Kokoda
Beyond the Legend

Kokoda: Beyond the Legend provides readers with a complete understanding of this major turning point in the Second World War.

Karl James (Edited by)

9781107189713, Cambridge University Press

Hardback, published 27 March 2017

396 pages, 48 b/w illus. 10 maps
23.5 x 16 x 2.8 cm, 0.97 kg

Courage. Endurance. Mateship. Sacrifice. These values, engraved in stone at the Isurava war memorial, have become synonymous with the Australian experience during the Kokoda campaign of 1942. The story of Kokoda and of the fighting in Papua has been told and retold in books, films and documentaries, but these popular narratives rarely explore beyond this one campaign. Kokoda: Beyond the Legend critically assesses not only the campaigns in Papua and their context in the wider lengthy Pacific war, but also the actions of senior Australian, American and Japanese military leaders. Moving beyond the legend, this book addresses the central question of why Kokoda holds such a significant place in Australian military history. In this book, Karl James brings together eminent military scholars to reassess the principal battles from both Allied and Japanese perspectives, providing readers with a more complete understanding of one of the major turning points in the Second World War.

1. Kokoda: the immortal trail Karl James
Part I. Turning Points: 2. War across the world Antony Beevor
3. Confrontation in the Coral Sea: Admiral Chester W. Nimitz's plan for a decisive battle John B. Lundstrom
4. South Pacific turning point: Guadalcanal Richard B. Frank
Part II. Allied Perspectives: 5. Victory at all cost: Douglas MacArthur's Papuan campaign of 1942–3 James W. Zobel
6. Command failures on the Kokoda Trail Rowan Tracey
7. The air war over Papua: the RAAF experience Mark Johnston
8. The Battle of Milne Bay Phillip Bradley
9. Grinding out a victory: Australian and American commanders during the beachhead battles Peter J. Dean
Part III. Japanese Perspectives: 10. Making soldiers: training, doctrine and culture in the Imperial Japanese Army Edward J. Drea
11. Japanese commanders in Kokoda Haruki Yoshida
12. Against overwhelming odds? Opposing strengths on the Kokoda Trail Peter Williams
Part IV. On the Trail: 13. On the trail of an extraordinary man: the making of the architect of Kokoda Robyn Kienzle
14. Trekking Kokoda Charlie Lynn
Part V. Legacies: 15. Papua's overlooked legacy: the AMF as a learning institution Garth Pratten
16. Kokoda: an epic in Australian history David Horner.

Subject Areas: Second World War [HBWQ], Military history [HBW], Australasian & Pacific history [HBJM], History [HB]