessian troops vs 400 Americans, Americans won so Yes we have won being outnumbered before.
@OzisGodscountry "Anything in the last 100 years?" You said "Throughout history the US has only won battles due to numbers and equipment,never due to the abilities of the actual soldiers". You did not say "In the past 100 years the US has only won battles due to numbers and equipment,never due to the abilities of the actual soldiers". What difference does it make if it was more than 100 years ago? We also won battles being outnumbered, and we did play a much larger role vs Japan then AUS did
@matThaHatter I have spoken to a few diggers that have actually disposed of a few American soldiers because they neally gave away their position.They wouldnt shut the fuck up and were useless not to mention put decent soldiers lives at risk.Throughout history the US has only won battles due to numbers and equipment,never due to the abilities of the actual soldiers.
As the Australian commanders in New Guinea have said, "The American soldiers mastered the art of inactivity." McArthur couldn't get his own troops to fight as they didn't have the guts, instead he had to rely primarily on the Australian forces to get the job done which they did at an enormous cost. The REAL story of the New Guinea campaign is told in the book "A Bastard of a place" by Peter Brune. A "must read" for all proud aussies!
@virgoattitude Very true mate and Peter Brune's book is by far the most accurate account of the war in papua..... awesome read it was like i was there watching it.
@robdave1974 I found Peter Fitzsimmons "Kokoda" an absolut beauty of an account of Kokoda and explained to perfection the picture the difficulties both sides faced.
In the ABC Documentary part 1 invasion it starts by showing War Relics of Battles fought there ! is there anyone who would know if there is anything of Kokoda that show's the Relics left from Battle ? else where on You Tube ? Maybe someone could put them on ! Chers !
all we had to fight with (apart from Bren guns) was mainly ww1 weapons. No tanks, no artillery, no naval bombardments, no offensive air support and we still did what the americans couldn't do - force the japs into retreat! Captured Japanese documents showed that they believed they were fighting a force of several thousand Australian soldiers when in fact it was a fraction of that number.
@virgoattitude, USA 2/126 Inf. Bn, 32nd ID moved up the unopened Kapa Kapa Trail next to the Kokoda Trail & it was worse going than the Kokoda Trail. The 32nd Inf. Div. was understrength, ill equipped & clothed, & had little tropiccal warfare training. Aussies had already stopped the Jap. offensive before we got involved on 14OCT42. 126th also crossed the Hydrographer's Mtn. Range. Ghost Mountain Boys is a good bok concerning the 32nd ID etc.
@ssaltmer, You're a complete ass & a baby. You cannot give credir where credit is due, & that is very dumb & immature. Go pee-off now bozo. I'd like to hear you say the 32nd ID was what you say it was to an Aussie or 32nd ID vet. that was there becuase they'd either laugh or kick your smart ass self out the door.
@ssaltmer, Excuse please. The 32nd ID went on to become an excellent unit. When first in combat they didn't have any waterproof containers for anti-malaria pills etc. I guess some Aussies are complete ASSHOLES. I don't insult the sacrifices made by any of the Allies, the Brits, Aussies, French, Soviets, Poles, Dutch, Belgians, Africans, Indians, Pakiatanis, Indonesians, etc. People like you are ignorant jerks.
@christof139 And boofheads like yourself can rest uneasily in the fact that their idols were built on plynths of sand.Aussies fighting off the Jap hordes in early 1942 didn't have a pot to piss in either.What makes your beloved Michigan NG so special,fighting for a country 7000miles away, compared to the Queensland militia?
Don't expect the quiet acheivers to accept the history of the glory hogs.
@ssaltmer, You need to learn to show respect for those that fought, died from various means, were maimed & crippled, etc. I bet you have never lost anyone you know in a war, nor been in the military yourself, & if you have, you are a moron that hasn't learned anything worthwhile. The 2 USA Inf. Divs. that were sent to New Guinea were NG outfits that were very ill equipped & undermanned, yet as the war went on they became good units. Similar to the Turks defeating the Aussies etc. at Gallipoli.
@christof139 I don't need to do anything you say.Self righteous defenders of the faith like yourself are a scream.I don't need to prove anything to you.Keep on making your presumptions old man, they'll see you into your stressful grave before me, lol.
@christof139 The Japs in PNG during the initial drive south were SNLF regiments(marines) or guards regiments.Making a comparison that these seasoned units in their prime would have been the equal to your 2nd US Div is presumptuous at the least............But you're good at that....
@ssaltmer, I know what Jap. forces were engaged on the Kokoda Trail dipshit. It was the 32nd Inf. Div. (Red Arrow Div., Les Terribles as the French named them & they were the first to penetrate the Hindenberg Line) not the 2nd Inf. Div. (Indianhead Div.). Your knowledge of military history is CRAP.
After the Buna campaign, the 32nd ID & Auusie units were reinforced & re-equipped, & they were aq match for anything the Japanese had. BTW, some SNLF were average at best, not elite.
@christof139 Omitting the digit number 3 before a 2 when indicating Divisional numbers does not signify a lack of military knowledge, merely grammatical error.It does however expose your preparedness to seize on a point so insignificantly tenuous , and thinking that with the help of Wikipedia unit nicknames you can turn it around to win you some credibilty.........
@ssaltmer The Japs at Kokoda were specifaclly trained in jungle warfare. They were probably the best trined soldiers in the conditions in PNG at the time.They would have tromped the yanks hands down but the Aussies knew they they were fighting for the homeland and fought like the heroes they were
@OzisGodscountry "Throughout history the US has only won battles due to numbers and equipment,never due to the abilities of the actual soldiers".what? I am sorry American soldiers fought way better than Aussies, and We won the pacific war you pride yourselves because winning some battles vs the Japs? We won way more battles vs the japs. Guadalcanal Campaign, Midway etc and in many cases being outnumbered and under supplied. read a dam history book idiot.
@VanOstrum LOL are you actually saying american troops are better? It's a well known fact that americans are little girls. At kokoda they were too scared to land on the airfield they we landed on. 77 truck drivers vs 500 elite marines, we killed over 300 with our 77 yet they failed to kill 20. The 1st marine division adopted Waltzing Matilda as their march because they were so amazing by the bravery and toughness of the our militia. If you go though our military history you'll only find around..
@MsSloppyseconds Sorry what you Aussies did at Kokoda was amazing, but not nearly what we Americans did at Battle of Bastogne We were not outnumbered 5-1, no we were outnumbered 12-1. I am not saying American troops are any better, just saying they are no worse than Aussies.
@VanOstrum The thing is it is you who is comparing armed forces. I was just stating my opinion about 1 man,Macarthur (oh and Blamey but he was just Macarthurs puppet.
The USA was already fighting in the Solomon Islands when the Kokoda Campaign occurred. The object of the New Guinea Campaign was to isolate or capture Rabul and secure the area & sea lanes to Burma, India etc. The USA conducted offensives in the east & north Pacific in order to get to the Phillipines, although it was helpful that rabul etc. were neutralized, but not 110% necessary to do entirely to get back to the Phillipines.
@christof139 The Jap objective of the New Guinea campaign was to take Port Moresby by two attempted overland routes, as a result their naval task force being turned back during the Coral Sea Battle.The grand plan was to isolate Australia.New Britain(Rabaul) and New Ireland were captured in early 1942.The Japanese troops who landed at Buna to begin the Kokoda Campaign some months later came from the garrison of Rabaul.
@ssaltmer, First defeat of japanese ground forces was accomplished by the Chinese in China, then by the USA defenders of tiny Wake Island, & at Wake Jap. ground, air, & naval forces were defeated causing the Jap. to retreat & launch a second offensive that took the island. The Jap. considered the bloody repulse of their frist invasion attempt a great humiliation & it was rather costly to them. The 39th was the best Militia Bn., & the 7th Div. that arrived in time was a veteran & excellent unit.
@ssaltmer Thats right Rabual consisted of 1400 Aussies vs 5000 Japs. Kokoda consisted mailny of a ratio of 1 ally to every 5-6 Jap.Both accouts the Aussies did superhuman feats against a force that would destroy most forces
I have nothing against america at all .. you had very brave men fight through wwll however why do you seem intent on diminishing australian history and fact,... we were outnumbered 10-1 we did efeat the japanese forces and those brave men of our country who were the only ones fighting for our country will foever be legend, stop with nonsense, this was a momentoius and incredible defeat of the the japanese and defines who we are and our aussie spirit to a tee.... and stop with the nonsense.
christof139 u are a dickhead we dont care what u say............atlest us aussie can tell the differance between the enemys and out own people, god know how many of your own side u have killed in the wars
I have been watching this series. These Australian guys should be ashamed. They "ran like rabbits" said the great General MacArthur. The United States marines easily accounted for the Japanese, who were usuing outdated techniques. WHen faced with the United States, the Japanese quickly ran themselves. Americans. So brave.
it is hardly fair to think that a poorly trained, poorly equipped and severely outnumbered force of Australian malitia. When the Australian 39th malitia forces were holding Isurava after 2 weeks of fighting and lossing 2 commanding officers they number only 250. Even after being reinforced by the 2/14th AIF their total combined personnel was only 1500 able men compared to a Jap force of approx 6000.
@TChatto88 The Australians thought very badly of the Japanese. The Austraianssaid, the Japanese were short sighted, cowardly and were a curious mixture of human and ape. The wonderful Tom Hanks series "Pacific" shows the great fighting American in action. They cut though the Japanese like a knife through butter. The great generals Blamey and MacArthur soon handed over the campaign the the American Marines.
Maybe you should research MILNE BAY and see how poorly us Aussies fought. Plus you think that the series "the pacific" which has been made by Americans is going to portray American Marines in any light but a positive one? surely you are a smart enough person to realise that? Im sure 100% positive that they will never make a film about the American forces lead by Your Apparently Great General MacArther SURRENDERING to the Japs in the Phillipenes and MacArther fleeing to AUS.
Did every Australian soldier say those words? Also the 1940's, if i'm not incorrect, African American's were not considered proper people and weren't allowed to vote for another 25 years? I admire the bravery and the things that American soldiers have done in the second World War and in my honest opinion don't get enough recognition outside of America, however to say negative things about Australians, you can go fuck off!
@EasyCompanyAirborne How about MacArthurs order to Gen Eichelberger of the US 32nd Div,"Take Buna or don't come back alive".Well he lived and the Aussies ended up taking Buna for him.Your TV movie diets are not healthy if you crave facts,
@ssaltmer Yes. The US 32nd Div was sent in to stop the Australians retreating (running). They were heroes who fought on the Kapa Kapa trail, far worse than the Kokoda trail. The Div ended up forcing the Japanese to leave New Guinea. They were showered with battle honors including Luzon and Leyte.
@EasyCompanyAirborne Stop dodging the issue, stars & stripes.Eichelberger did a shit job on the northern beaches and the Aussies picked up the pieces.What price your beloved US Army? Facts boy, facts.
@EasyCompanyAirborne The US 32nd Div did not encounter a single Jap on the 5 week Kapa Kapa Trail March and failed to provide flanking support for the Australians fighting on the Kokoda Track.They showered themselves in failure.
@ssaltmer, Don't knock the 32nd 'Red Arrow' National Guard Division from Wisconsin & Michigan. They were understrength & had NO TROPICAL WARFARE TRAINING & had been preparing to move to Britain. The Kapa Kapa Trail was 130-miles long & had worse terrain than the Kokoda Trail & it was impossible to support the Aussies 30 or so miles to the north!! You are a failure with your stupid mouth.
@EasyCompanyAirborne General Blamey had indeed spoken disparagingly to General MacArthur of the performance of the 32d Division. The conversation had taken place five days before at Government House, General MacArthur's headquarters at Port Moresby. General Kenney, who had been present (and had made a note of General Blamey's remarks), felt that it had been "a bitter pill for General MacArthur to swallow."
@EasyCompanyAirborne General MacArthur without preliminary plunged into the matter at hand. American troops, he told the officers, had dropped their weapons and run from the enemy.... source:an interview with Generals Eichelberger &Beyer 1950.
@ssaltmer, Google '32nd Infantry Division' & you'll find out how 'Les terribles' recieved their name 'Red Arrow' & 'Les terribles'. Their lineage is from the Iron Brigade, the 1st Bde., of the 1st Div., of the Army of the Potomac. It's too bad they were understrength, ill equipped, & had no tropial warfare training, & in 7-weeks the 32nd lost more than its initail strength in KIA, MIA, WIA, & sick due to tropical diseases. There are still a few of them alive here in Mich. & Wisc.
@christof139 Yeah I shouldn't need to remind your beloved 32nd Div what a "Terrible" job they did supporting the Aussies, I'm sure they are still ashamed of it today.Regimental pedigrees going back 200 years and fancy French nicknames didn't count much on the day.Yes, God made Mich & Wisc what it is today.Why he packed it full of wankers is the big mystery.
@ssaltmer, You're a stupid ass. The 32nd, as I explained before, had NO Tropical Warfare Training, & had ~3,000 new troops with only 8-weeks Basic Training. After the entire division lost over 7,000 troops to tropical diseases, & the rest of its ~9,700 strength to combat, it was rebuilt & once again became an excellent division. You're a PUNK that has no business ridiculing ANY people that have gone into combat. Get lost PUNK.
@ssaltmer, It was impossible for the detachment of the 32nd Inf. Div. moving along the Kapa Kapa Trail ~30-miles to the south of the Kokoda Trail to support the Aussies due to the intervening mountains & jungle/rain forest, % the Aussies couldn't support the 32nd either dipshit.
Read of the whole campaign you bloody punk. You're a total ASSWIPE. Not any Aussie that served there in New Guinea knocks the 32nd & many of the vets are still friends.
@ssaltmer, The understrentgh, under trained, & under equipped 32nd lost a lot of good people you fricking jackass because it was sent into combat hurridely when Australia needed help.
funny that in the new guinea camapaign all we had were chocolite soldiers
army reserve militia no training
the thing was that the chocos used to attack the japs in the same ferociousness that japanese had
but the americans in new guinea wouldnt fight they stayed hidden in the grass and the japs came out into the open waiting for the yanks to take em on and they wouldnt they cowered in the grass and wouldn't come out
funny that in the new guinea campaign all we had were chocolite soldiers
army reserve militia no training
the thing was that the chocos used to attack the japs in the same ferociousness that japanese had
but the americans in new guinea wouldnt fight they stayed hidden in the grass and the japs came out into the open waiting for the yanks to take em on and they wouldnt they cowered in the grass and wouldn't come out
@christof139 funny that in the new guinea campaign all we had were chocolite soldiers
army reserve militia no training
the thing was that the chocos used to attack the japs in the same ferociousness that japanese had
but the americans in new guinea wouldnt fight they stayed hidden in the grass and the japs came out into the open waiting for the yanks to take em on and they wouldnt they cowered in the grass and wouldn't come out
@AlienFirefox, Sorry buddy. You're an arrogant & wrong person. Read of the entire campaign before you babble. The 32nd was a pitiful sight considering that their malaria pills were destroyed for lack of proper containers, having no tropical training & many troops having only 8-weeks of basic training, etc. However, the 32nd did recover, its fighting ability became better, & it cracked open the Jap. Buna defenses.
@AlienFirefox, No you are. I'm near 60 butt wipe. When temp. is 90F & a cold front comes through & the temp drops to say 55 or 60F in 1/2 hour & it rains a cold rain then a human's biologic system is hard hit & a person becomes susceptible to infection by cold viruses, hypothermia, etc. But it doesn't compare to winter in the north.
i mean damn everything you have said my 8 year old nephew knows more then you
and always remember america didnt give a shit about australia all yas cared about was having a base close to japan because without it you would never have won in the philipines or iwo jima or solomon islands
@AlienFirefox, The USA didn't care about Australia? Thank God that the majority of Australians aren't stupid, crass, uncaring morons like you. The USA sent amny troops to Australia & new Guinea & everywhere else in the Pacific, not to mention all the aircraft, supplies, & other material sent to every Allied nation involved in WWII. USA did not have to get involved in New Guinea because we were advancing in the Solomons etc.
During WW2 the sole purpose American Forces were in Aus was to retake the Philipines. General MacAurther was quoted saying "that America maintained that it was Britans responsibility to defend Aus. America would add to defence Capability but "USA had no soverign intrest in the integrity of AUS" and they would only support Aus insofar as it was in their own intrest to do so. Source: Minutes of Prime Ministers War Conference, Melbourne 1 Jun 1942. Aus war museum keeps a copy
@TChatto88 Oh really?! First off, mate, General MacArthur talked to just to hear himself talk. But more importantly, what's your point? That America didn't give a damn about Australia or turned it's back on the Australians? For your next insightful history lesson, we Americans would love to hear your take on the Battle Of The Coral Sea. And secondly, you never hear American Veterans say anything disrespectful about Australia's loyalty or contributions in World War II... NEVER!
@beeceesp my point was that if not for the importance Aus held for American forces as a launching pad to retake the ground they lost in the Philipines and so on I doubt they would have come to Aus aid. Also I wasn't trying to downplay the role American forces had in the pacific realm. In my opinon if USMC had not launched the campagin on Guadalcanal in turn forcing Japan to divert a large amount of their forces to retaking it, things could have gone differently for Aus on Kokoda
@beeceesp Being an Aussie and that I had family who died during the Siege of Tubrok I have naturally read a few books on both Kokoda and Tubrok itself and I have to to agree with you that from what I have read it sounds like MacArthur loved the sound of his own voice. Furthermore I think neither Aus or American Vets would have many disrepectful things to say about eachother, both sides went into tropical warfare ill equipped and without appropiate training but fought brilliantly all the same.
@TChatto88 I wish I understood why Yanks and Aussies bash each other. Must be some kind of Jedi mind trick. History books state. Australia joined with the United Kingdom in declaring war on Germany, Sept 3, 1939. New Zealand did so as well. Together they fought with distinction in North Africa. When Japan attacked all around the Pacific in December 1941, England informed Australia it could not provide further support .The Australian government then publicly asked for American assistance.
@beeceesp Australia didn't really need to ask, America was desperate not to lose it's few allies in the Pacific. Unfortunately, after the fall of the Phillipines, the Australians were asked to accept General MacArthur as Allied commander. MacArthur (worried about his place in history) obsessed about returning to the Phillipines. The US Navy however set about stopping the Japanese Southern advance toward Australia. The Battle of the Coral Sea halted Japanese troop landings at Port Moresby.
@beeceesp It seems to me that people get on here knowing nothing but what they see on TV and refuse to be told any different. Britian left Aus for dead as Churchill thought Aussie came from "bad stock". I dont know much about the battle of the Coral sea but didn't it involve an Aus/American force that halted the intial Jap advance on PNG. It was the first time the Japs experienced defeat in the Pacific and It was quite costly for Us Navy as they lost a couple of aircraft carriers & frigates
@TChatto88 Actually, Coral Sea was a tactical victory for the Japanese but it was a Strategic defeat (they abandoned plans to capture Port Moresby by sea and use it for the invasion of Australia. The Japanese were defeated a month later at The Battle Of Midway . The US Navy then returned to block the Japanese from Australia by landing US Marines on Guadalcanal. You can read all about it on Wikipedia
@beeceesp You missed a bit there in between Coral Sea and Guadalcanal.The thwarted Japanese naval attack on Port Moresby and the overland attack via Kokoda forced the Japs to land SNLF troops(marines) at Milne Bay Aug 1942 where they were defeated by the Aussies.
@MAKER6450 You'll get no argument from me. MacArthur was indeed a wanker. He turned his back on his own troops in the Philippines, ran to Australia and had the nerve to call the Aussies who fought on the Kokoda track "cowards". Shameful, really. Veterans and educated Americans value Australia's contributions and the sacrifice of Australian Navy ships to buy time at the start of the war in the Pacific.
@beeceesp. Don't forget that Gen Blamey did the same thing in calling the diggers at Kokoda rabbits. The only thing that stopped him from being lynched was the diggers discipline.
Blamey did the one thing that a leader should never do, that's tell the men under him that they are cowards especially to their faces. He should have been removed for doing that.
@krissyeh Instead he was praised.He along with Macarthrur neally destroyed our forces.Macarthru kept going on that the US forces would show the Aussies how its done.Instead they waited til we had pushed them all the way back along the trail to the beachheads then got their backsides booted that bad they asked the Aussies for help to take Gona lol.
@OzisGodscountry also The 2 USA Inf. Divs. that were sent to New Guinea were NG outfits that were very ill equipped & undermanned, yet as the war went on they became good units. "Throughout history the US has only won battles due to numbers and equipment,never due to the abilities of the actual soldiers". quote by idiot.. out soldiers for most of this war was outnumbered and very limited on supplies.
@OzisGodscountry despite being outnumbered and under supplied for the beginning of the war The US later won, Midway,Guadalcanal, Bougainville, Tarawa, Guam, Tinian, Saipan, Peleliu, Iwo Jima, should I go on? Macarthur was also a great general, he may of made mistakes, but how does that discredit everything hes done? The US defeated at least 98% of the Japanese navy plus 25 percent of their army with very little supplies, so just because you little aussies won some battles do not get cocky
Should you go on?No I dont think you should.Yes Macarthur relied on numbers and firepower.Dont get me wrong they were terrible battles and the US fought well but compared to facing the numbers of crack troops like the Aussies did against numbers that outnumbered the Aussies 6-1
@OzisGodscountry "Throughout history the US has only won battles due to numbers and equipment,never due to the abilities of the actual soldiers". If you going to say something like that, then at least let it be historically correct. and yes in Guadalcanal we did outnumber the Japs, but we were not Very well supplied. "MacArthur relied on numbers and firepower." fire power, numbers, and production is how modern wars are won.
@VanOstrum Hey MacCarthur did win some great battles in terrible conditions but IMO he won them not through his smart tactics, he won them because of his troops and their training (but most battles it was numbers and firepower). See the difference?Have you actually researched MacCarthurs tactics during the Kokoda campaign?Honestly I would have made better decisions!
@MsSloppyseconds "...20 losses where if you look at americas history you see more then 70. Go eat a dick and stop trolling, you fail." I do not understand what you mean by loses. If you mean battles, well that makes sense, we have been in much more battles and wars. make sense if you are going to comment. And like I told OziesGodscountry if you are going to Bash Americans at least let your "fact" be historically correct.
@VanOstrum Hey you were the one claiming all these great US victories (which they were) as examples of victories won when the US was outnumbered and out supplied. "fire power, numbers, and production is how modern wars are won". Not at Kokoda hence the reason Macarthur failed so miserably.Kokoda terrain was unique like Peleliu and traditional tactics were useless.Besides the 39th were basically weekend soldiers who had never fired a shot in anger in their life.
@beeceesp Actually the main force of the japs had already landed at Buna/Gona.The Battle of the Coral Sea only stoped the Navy which would have had little effect if the main force couldnt move along the Kokoda Trail against the Aussies
@beeceesp With which the Amerians sowed no interest unless their own supply lines showed signs of being broken. McArthur didnt listen to the Australian commanders and neally cost us our country. In short,hw was an idiot
@AlienFirefox, "A great deal has been said and whispered about the 32nd Division, and much of it makes no sense. The 32nd which 'failed' at Buna was the same 32nd that won victory there. No one else did. Later, rejuvenated and retrained, the Division went on to establish a superior combat record ..."
@AlienFirefox, Tropical diseases such as malaria, dengue fever & bush typhus, caused far more casualties than the effects of battle. The 32nd Division suffered the extraordinary illness rate of 66 percent. Of the 9,825 men who entered combat in the division, 7,125 were casualties due to illness (with 2,952 requiring hospitalisation), compared to 586 killed in action, 1,954 wounded, and 100 more dead from other causes. Total casualties of 9,956 exceeded the Division's entire battle strength.
There is no doubt about this - the young Americans had not been properly trained and prepared for the task they were given and the conditions they fought under were atrocious. Australia owes them a great debt however because we would not have stopped the Japanese advance in PNG without the support of their land, sea and air forces.
1945charlie 1 month ago
In all fairness, the poor performance by the Americans in the later Buna campaign was undoubtedly because they were national guardsmen (basically reservists)! The Marines, or Patton's 8th, they definitely were not! Macarthur of course grossly exaggerated their "contribution" and used this as a PR exercise to garner support from home. The US didn't have to be there, the Australians by comparison faced occupation and probable genocide if they lost. Of course we fought hard!
RochecousteML 1 month ago
Macarthur liked to lead from the rear. Even his own troops nicknamed him "Dugout Doug" in the Phillipines. That said, he did whip up American support for a War that the American public was initially queasy about winning. He was a demanding SOB, and if he hadn't been, the Americans could well have thrown in the towel (which the Japanese had basically gambled on the US doing). He basically told the US public the glory stories they needed to hear...at the expense of Australian troops nevertheless.
RochecousteML 1 month ago
This has been flagged as spam show
"A Bastard of a Place" by Peter Brune .. bloody read it .. and it was Militia, namely 39 bn, that gave their most to save Australia until the AIF turned up and then Militia and AIF forgetting their differences and worked together to saved our Great Country. AND Australia IS being infiltrated today .. will we too stand and fight again for OUR Australia ????; our government isn't. Thank you to my distant relative; Private Roy John SCHMIDT, V104462 39 Bn, attached to NG Force Sigs KIA 01JAN1943.
southaussie5108 1 month ago
I need help with History homework. Can anyone give me 4 reasons the Allied troops won at Kokoda?
KondoPondo 3 months ago
GUYS. WHY CAN'T WE ALL JUST GET ALONG?
marciemousey 6 months ago
And yes we have, Carlson's Patrol: Japanese forces 2,500, Americans 700, successful raid by the Americans, Battle of Midway was not an even battle, The Japanese had better pilots, better aircraft, and more aircraft carriers, Battle of Bastogne a small American force held the town for almost two weeks until they were relieved. while lacking air power, heavy tanks and supplies numbers11,000 enlisted + 800 officers vs 120,000 Germans, Battle of Luzon japs outnumbered us 3-2.
VanOstrum 6 months ago
@VanOstrum Carlson's Patrol (nothing to do with Macarthur,he wasnt even there) was a great battle no doubt.Same as Midway,it was the Navy and airforce that won that one.In fact none of them had really anything to do with Macarthur did they.Not once have I belittled the American troops.But consider this, Australian troops were the first forces to stop both the Jap and German rampage (Tobruk and Kokoda) in WW2.This isnt a competition.Take a look at the title of the vid thats the topic
OzisGodscountry 5 months ago
This has been flagged as spam show
On reflection the outcome here could have been much better for Australia and the US if Roosevelt had left MacArthur on Corregidor.
michaelkirwan93aa 7 months ago
Although it was completely unfair, in war, you pretty much have to do whatever the command structure orders, and sacrifice your life for people who might not care about your country, because otherwise the enemy will cut you down while you squabble internally about who does what.
If the Allies had not presented a united front, and argued internally about one force not taking enough fire, they would have fallen victim to the united front presented by the Axis.
The Soviets had the worst deal.
LazarusRemains 8 months ago
All I can say is both all parties in the below tet ah tet have lost the point. The Aussie Diggers of The Boer War, WW1 and WW2, the Borneo conflict, Korea, Vietnam, Iraq, Somalia, and Afghanistan all deserve the honours bestowed upon them. None can ever take away from the spirit when so hard fought are the trials.
Ozjourneyman 9 months ago
vaa
a sainteresoa..
Benjamen991 1 year ago
still hate japs
macca261 1 year ago
good vid
stusurf1 1 year ago
Looking back it would have been much better for the US and Australia if Roosevelt had left MacArthur on Corregidor.
Scharfuhrer 1 year ago 2
@Scharfuhrer
macarthur was a fuckin idiot
he ordered australian soldiers to do the dangerous shit that he didnt want his soldiers doing
AlienFirefox 1 year ago 16
@AlienFirefox The fact that MacArthur was not the man for the job is not in dispute however I would hope that you would have enough command of the English language to get your point across without having to resort to type language you used.
Scharfuhrer 1 year ago 2
@Scharfuhrer
i used basic everyday australian english
fuck
AlienFirefox 1 year ago
@Scharfuhrer Fuck the Ozzie bastards! Ozzzie bastards ran like hell in spore n all wearing sydney cowboys boots! bastard ozzies racist pigs!
MrNemesis888 1 year ago
@MrNemesis888 FUCK OFF Dick Head
sufeewi 1 year ago
@MrNemesis888 FUCK U, U DICK HEAD
palapig149 11 months ago
@MrNemesis888
grunt182820 10 months ago
@MrNemesis888 You're an ignorant fuckwit. Read a book loser.
maccermacnab 10 months ago
@MrNemesis888 We showed the Japs you cant fuck with Aussies 6 vs 1 and we still stopped em.The losers always complain lol.
OzisGodscountry 9 months ago
@MrNemesis888
the last thing the aussies did was run it was the americans that cowered in the grass in buna
AlienFirefox 4 months ago
@AlienFirefox We had a different way of fighting because there was only 400 of us at the time.
They attacked the japs then ran to another spot hit them again and ran to onther posision and so on...The japs thought there was alot more of us due to this tactic.
it made it look like we were running in the eyes of macarther but it was the only way we could do it...we would of got taken out in a few days if we used macathers method.
MAKER6450 4 months ago
@MAKER6450
yep i know
macarthur did cause a lot of unnessasery american casualties aswell. the philipines was a disaster because of him
AlienFirefox 4 months ago
....there was one group of aussies that dropped thier rifles and ran but they were just young street kids.
im sure you know all this but im just commenting for others to read.
MAKER6450 4 months ago
@MAKER6450
i know
but they were barely 18 and were basically civilians they had no training at all
AlienFirefox 4 months ago
@AlienFirefox yeah the young kids that ran lived on the streets of melbourne so the jungle was very harsh for them.
also they had no training like you said so when they heard the first gun shot it scared the shit out of them.....part of the training is learning what gun fire sounds and feels like ect ect.....but it was only one small group that ran.
The rest of 39th were some of the bravest and toughest troops the japanese had seen.
MAKER6450 4 months ago 3
@MAKER6450
yerp i know
the japanese frowned the american they considered them weak
AlienFirefox 4 months ago
@MAKER6450
That's why the Australia militia were called chocos and Koalas.
Chocos: Because it was thought they would melt away in any heat (ie: retreat).
Koalas: Because they were not to be shot at or exported (lol)
They certainly proved their worth though, and led to one of the most amazing victories of the war.
OrthodoxDarwinist 2 months ago
@Scharfuhrer MacArthur didnt have a clue of the conditions or the numbers that the diggers were facing.The strength the Aussies showed made the Japs think they were facing a force many times bigger than the truth.If they knew they were facing a force of a few hundred they would have won but they didnt thanks to the brave Aussies.
OzisGodscountry 9 months ago
@AlienFirefox have you seen that pathetic hollywood movie called "macather" starring gregery peck?
its makes him look like some hero.
they show aussies in new guinea getting slaughterd.
its junk like that that brainwashes the minds of yanks into thinking macather was great and australian troops couldnt fight.
not to mention the tv show "pacific"....what a joke
MAKER6450 4 months ago 2
@MAKER6450
nope i haven't seen it
i know he called australian soldiers cowards even after australian army reserves (chocos) had shown the same ferociousness and aggressiveness as the japanese in new guinea and the american army reserves cowared in the grass and wouldnt fight. the australian miltia were better soldiers then the american marines and the miltia had only 2 weeks training if they were lucky.
AlienFirefox 4 months ago
@MAKER6450
have you seen the movies based on z special unit
z force it was called
z sopecial unit is the ancestor of our sasr and is in fact the model for the british sas the original british sas disbanded in 1945 and was reestablished in 1947 although using old sas traditions and tactics and all they used z special unit stealth tactics.
AlienFirefox 4 months ago
@AlienFirefox nar i havent seen it.
is it old?
is it a british or american film?
MAKER6450 4 months ago
@MAKER6450
z force is old and its an australian film. z force were a highly elite australiian special commando unit during ww2 they also recruited foreign allied soldiers like dutch kiwis and brits the americans never made it though LOL
AlienFirefox 4 months ago
@AlienFirefox - MacArthur was an accomplished man; you, on the other hand, are a nobody.
sudaev 3 months ago
@sudaev
macarthur was nothing but a joke and dont go thinking you know what i am and what i aint i could be anybody you fucking arsehole.
if you want a truly accomplished man look up general sir john monash led the final spearhead that won ww1 and was considered the greatest general of both world wars. though i doubt a like fucktard like you even knows who that is.
AlienFirefox 3 months ago
oh and the picture of the guy with the bandaged head and the fuzzy wuzzy angle is from buna not kokoda and was taken by peter silk
robdave1974 1 year ago
think you guys may find that the japanese were the 155 th marines under hirori and the aussies were the 39th militia strengthened at isurava by 2nd 14th aif and 2nd 16th aif back from italy and tubruk
robdave1974 1 year ago
@robdave1974 my own correction the jap 144th reg
robdave1974 1 year ago
@robdave1974 With the 39th being the equilent to todays reserves. Know as the "chocolate soldiers" they were meant to melt in the heat of battle though they proved to be anything but.They fought for 2 months withhardly any food yet still held the thousands of Japs up enough to stop them from continuing south.AThe pride of Australia to say the least.
OzisGodscountry 9 months ago
I now offer apologies in the name of all US cowards, and beg for judgement without mercy, from you, gods gift to planet earth in general, and all of us American cowards specifically. May god have mercy on all of us pathetic squirmers, for I know the Australian overlords shall not. Oh wait....
I mean all of that, except the COMPLETE OPPOSITE. I really don't understand where everyone gets the idea that Americans are such assholes.You'd be hard pressed to find 1 of us trashing Australia.Fuck off.
matThaHatter 1 year ago
@matThaHatter Not everyone in the world thinks that Americans are all assholes.
Some of us think that you're all arseholes.
Shakesdicke 1 year ago
@Shakesdicke Touche, mr shaky cock: well played, indeed.Adam West offers you his praises as well.
HOWEVER, savor your victory now, for there shall Be A RECKONING! So lang as the boy george concert is on, NOT 1 SINGLE DROP OF AMERICAS BEST(,Mad Dog 20/20, Thunderbird and Night Train) SHALL PASS FROM OUR SHORES THAT THE YOGURT PIGS AND THE TRASH NIBBLERS WIL STIR THE POT AT LONG LAST!
Good Day
I'm so stoned
matThaHatter 1 year ago
@matThaHatter nooo not with that attitude you should respect this or fine sonthing else to say that about us not here and us cowards we were the first countrie to make the japs retreat
Eshayzbra96 1 year ago
@Eshayzbra96 I'm just joking around. About some of it, anyway. I think Australia is great. Almost every Australian I've met has seemed worthy of respect, even those who I personally disliked. Of course, a POSITIVE blanket statement is still as mucha prejudiced statement as NEGATIVE blanket statement. Therefore, I suppose there are some Australians who are douchebags, but I haven't met any.
This being the case, I do not understand why I so often here Australians bashing Americans. That's all.
matThaHatter 1 year ago 4
Comment removed
WTF7176 1 year ago
@matThaHatter America's idol in MacArthur was an idiot ,plain and simple.He didnt listen to the Australian chain of commnd and neally lost his most valuable ally at the time.He underestimated Australias troops and and neally condemned them to hell.He wasnt a great commander,he was an idiot.
OzisGodscountry 9 months ago
@OzisGodscountry I don't like MacArthur(well, he's dead & I never met him anyway). I just get tired of the constant drone of "I HATE THE USA" that I constantly hear.
If that doesn't make sense to you, and all you plan to respond with is more about how stupid and clumsy we are, spare me. I already know what you have to say.
matThaHatter 9 months ago
Comment removed
VanOstrum 7 months ago
@VanOstrum I got a comment in my email, but now I see it's been removed. Seeing how it seemed to be a response based on a SERIOUS misunderstanding of what I've said, or just directed toward the wrong person altogether, so I won't say anything yet.
My position here is unquestionably pro-US(but NOT anti-Australia). So as I said, I think that it may have been sent mistakenly. Want to shed some light on that? Thanks
matThaHatter 7 months ago
@matThaHatter Did I badmouth the US or its soldiers during ww2? No I bad mouthed Macarthur for his actions during the Kokoda Campaign.Macarthur was an arrogant fool who wasted mens lives needlessly to fuel his own ego basically.
OzisGodscountry 7 months ago
@OzisGodscountry Dude, didn't we already have this conversation MONTHS AGO? But since you've revived it, I'll restate my my thoughts: my original post was an undirected comment on the frustration I feel when I constantly hear people deride my country;
I made a joke to'Shakesdicke.'
Then you said you didn't like MacArthur.
I agreed with you.
Then'VanOstrum'accid. directed a comment towards me & I asked him about it.
Now you're telling me you hate MacArthur. Again. Why? I got it the 1st time.
matThaHatter 7 months ago
@OzisGodscountry Battle of New Orleans: British 11,000. : Americans 4000 Americans still won, Battle of Craney Island British forces: 2,000. American forces150, Americans won, Battle of Fort Stephenson 1,400 British regulars and Indians vs 160 U.S. regulars, Americans won, Siege of Fort Harrison Belligerents
Native Americans 600 vs 50 Americans, Americans won. Battle of Red Bank: 1,200 Hessian troops vs 400 Americans, Americans won so Yes we have won being outnumbered before.
VanOstrum 6 months ago
@VanOstrum Anything in the last 100 years?Also I wouldnt count any battles involving Native Americans as they were arrow vs bullets battles.
OzisGodscountry 6 months ago
@OzisGodscountry "Anything in the last 100 years?" You said "Throughout history the US has only won battles due to numbers and equipment,never due to the abilities of the actual soldiers". You did not say "In the past 100 years the US has only won battles due to numbers and equipment,never due to the abilities of the actual soldiers". What difference does it make if it was more than 100 years ago? We also won battles being outnumbered, and we did play a much larger role vs Japan then AUS did
VanOstrum 6 months ago
@matThaHatter I have spoken to a few diggers that have actually disposed of a few American soldiers because they neally gave away their position.They wouldnt shut the fuck up and were useless not to mention put decent soldiers lives at risk.Throughout history the US has only won battles due to numbers and equipment,never due to the abilities of the actual soldiers.
OzisGodscountry 9 months ago
As the Australian commanders in New Guinea have said, "The American soldiers mastered the art of inactivity." McArthur couldn't get his own troops to fight as they didn't have the guts, instead he had to rely primarily on the Australian forces to get the job done which they did at an enormous cost. The REAL story of the New Guinea campaign is told in the book "A Bastard of a place" by Peter Brune. A "must read" for all proud aussies!
virgoattitude 1 year ago
@virgoattitude Very true mate and Peter Brune's book is by far the most accurate account of the war in papua..... awesome read it was like i was there watching it.
robdave1974 1 year ago
@robdave1974 I found Peter Fitzsimmons "Kokoda" an absolut beauty of an account of Kokoda and explained to perfection the picture the difficulties both sides faced.
OzisGodscountry 9 months ago
In the ABC Documentary part 1 invasion it starts by showing War Relics of Battles fought there ! is there anyone who would know if there is anything of Kokoda that show's the Relics left from Battle ? else where on You Tube ? Maybe someone could put them on ! Chers !
simoon0111 1 year ago
iv got huge respect for the 39th.
amazing guys.
MAKER6450 1 year ago
all we had to fight with (apart from Bren guns) was mainly ww1 weapons. No tanks, no artillery, no naval bombardments, no offensive air support and we still did what the americans couldn't do - force the japs into retreat! Captured Japanese documents showed that they believed they were fighting a force of several thousand Australian soldiers when in fact it was a fraction of that number.
virgoattitude 1 year ago
@virgoattitude, USA 2/126 Inf. Bn, 32nd ID moved up the unopened Kapa Kapa Trail next to the Kokoda Trail & it was worse going than the Kokoda Trail. The 32nd Inf. Div. was understrength, ill equipped & clothed, & had little tropiccal warfare training. Aussies had already stopped the Jap. offensive before we got involved on 14OCT42. 126th also crossed the Hydrographer's Mtn. Range. Ghost Mountain Boys is a good bok concerning the 32nd ID etc.
christof139 1 year ago
@christof139 You're a friggin broken opera record, wailing the same excuses for a truly shithouse unit.
ssaltmer 1 year ago
@ssaltmer, You're a complete ass & a baby. You cannot give credir where credit is due, & that is very dumb & immature. Go pee-off now bozo. I'd like to hear you say the 32nd ID was what you say it was to an Aussie or 32nd ID vet. that was there becuase they'd either laugh or kick your smart ass self out the door.
christof139 1 year ago
@christof139 You'd be quite surprised what Aust WWII vets would have to say about your heroes.Better not visit an RSL, the truth might kill you.
ssaltmer 1 year ago
@ssaltmer, Excuse please. The 32nd ID went on to become an excellent unit. When first in combat they didn't have any waterproof containers for anti-malaria pills etc. I guess some Aussies are complete ASSHOLES. I don't insult the sacrifices made by any of the Allies, the Brits, Aussies, French, Soviets, Poles, Dutch, Belgians, Africans, Indians, Pakiatanis, Indonesians, etc. People like you are ignorant jerks.
christof139 1 year ago
@christof139 And boofheads like yourself can rest uneasily in the fact that their idols were built on plynths of sand.Aussies fighting off the Jap hordes in early 1942 didn't have a pot to piss in either.What makes your beloved Michigan NG so special,fighting for a country 7000miles away, compared to the Queensland militia?
Don't expect the quiet acheivers to accept the history of the glory hogs.
ssaltmer 1 year ago
@ssaltmer, You need to learn to show respect for those that fought, died from various means, were maimed & crippled, etc. I bet you have never lost anyone you know in a war, nor been in the military yourself, & if you have, you are a moron that hasn't learned anything worthwhile. The 2 USA Inf. Divs. that were sent to New Guinea were NG outfits that were very ill equipped & undermanned, yet as the war went on they became good units. Similar to the Turks defeating the Aussies etc. at Gallipoli.
christof139 1 year ago
@christof139 I don't need to do anything you say.Self righteous defenders of the faith like yourself are a scream.I don't need to prove anything to you.Keep on making your presumptions old man, they'll see you into your stressful grave before me, lol.
ssaltmer 1 year ago
@christof139 The Japs in PNG during the initial drive south were SNLF regiments(marines) or guards regiments.Making a comparison that these seasoned units in their prime would have been the equal to your 2nd US Div is presumptuous at the least............But you're good at that....
ssaltmer 1 year ago
@ssaltmer, I know what Jap. forces were engaged on the Kokoda Trail dipshit. It was the 32nd Inf. Div. (Red Arrow Div., Les Terribles as the French named them & they were the first to penetrate the Hindenberg Line) not the 2nd Inf. Div. (Indianhead Div.). Your knowledge of military history is CRAP.
After the Buna campaign, the 32nd ID & Auusie units were reinforced & re-equipped, & they were aq match for anything the Japanese had. BTW, some SNLF were average at best, not elite.
christof139 1 year ago
@christof139 Omitting the digit number 3 before a 2 when indicating Divisional numbers does not signify a lack of military knowledge, merely grammatical error.It does however expose your preparedness to seize on a point so insignificantly tenuous , and thinking that with the help of Wikipedia unit nicknames you can turn it around to win you some credibilty.........
ssaltmer 1 year ago
@ssaltmer, That's why you don't know your ass from a hole in the ground.
christof139 1 year ago
@ssaltmer The Japs at Kokoda were specifaclly trained in jungle warfare. They were probably the best trined soldiers in the conditions in PNG at the time.They would have tromped the yanks hands down but the Aussies knew they they were fighting for the homeland and fought like the heroes they were
OzisGodscountry 9 months ago
@OzisGodscountry "Throughout history the US has only won battles due to numbers and equipment,never due to the abilities of the actual soldiers".what? I am sorry American soldiers fought way better than Aussies, and We won the pacific war you pride yourselves because winning some battles vs the Japs? We won way more battles vs the japs. Guadalcanal Campaign, Midway etc and in many cases being outnumbered and under supplied. read a dam history book idiot.
VanOstrum 7 months ago
@VanOstrum LOL are you actually saying american troops are better? It's a well known fact that americans are little girls. At kokoda they were too scared to land on the airfield they we landed on. 77 truck drivers vs 500 elite marines, we killed over 300 with our 77 yet they failed to kill 20. The 1st marine division adopted Waltzing Matilda as their march because they were so amazing by the bravery and toughness of the our militia. If you go though our military history you'll only find around..
MsSloppyseconds 6 months ago
@MsSloppyseconds Sorry what you Aussies did at Kokoda was amazing, but not nearly what we Americans did at Battle of Bastogne We were not outnumbered 5-1, no we were outnumbered 12-1. I am not saying American troops are any better, just saying they are no worse than Aussies.
VanOstrum 6 months ago
@VanOstrum The thing is it is you who is comparing armed forces. I was just stating my opinion about 1 man,Macarthur (oh and Blamey but he was just Macarthurs puppet.
OzisGodscountry 5 months ago
The USA was already fighting in the Solomon Islands when the Kokoda Campaign occurred. The object of the New Guinea Campaign was to isolate or capture Rabul and secure the area & sea lanes to Burma, India etc. The USA conducted offensives in the east & north Pacific in order to get to the Phillipines, although it was helpful that rabul etc. were neutralized, but not 110% necessary to do entirely to get back to the Phillipines.
christof139 1 year ago
@christof139 The Jap objective of the New Guinea campaign was to take Port Moresby by two attempted overland routes, as a result their naval task force being turned back during the Coral Sea Battle.The grand plan was to isolate Australia.New Britain(Rabaul) and New Ireland were captured in early 1942.The Japanese troops who landed at Buna to begin the Kokoda Campaign some months later came from the garrison of Rabaul.
ssaltmer 1 year ago
@ssaltmer, I know. In the meantime the USA had started the Solomon Islands Campaign.
christof139 1 year ago
@ssaltmer, First defeat of japanese ground forces was accomplished by the Chinese in China, then by the USA defenders of tiny Wake Island, & at Wake Jap. ground, air, & naval forces were defeated causing the Jap. to retreat & launch a second offensive that took the island. The Jap. considered the bloody repulse of their frist invasion attempt a great humiliation & it was rather costly to them. The 39th was the best Militia Bn., & the 7th Div. that arrived in time was a veteran & excellent unit.
christof139 1 year ago
@ssaltmer Thats right Rabual consisted of 1400 Aussies vs 5000 Japs. Kokoda consisted mailny of a ratio of 1 ally to every 5-6 Jap.Both accouts the Aussies did superhuman feats against a force that would destroy most forces
OzisGodscountry 9 months ago
Comment removed
VanOstrum 7 months ago
I have nothing against america at all .. you had very brave men fight through wwll however why do you seem intent on diminishing australian history and fact,... we were outnumbered 10-1 we did efeat the japanese forces and those brave men of our country who were the only ones fighting for our country will foever be legend, stop with nonsense, this was a momentoius and incredible defeat of the the japanese and defines who we are and our aussie spirit to a tee.... and stop with the nonsense.
aussieslapper 1 year ago
Lest we forget
boogiefever1985 1 year ago
This is one of the best 1st hand accounts of bravery, against all odds of World war 2. A briiliant documentary.
5eugenic1 1 year ago
christof139 u are a dickhead we dont care what u say............atlest us aussie can tell the differance between the enemys and out own people, god know how many of your own side u have killed in the wars
nickster1318 1 year ago
proude to be an aussie..
nickster1318 1 year ago
i will never forget these men. they saved our great country and they sacrificed themselves for us
skater1360 1 year ago
LLL
tyrantbad 1 year ago
I have been watching this series. These Australian guys should be ashamed. They "ran like rabbits" said the great General MacArthur. The United States marines easily accounted for the Japanese, who were usuing outdated techniques. WHen faced with the United States, the Japanese quickly ran themselves. Americans. So brave.
EasyCompanyAirborne 1 year ago
it is hardly fair to think that a poorly trained, poorly equipped and severely outnumbered force of Australian malitia. When the Australian 39th malitia forces were holding Isurava after 2 weeks of fighting and lossing 2 commanding officers they number only 250. Even after being reinforced by the 2/14th AIF their total combined personnel was only 1500 able men compared to a Jap force of approx 6000.
TChatto88 1 year ago
@TChatto88 The Australians thought very badly of the Japanese. The Austraianssaid, the Japanese were short sighted, cowardly and were a curious mixture of human and ape. The wonderful Tom Hanks series "Pacific" shows the great fighting American in action. They cut though the Japanese like a knife through butter. The great generals Blamey and MacArthur soon handed over the campaign the the American Marines.
EasyCompanyAirborne 1 year ago
Maybe you should research MILNE BAY and see how poorly us Aussies fought. Plus you think that the series "the pacific" which has been made by Americans is going to portray American Marines in any light but a positive one? surely you are a smart enough person to realise that? Im sure 100% positive that they will never make a film about the American forces lead by Your Apparently Great General MacArther SURRENDERING to the Japs in the Phillipenes and MacArther fleeing to AUS.
TChatto88 1 year ago
@EasyCompanyAirborne
Did every Australian soldier say those words? Also the 1940's, if i'm not incorrect, African American's were not considered proper people and weren't allowed to vote for another 25 years? I admire the bravery and the things that American soldiers have done in the second World War and in my honest opinion don't get enough recognition outside of America, however to say negative things about Australians, you can go fuck off!
Axelversteeg 1 year ago
@Axelversteeg A fair comment if ever I read one.
ssaltmer 1 year ago
@EasyCompanyAirborne How about MacArthurs order to Gen Eichelberger of the US 32nd Div,"Take Buna or don't come back alive".Well he lived and the Aussies ended up taking Buna for him.Your TV movie diets are not healthy if you crave facts,
ssaltmer 1 year ago
@ssaltmer Yes. The US 32nd Div was sent in to stop the Australians retreating (running). They were heroes who fought on the Kapa Kapa trail, far worse than the Kokoda trail. The Div ended up forcing the Japanese to leave New Guinea. They were showered with battle honors including Luzon and Leyte.
EasyCompanyAirborne 1 year ago
@EasyCompanyAirborne Stop dodging the issue, stars & stripes.Eichelberger did a shit job on the northern beaches and the Aussies picked up the pieces.What price your beloved US Army? Facts boy, facts.
ssaltmer 1 year ago
@EasyCompanyAirborne The US 32nd Div did not encounter a single Jap on the 5 week Kapa Kapa Trail March and failed to provide flanking support for the Australians fighting on the Kokoda Track.They showered themselves in failure.
ssaltmer 1 year ago
@ssaltmer, Don't knock the 32nd 'Red Arrow' National Guard Division from Wisconsin & Michigan. They were understrength & had NO TROPICAL WARFARE TRAINING & had been preparing to move to Britain. The Kapa Kapa Trail was 130-miles long & had worse terrain than the Kokoda Trail & it was impossible to support the Aussies 30 or so miles to the north!! You are a failure with your stupid mouth.
christof139 1 year ago
@EasyCompanyAirborne General Blamey had indeed spoken disparagingly to General MacArthur of the performance of the 32d Division. The conversation had taken place five days before at Government House, General MacArthur's headquarters at Port Moresby. General Kenney, who had been present (and had made a note of General Blamey's remarks), felt that it had been "a bitter pill for General MacArthur to swallow."
ssaltmer 1 year ago
@EasyCompanyAirborne General MacArthur without preliminary plunged into the matter at hand. American troops, he told the officers, had dropped their weapons and run from the enemy.... source:an interview with Generals Eichelberger &Beyer 1950.
ssaltmer 1 year ago
@ssaltmer, Google '32nd Infantry Division' & you'll find out how 'Les terribles' recieved their name 'Red Arrow' & 'Les terribles'. Their lineage is from the Iron Brigade, the 1st Bde., of the 1st Div., of the Army of the Potomac. It's too bad they were understrength, ill equipped, & had no tropial warfare training, & in 7-weeks the 32nd lost more than its initail strength in KIA, MIA, WIA, & sick due to tropical diseases. There are still a few of them alive here in Mich. & Wisc.
christof139 1 year ago
@ssaltmer, Nerds like you need to come to Wisconsin & Michigan when it gets -25 to -45C or so for some 'tropical' training.
christof139 1 year ago
@christof139 Yeah I shouldn't need to remind your beloved 32nd Div what a "Terrible" job they did supporting the Aussies, I'm sure they are still ashamed of it today.Regimental pedigrees going back 200 years and fancy French nicknames didn't count much on the day.Yes, God made Mich & Wisc what it is today.Why he packed it full of wankers is the big mystery.
ssaltmer 1 year ago
@ssaltmer, You're a stupid ass. The 32nd, as I explained before, had NO Tropical Warfare Training, & had ~3,000 new troops with only 8-weeks Basic Training. After the entire division lost over 7,000 troops to tropical diseases, & the rest of its ~9,700 strength to combat, it was rebuilt & once again became an excellent division. You're a PUNK that has no business ridiculing ANY people that have gone into combat. Get lost PUNK.
christof139 1 year ago
@ssaltmer, It was impossible for the detachment of the 32nd Inf. Div. moving along the Kapa Kapa Trail ~30-miles to the south of the Kokoda Trail to support the Aussies due to the intervening mountains & jungle/rain forest, % the Aussies couldn't support the 32nd either dipshit.
Read of the whole campaign you bloody punk. You're a total ASSWIPE. Not any Aussie that served there in New Guinea knocks the 32nd & many of the vets are still friends.
christof139 1 year ago
@ssaltmer, The understrentgh, under trained, & under equipped 32nd lost a lot of good people you fricking jackass because it was sent into combat hurridely when Australia needed help.
christof139 1 year ago
@christof139
funny that in the new guinea camapaign all we had were chocolite soldiers
army reserve militia no training
the thing was that the chocos used to attack the japs in the same ferociousness that japanese had
but the americans in new guinea wouldnt fight they stayed hidden in the grass and the japs came out into the open waiting for the yanks to take em on and they wouldnt they cowered in the grass and wouldn't come out
next time dont cower come out and fight
AlienFirefox 1 year ago
@christof139
funny that in the new guinea campaign all we had were chocolite soldiers
army reserve militia no training
the thing was that the chocos used to attack the japs in the same ferociousness that japanese had
but the americans in new guinea wouldnt fight they stayed hidden in the grass and the japs came out into the open waiting for the yanks to take em on and they wouldnt they cowered in the grass and wouldn't come out
next time dont cower come out and fight
AlienFirefox 1 year ago
@christof139 funny that in the new guinea campaign all we had were chocolite soldiers
army reserve militia no training
the thing was that the chocos used to attack the japs in the same ferociousness that japanese had
but the americans in new guinea wouldnt fight they stayed hidden in the grass and the japs came out into the open waiting for the yanks to take em on and they wouldnt they cowered in the grass and wouldn't come out
next time dont cower come out and fight
AlienFirefox 1 year ago
@AlienFirefox, Hi coward. BTW, It was troops from the 32nd that finally broke through the Jap. defenses into Bun.
christof139 1 year ago
@christof139
no it wasnt lol
were do you get your dumb shit info from
fuck
you wont beat an australian when it comes to new guinea mate
we have studied it all our lives and have watched so many documentaries that you will never catch up.
the aussies stated the americans were a pitiful sight and even macarthur stated that they are in no way as tough as the australians
and considering the aussies had desert uniforms as they were originally going to africa all there clothes rotted off.
AlienFirefox 1 year ago
@AlienFirefox, Sorry buddy. You're an arrogant & wrong person. Read of the entire campaign before you babble. The 32nd was a pitiful sight considering that their malaria pills were destroyed for lack of proper containers, having no tropical training & many troops having only 8-weeks of basic training, etc. However, the 32nd did recover, its fighting ability became better, & it cracked open the Jap. Buna defenses.
christof139 1 year ago
@christof139
your a little kid talking shit on youtube
AlienFirefox 1 year ago
@AlienFirefox, No you are. I'm near 60 butt wipe. When temp. is 90F & a cold front comes through & the temp drops to say 55 or 60F in 1/2 hour & it rains a cold rain then a human's biologic system is hard hit & a person becomes susceptible to infection by cold viruses, hypothermia, etc. But it doesn't compare to winter in the north.
christof139 1 year ago
@christof139
if your near 60 you should have more sense
i mean damn everything you have said my 8 year old nephew knows more then you
and always remember america didnt give a shit about australia all yas cared about was having a base close to japan because without it you would never have won in the philipines or iwo jima or solomon islands
AlienFirefox 1 year ago
@AlienFirefox, The USA didn't care about Australia? Thank God that the majority of Australians aren't stupid, crass, uncaring morons like you. The USA sent amny troops to Australia & new Guinea & everywhere else in the Pacific, not to mention all the aircraft, supplies, & other material sent to every Allied nation involved in WWII. USA did not have to get involved in New Guinea because we were advancing in the Solomons etc.
christof139 1 year ago
@christof139
ofcourse they did
thats the whole point of a base you retard
the main objective for america was to avenge pearl harbour
thats all they cared about
AlienFirefox 1 year ago
@AlienFirefox, You are the retard, & a rude, inexperienced, retard & jackass at that.
christof139 1 year ago
@christof139
no way im inexperienced mate
ou americans have no real clue you seem to not know there is a word outside the states
my grandfather was burnt alive in ww2 by the japanese and so i have done a hell of a lot of research on war with the japanese during ww2
theres nothing you can say that i dont either all ready know or will prove you wrong in.
also after the way you treated us in korea if we ever owed you anything it went right out the window
AlienFirefox 1 year ago
During WW2 the sole purpose American Forces were in Aus was to retake the Philipines. General MacAurther was quoted saying "that America maintained that it was Britans responsibility to defend Aus. America would add to defence Capability but "USA had no soverign intrest in the integrity of AUS" and they would only support Aus insofar as it was in their own intrest to do so. Source: Minutes of Prime Ministers War Conference, Melbourne 1 Jun 1942. Aus war museum keeps a copy
TChatto88 1 year ago
@TChatto88 Oh really?! First off, mate, General MacArthur talked to just to hear himself talk. But more importantly, what's your point? That America didn't give a damn about Australia or turned it's back on the Australians? For your next insightful history lesson, we Americans would love to hear your take on the Battle Of The Coral Sea. And secondly, you never hear American Veterans say anything disrespectful about Australia's loyalty or contributions in World War II... NEVER!
beeceesp 1 year ago
@beeceesp my point was that if not for the importance Aus held for American forces as a launching pad to retake the ground they lost in the Philipines and so on I doubt they would have come to Aus aid. Also I wasn't trying to downplay the role American forces had in the pacific realm. In my opinon if USMC had not launched the campagin on Guadalcanal in turn forcing Japan to divert a large amount of their forces to retaking it, things could have gone differently for Aus on Kokoda
TChatto88 1 year ago
@beeceesp Being an Aussie and that I had family who died during the Siege of Tubrok I have naturally read a few books on both Kokoda and Tubrok itself and I have to to agree with you that from what I have read it sounds like MacArthur loved the sound of his own voice. Furthermore I think neither Aus or American Vets would have many disrepectful things to say about eachother, both sides went into tropical warfare ill equipped and without appropiate training but fought brilliantly all the same.
TChatto88 1 year ago 2
@TChatto88 I wish I understood why Yanks and Aussies bash each other. Must be some kind of Jedi mind trick. History books state. Australia joined with the United Kingdom in declaring war on Germany, Sept 3, 1939. New Zealand did so as well. Together they fought with distinction in North Africa. When Japan attacked all around the Pacific in December 1941, England informed Australia it could not provide further support .The Australian government then publicly asked for American assistance.
beeceesp 1 year ago
@beeceesp Australia didn't really need to ask, America was desperate not to lose it's few allies in the Pacific. Unfortunately, after the fall of the Phillipines, the Australians were asked to accept General MacArthur as Allied commander. MacArthur (worried about his place in history) obsessed about returning to the Phillipines. The US Navy however set about stopping the Japanese Southern advance toward Australia. The Battle of the Coral Sea halted Japanese troop landings at Port Moresby.
beeceesp 1 year ago
@beeceesp It seems to me that people get on here knowing nothing but what they see on TV and refuse to be told any different. Britian left Aus for dead as Churchill thought Aussie came from "bad stock". I dont know much about the battle of the Coral sea but didn't it involve an Aus/American force that halted the intial Jap advance on PNG. It was the first time the Japs experienced defeat in the Pacific and It was quite costly for Us Navy as they lost a couple of aircraft carriers & frigates
TChatto88 1 year ago
@TChatto88 Actually, Coral Sea was a tactical victory for the Japanese but it was a Strategic defeat (they abandoned plans to capture Port Moresby by sea and use it for the invasion of Australia. The Japanese were defeated a month later at The Battle Of Midway . The US Navy then returned to block the Japanese from Australia by landing US Marines on Guadalcanal. You can read all about it on Wikipedia
beeceesp 1 year ago
@beeceesp You missed a bit there in between Coral Sea and Guadalcanal.The thwarted Japanese naval attack on Port Moresby and the overland attack via Kokoda forced the Japs to land SNLF troops(marines) at Milne Bay Aug 1942 where they were defeated by the Aussies.
ssaltmer 1 year ago
@beeceesp Actually the majority of Jap forces were sent to PNG as Mdway was primarily a aerial battle.
OzisGodscountry 9 months ago
@beeceesp macArther was a wanker...he called the aussies cowards but when the americans got there, they dropped thier weopons and ran.
we were out numberd 10 to 1 and we still held the japs back...that is not the actions of cowards.
MAKER6450 1 year ago
@MAKER6450 You'll get no argument from me. MacArthur was indeed a wanker. He turned his back on his own troops in the Philippines, ran to Australia and had the nerve to call the Aussies who fought on the Kokoda track "cowards". Shameful, really. Veterans and educated Americans value Australia's contributions and the sacrifice of Australian Navy ships to buy time at the start of the war in the Pacific.
beeceesp 1 year ago
@beeceesp. Don't forget that Gen Blamey did the same thing in calling the diggers at Kokoda rabbits. The only thing that stopped him from being lynched was the diggers discipline.
krissyeh 1 year ago
@krissyeh Blamey was too old and too stuck in his old ways to be an effective commander. Great at Gallipoli,pathetic at Kokoda
OzisGodscountry 9 months ago
@OzisGodscountry
Blamey did the one thing that a leader should never do, that's tell the men under him that they are cowards especially to their faces. He should have been removed for doing that.
krissyeh 9 months ago
@krissyeh Instead he was praised.He along with Macarthrur neally destroyed our forces.Macarthru kept going on that the US forces would show the Aussies how its done.Instead they waited til we had pushed them all the way back along the trail to the beachheads then got their backsides booted that bad they asked the Aussies for help to take Gona lol.
OzisGodscountry 9 months ago 2
@OzisGodscountry also The 2 USA Inf. Divs. that were sent to New Guinea were NG outfits that were very ill equipped & undermanned, yet as the war went on they became good units. "Throughout history the US has only won battles due to numbers and equipment,never due to the abilities of the actual soldiers". quote by idiot.. out soldiers for most of this war was outnumbered and very limited on supplies.
VanOstrum 7 months ago
@OzisGodscountry despite being outnumbered and under supplied for the beginning of the war The US later won, Midway,Guadalcanal, Bougainville, Tarawa, Guam, Tinian, Saipan, Peleliu, Iwo Jima, should I go on? Macarthur was also a great general, he may of made mistakes, but how does that discredit everything hes done? The US defeated at least 98% of the Japanese navy plus 25 percent of their army with very little supplies, so just because you little aussies won some battles do not get cocky
VanOstrum 7 months ago
@VanOstrum Midway-Numbers were fairly even
Guadadacanal-Us outnumbered the Japs 2-1
Guam-Outnumbered the Japs
Tinian-Outnumbered the Japs by 6-1
Peleliu-Outnumbered the Japs 2-1
Iwo Jima-Outnumbered the Japs 3-1
Should you go on?No I dont think you should.Yes Macarthur relied on numbers and firepower.Dont get me wrong they were terrible battles and the US fought well but compared to facing the numbers of crack troops like the Aussies did against numbers that outnumbered the Aussies 6-1
OzisGodscountry 7 months ago
@OzisGodscountry "Throughout history the US has only won battles due to numbers and equipment,never due to the abilities of the actual soldiers". If you going to say something like that, then at least let it be historically correct. and yes in Guadalcanal we did outnumber the Japs, but we were not Very well supplied. "MacArthur relied on numbers and firepower." fire power, numbers, and production is how modern wars are won.
VanOstrum 6 months ago
@VanOstrum Hey MacCarthur did win some great battles in terrible conditions but IMO he won them not through his smart tactics, he won them because of his troops and their training (but most battles it was numbers and firepower). See the difference?Have you actually researched MacCarthurs tactics during the Kokoda campaign?Honestly I would have made better decisions!
OzisGodscountry 6 months ago
@VanOstrum ...20 losses where if you look at americas history you see more then 70. Go eat a dick and stop trolling, you fail.
MsSloppyseconds 6 months ago
This has been flagged as spam show
@MsSloppyseconds "...20 losses where if you look at americas history you see more then 70. Go eat a dick and stop trolling, you fail." I do not understand what you mean by loses. If you mean battles, well that makes sense, we have been in much more battles and wars. make sense if you are going to comment. And like I told OziesGodscountry if you are going to Bash Americans at least let your "fact" be historically correct.
VanOstrum 6 months ago
@VanOstrum Hey you were the one claiming all these great US victories (which they were) as examples of victories won when the US was outnumbered and out supplied. "fire power, numbers, and production is how modern wars are won". Not at Kokoda hence the reason Macarthur failed so miserably.Kokoda terrain was unique like Peleliu and traditional tactics were useless.Besides the 39th were basically weekend soldiers who had never fired a shot in anger in their life.
OzisGodscountry 5 months ago
@beeceesp Actually the main force of the japs had already landed at Buna/Gona.The Battle of the Coral Sea only stoped the Navy which would have had little effect if the main force couldnt move along the Kokoda Trail against the Aussies
OzisGodscountry 9 months ago
@beeceesp With which the Amerians sowed no interest unless their own supply lines showed signs of being broken. McArthur didnt listen to the Australian commanders and neally cost us our country. In short,hw was an idiot
OzisGodscountry 9 months ago
@beeceesp BUT do you ever hear Americans say they would have never have won without Austaralias help? No, the US always take the win for themselves
OzisGodscountry 9 months ago
@AlienFirefox, Deaths include 1,300 Australian and 1,000 U.S. Illness from contracting tropical diseases exceeded 50 percent of the Allied troops.
After almost three months of fighting the Japanese had lost 1,500 men, the Australians 2,700 and the Americans 798.
Many of your pilots & aces flew USA P-40s & they liked them.
christof139 1 year ago
@AlienFirefox, "A great deal has been said and whispered about the 32nd Division, and much of it makes no sense. The 32nd which 'failed' at Buna was the same 32nd that won victory there. No one else did. Later, rejuvenated and retrained, the Division went on to establish a superior combat record ..."
christof139 1 year ago
@AlienFirefox, Tropical diseases such as malaria, dengue fever & bush typhus, caused far more casualties than the effects of battle. The 32nd Division suffered the extraordinary illness rate of 66 percent. Of the 9,825 men who entered combat in the division, 7,125 were casualties due to illness (with 2,952 requiring hospitalisation), compared to 586 killed in action, 1,954 wounded, and 100 more dead from other causes. Total casualties of 9,956 exceeded the Division's entire battle strength.
christof139 1 year ago
@AlienFirefox, 32nd Inf. Div. Combat Time
654 days of combat (15,696 hours) - more than any U.S. division in any war.
This represents 48% of the total time the U.S. was in World War II.
41 months overseas, over 21 of them spent in combat.
6 major engagements in 4 campaigns.
christof139 1 year ago
@AlienFirefox, 32nd Inf. Div. Campaigns
13=Leyte (17 Oct 44 - 1 Jul 45)
14=Luzon (15 Dec 44 - 4 Jul 45)
15=New Guinea (24 Jan 43 - 31 Dec 44)
17=Papua (23 Jul 42 - 23 Jan 43)
christof139 1 year ago
@christof139
there reputation was terrible
the japanese themselves said they were nothing but cowards
hide in grass and not come out
they used to stand behind trees
very very very bad jungle tactics
AlienFirefox 1 year ago
@AlienFirefox, 32nd Inf. Div. Decorations and Awards
11 Medals of Honor
157 Distinguished Service Crosses
845 Silver Stars
49 Legion of Merit
78 Soldiers Medals
1,854 Bronze Stars
11,500 Purple Hearts
98 Air Medals
christof139