Why is the Kokoda Trail an important Australian history lesson?
On July 21, 1942, Japanese troops landed on the northern coast of Papua New Guinea (previously known as New Guinea) and began to march over the Owen Stanley Ranges with the intent of capturing Port Moresby. If they had succeeded, Australia would have been under major threat. Australian soldiers were sent to New Guinea to response to the now 10,000-strong Japanese army. A bloody battle between Australia and the Japanese ensued, prevailing to be one of Australias most significant campaigns of WWII. More Australians died in the 7 months of fighting in PNG, than in any other WWII campaign. It cemented a bond between Australia and New Guinea, where a group of locals came to the aid of the Australian soldiers. Coined the Fuzzy Wuzzy Angels by the Australian troops, the native Angels assisted injured Australian soldiers down the Kokoda Trail and built a hospital to treat the wounded. The story of the Australian Diggers and their Papuan New Guinea brothers on the Kokoda Track has become folklo
