For an Australian like me, I'm learning so so much that was not taught growing up. Us Aussies know small snippets about Kokoda, but that's it. Thank you so much for delivering this series, and showing how hard our boys fought and what they had to endure. It helps our knowledge immensely.
Been a veteran I can tell you we didn't know how hard they had it either. I was a chef in the Army until I had a bad accident on my way to join the Queensland Police which was something some of us Reservists did back then
I was never taught about the Australian Light Horse in school, until (years after I graduated) I saw a suggested video after watching a clip from the 1970 film Waterloo. That suggested video was a clip from The Lighthorsemen.
@@crazygrainger2006 history at school is just focused on giving you a general view and timeline. It works this way in every country. Only people that are really into history will find these kinds of things, which is fine.
So did mine , 58/59th Battalion, got Malaria twice , survived that nightmare. Wouldnt touch a gun when he can back , and would never speak of it. He was smart though , told them he was a smoker when he wasnt , and he traded or sold them to made a bit extra on top of his pay , nice little trick lol. Unfortunately he died in 1980 from a mine collapse about 3 weeks before retiring......
@@thenextbondvillainklaussch3266 Tough old boys they were our grandparents, that generation as a whole, Tough as fuck, thanks for sharing bro, may he rip 💙
@@Therabidrabbit89 Not among the 8 of the originals I interviewed. Did he join in 1940 and serve in the Middle East? Did he live in Melbourne? If Peter attended reunion lunches from 2008 on, I would have met him but can't remember all the names. I will look him up in the records.
The fact the Japanese were starting to feel the the effects of inadeuqate supplies already at Isurava, shows how poorly prepared Horiis men were for portracted jungle fighting against an enemy that had the benefit of shortening supply lines the closer the front got to Port Moresby. For the Japanese, the further they went, the worse their supply situation will become.
@@vaughanhealy8558 Which is why Potts decided to pull the Japanese further and further into the mountains. Potts knew that if he was having difficulty supplying his men, then the Japanese would be in a similar situation. Therefore, the further he pulled back, the worse it would get for the Japanese. On the bright side, Potts and the Australians probably had no idea of how dire the Japanese supply situation truely were.
@@wolfu597they knew because they sabotaged small food tins etc and leave them in places they would be found and eaten knowing the Japanese were so hungry they would eat it get sick and pass it on.
@@waveygravey3575 Compared to what most of us are taught about WWII, this is incredibly in-depth. Mostly it is all Europe and then "island hopping battles, Midway, nuclear bombs" Of course there could be more detail but I think the intent of this series is for non-historians to better understand the actual events and not necessarily a historian-level breakdown of everything and their implications.
@@marklindsey4668 How about you explain how a 15 minute video could be considered an in-depth analysis as opposed to a broad overview. I personally consider the 1000 page book I own to be "in-depth". Simple enough for you???
The fighting retreat of the Australians as the IJA pursues them was so intense. Can't imagine what it looks like as they are fighting in an unforgiving terrain and weather conditions.
Mum's uncle was shot and left for dead in his foxhole, when his position was overrun, during the Kokoda campaign. Dad's uncle was busy at Milne Bay! So many Australians have some kind of connection to this period of the war. Thank you for this series! Very thorough!
So many Australians have connections to the War. Paternally, I don't remember their exact position on the family tree, but they are mostly grandparents's Aunts and Uncles. I had one family member at Darwin, one somewhere at Kokoda, and by marriage, Lionel Matthews. I actually met the latter's son about 18 months ago which was quite interesting.
This is once again historical content on a new level. Once finished, this Kings & Generals series will be considered as the Gold Standard of war documentarys on YT. Keep up the good work, guys!
As an American, you were never underated, as a matter of fact growing up reading about world war two, a lot of the books that I have read always high lighted the huge contributions and how tough jungle fighters you Aussies were, never did I read anything different, what I learned was America and Australia fought and won the south west Pacific TOGETHER!!! with that being said, I say this.....Thank to the great people of Australia, thank you for the sacrifices to her sons that fought like LIONS and helped win WW2.
@@jackdaniel7465 Actually not true many Americans are taught Yanks did it all and Australia only did mop up operations. General MacArthur even lied to HQ in USA that Aussies were useless even though his only few American troops fought poorly with even US 32nd Division refusing to fight in Buna Gona battle. I have so many arguments on here on Australia role with Americans.. But thank you for knowing the truth. i would not say either USA or Australia could of done it alone. If was not for the Aussies the foothold might of been lost until Germany war end and USA flooded in to Pacific...
@@nedkelly9688 Well the 32nd infantry division was a national guard unit that was initially tasked with going to Europe, they were sent to the jungles of New Guinea with no training whatsoever in jungle warfare, read the book Ghost mountain soldiers, I don't have kind words for General McArthur, those of us that read about world war two in the Pacific know full and well the Huge contribution Australia played in the southwest pacific theater and the victory as well, now we both played a very role in the very beginning, Australia stopping and defeating the Japanese on the kokuda track and the U.S Navy checking the Japanese at the battle of coral sea and ultimately destroying their carriers at Midway, and as the war went on the Australian Army continued fighting and defeating the Japanese not only in the New Guinea area but Solomons as well, the Australian coast watchers that's another huge contribution that is understated, the Australian Army Airforce was a HUGE MAJOR CONTRIBUTION AS WELL, all the victories and battles that the Australians fought in were always claimed as McArthurs victories because he was a pompous clown that wanted to claim fame off of the Australians backs, that was a disservice and TRAVISTY brought on to you Wonderful people, I like to say this, victory in the Pacific is ours together we achieved it together as a team, the younger generations today Don know anything about world war 2 so you are correct in that aspect, it doesn't matter what McArthur thought, what matters the most is we know that Australia has damn good soldiers and i am sure you do have a lot of Arguments and that's ok, you have to right a wrong and i understand that, but please don't beat up me and those that fought and sacrificed in those jungles it wasn't their fault, what's important is those of us that know will always stand with you in your argument and understand your anger and frustration, I served as a Paratrooper/infantryman with the 82nd Airborne division myself for 12 years, I have nothing but the Utmost respect and Admiration for you Aussies and you definitely have world class soldiers as well!! 🇺🇸❤️👍
Proud to be an Australian. We gave as good as we received in the most appalling circumstances and held strong. We are a strong bunch of convicts together.
@@SilentEmpires Sometimes that's what you've got to do to buy time and pull the win later. The Roman Senate hated Quintus Fabius Maximus Verrucosus' tactics but he managed to avoid another Cannae until Hannibal was defeated elsewhere.
My poppy fought as part of the 2nd 16th battalion WX5595. This is incredibly moving to watch the timeline unfold. Great job Kings and Generals, Im looking forward to the next chapter with great anticipation!
Not to mention getting supplies and other rations here was difficult and it quickly rotted in the rain and mud so you're literally starving all the time
The disease factor in this theatre was a big deal.Scrub typhus, malaria ,tropical ulcers,dysentery ,sepsis & fungal skin diseases were a factor for both sides. There are many truly iconic photos of “ fuzzy wuzzy angels “ ( local natives ) bringing wounded Aussies back down the “track” to aid stations & then on to Port Moresby . Australia had always acknowledged the loyalty & bravery of the native people. The Japanese had no such support & suffered accordingly.
My grandfather fought in this battle! He was shot in the legs and was left in the jungle for 5 nights till he was found by natives and carried back to allied lines.
I trekked the Kokoda track 4 years ago carrying only half a pack and the terrain and humidity was unbelievably grueling! The sites of the battles are incredibly small and ambush sites are everywhere. Foxholes can be found at every blind bend. Most of the 39th were reservists having to wear desert gear as we were so unprepared for the jungle and numbers of attacking Japanese. Their efforts in delaying and harming the advance has been forever under-rated! This campaign on our home soil (as it was then) is as significant as Gallipoli. Thank you for highlighting it. Should check your pronounciation of the villages with locals though!
My grandfather fought in the New Guinea campaign and told me that Australian troops laced their rations with arsenic and left them behind knowing the Japanese would consume them.
Just need to say i love this channel so much, its one of my top channels, but as a 36 year old aussie who loves history ive never once heard this be called our thermopylae
I came to the comments looking for this lol. Also the pronunciation of a lot of the places is so different to what I'm used to it took me a minute before I could actually follow the video properly.
The M ilne Bay engagement , initially derided by this commentary was the very FIRST time in the whole of ww2 that a Japanese invasion force was actually pushed back in to the sea!
My dad is ex Australian infantry. He's said that if it wasn't for the "fuzzy Wuzzy angels" this fighting withdrawal wouldn't have been as successful, the native New Guineans were essential. Also getting tired of people complaining about the pronunciation of Kokoda, you know what's being described when the narrator says it so the thought has been conveyed. The fact people are here crying like stuck pigs about how someone says a word speaks volumes to me about their priorities in life.
Them not being able to say a name properly that is as heavily propagated as Kokoda with it's pronunciation incorrect for not 1, not 2 but 3+ videos I think is very embarrassing for a HISTORICAL channel EDUCATING people on a HISTORICAL event which is apart of primarily Australia's and Papua New Guinea's HISTORY. Not only is it disrespecting the Aussies and Papuans but it shows a high level of ignorance about the historical event. What priorities are you referring to? The priority for stopping the propagation of something wrong? I think more and more people should call out this stuff?
Rain, heat, humidity, and not to mention the damn mosquitoes. Surviving in the jungle itself is hard enough, but add onto that the scenario of fighting an all out war in those settings. Hats off to those soldiers who faced off in such challenging conditions.
My Pa was in the 53rd he hated the Army almost as much as he hated the Japanese for putting him through this . I almost joined the army myself when he found out he gave me a talk something about id end up in some godforsaken battle in some godforsaken hell hole . Glad I listened he wasn't far off
I love the videos you put out, I consider myself as a somewhat history buff on WW2, however I find myself learning more and more by watching your vids. I'm wondering, have you already done a series on WW2 Europe? If not, are there any plans in the works for starting that?
Utterly unlike the savages they faced. Look up "Unit 731" (the Japanese biological warfare unit in China which experimented on captives in ways at least as nasty as the Germans) or the horrors of any of their occupations. This was no war of evil leaders and ignorant masses, for the masses were perpetrating slaughter after slaughter upon defenseless innocents. Australians stood strong and saved their people from literal extermination.
Kokoda is covered extensively by Australian commentators & is very prominent in our historical view of the New Guinea campaign. The battle that took place around Wau & the Black Cat track was a huge victory for Australia & exposed considerable short comings in Japanese tactics . The efforts of American pilots to get troops & supplies into the airfield at Wau on Dakotas was a major factor.The Japanese had to retreat in disarray & had major casualties .Kokoda,Wau & Milne Bay were the turning point in New Guinea & a major boost to Australian moral.
In my opinion the Thermopylae of the Japanese war was the Battle of Kohima, 1,500 British and Commonwealth soldiers vs a force of 15,000 Japanese. The odds at Isurava were only 2,290 vs 2,130 making it more close.
@@MrMart374 It's precisely the difference in numbers what makes the greek Thermopylae notorious, that and the fact that it was a last stand for the Spartans. Tbh this was totally the opposite, a series of ambushes and rearguard actions to delay the Japanese while retreating. The comparison seems more for propaganda reasons than anything else
By the end of Kohima the numbers were a lot more even. Two British divisions plus several brigades. The strategic situation in 1944 was also vastly different than 1942. The Allies knew that they would win by 1944. Thermopylae generally refers to the untrained 19 year old conscripts of the 39th and 53rd battalions who were sent up Kokoda to stop the experienced Japanese.
I started watching this series 2 weeks ago and have gotten up to date. The narration is incredibly detailed and the maps are great too. I have enjoyed watching this. The narrator could slow down a bit, the A & V zips right by. I guess that's what pause is all about, haha.
I am also Australian whose forefathers fought in ww2 & i would just like to share that Australia has never been defeated in any wars we have been involved in.This is testament to the great fighting spirit of the Aussie soldier.I am sure that ALL AUSTRALIANS 100% AGREE WITH ME in saying that WE APPRECIATE EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THOSE BRAVE MEN & WOMEN WHO PROTECTED OUR GREAT COUNTRY (AUST) & MADE IT WHAT IT IS TODAY!PROSPEROUS & FREE!! "WE WILL REMEMBER THEM" LEST WE FORGET 🇦🇺
Running out of supplies seems to have been systemic in the Japanese military. They had the same problem with the Burma campaign and starvation occurred for Japanese garrisons on many of the Pacific Islands. Many of their front line commanders understood the problem but the Japanese High Command wouldn’t acknowledge the issue.
A friend and colleague of mine (Dr Matthew Kelly) has been doing work on Eora (Eota) since 2010 and is currently in PNG doing a little more. I'll send this to him, should make his day :)
Your videos are Amazing, Truly Nothing like mine, And you upload almost always a week or more, Which is amazing truly cause of the time needed to create these videos
with the weather, swamps, experienced Japanese fighters who don't surrender, the Owen Stanley mountains and much more, I believe the Aussies had the hardest time and conditions in the entire Pacific Campaign! My highest regards to all who fought in any campaign on New Guinea!
@@Puddlef1sh I'm sure not! Every explorer always named it as if no one had ever been there before of course. Alas, even now, people try and name things more pronounceable to them and no one cares what the native population has been calling it for generations. Alaska's Mt. McKinley was finally put back to Denali just recently!
On this day Tuesday August 30, 2022, the last Soviet leader Mikhaïl Gorbachev has died, with his death marks the final end of an era. May he rest in peace.
@@mikemcclure9983 I wouldn't say the Germans, but the Chinese definitely since the supply routes were linked and if India was taken by the japanese the Chinese would've been in trouble.
Aussie here , Kokoda is said Koh Koh dah not the way you are saying mate , thank you ‘ great videos best history on utube. , it should be told in all Schools as history lessons .
The 'Choko' militia, and later the AIF, in PNG fought like lions. And Blamey called them 'rabbits' for their fighting withdrawal (having himself abandoned his troops in Greece), and MacArthur (who abandoned his troops at Bataan) critiscised the slow pace of the counter-attack, with the Diggers fighting in impossibly difficult terrain against a fanatically brave and determined enemy.
The rations were not contaminated, but there is evidence the Aussies put small holes in the base of the tinned goods leading to food poisoning. There was also evidence of cannibalism practiced by the Japanes on dead Australians. Incidently, one of the issues faced by the Australian commanders was Macarthurs belief that the track was a wide well formed road.
Given the problems with the steep valleys, I never understood why the engineers of both sides hadn't slung cables from ridge to ridge (or at least well above the rivers & trees at their bases) to span them. There were plenty of large trees to anchor them.
have you ever mentioned that the first Australian forces in New Guinea wer called chocolate soldiers as they weere under trained and equipped and were expected to melt in the heat of battle , but instead they distinguished them selves and fought the much motre battle hardened Japanese
Although you mispronounced almost every place name (:P)... Its good to have this (often overlooked) campaign presented to an audience that may not have heard of it. Thanks
The Australians are excellent fighters! It was general Erwin Rommel himself who said that if he was going to take Hell he would use the Australians and if he was going to hold it he would use the New Zealanders! Cheers from California 💪💪💪
16:02 I heard our diggers did contaminate food supplies to make the Japanese sick. I heard they would puncture tiny holes in the bottom of tinned food and leave them out in the mud and rain. Pretty clever!
It's worth noting the 39th & 53rd battalions were militia forces (reservists) and were never meant to leave Australia's shores. The regular forces were on the way to the Middle East at Churchill's behest so the situation was desperate enough to send these part-timers who were, at first, labelled 'chocolate soldiers' because it was said they would melt in the Sun. The 'Chockos' didn't melt but suffered a lot of misery and loss in that campaign but did inflict the first real, albeit temporary, check to what had been rampant Japanese advance.
The 39th fought like lions but suffered greatly, by the time they were pulled of the track there were only about 80 men still able to walk out of there from a original compliment of 500 men.
Having walke the track let me correct some pronunciations Kokoda: Co Co Da Isurava: Eye Sur Ah Va Myola: My Ola Deniki: De Knee Key Illola: Eye Lola Milne Bay: Miln
I always thought Australia's Thermopylae was the one against the emus :P LOL jk, hats off to the brave Australian warriors. Great video as always though!
As always a brilliant account of the crucial battle of Milne Bay. Please don't take this the wrong way but the weakness of the Kings and Generals documentaries is, understandably, the occasional pronunciation errors. At the very beginning, Milne Bay and Kokoda are both mispronounced. Milne is pronounced Miln (silent e). Kokoda is pronounced Ka coda. Keep up the good work.
With due respect to your great efforts (which I greatly enjoy) as an Australian, whose family took a very small part in the P.N.G. campaign, I would like to make one small correction. Kokoda is pronounced K"o"k"o"da (it does matter to us). I believe you are using a computer generated voice. These are known at times to fail to pronounce names and other words correctly. Please check this. Also please continue your terrific work which I find well balanced, secant and well researched. One small note also. General McArthur had General Blamey (who had his faults) at the Japanese surrender in Tokyo in part as an apology for his remarks about the fighting ability of the Australians (politely put) in P.N G. I have read. I know also many Americans have had their views about him. He like the rest of us had his positives and negatives.
The 39th and 53 rd battalions were CMF weekend soldiers and the 53 were added to in Melbourne with deserter’s convicts and shirkers the 39 were added to with the good elements of the 53
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Dear kings and general team
If possible please kindly make a video on the battle of 300 aka Thermopylae ( Greeks vs Persia) .
thanks and regards
You guys really need to work on your pronunciation.
why on spotify podcast everytime a new episode comes one disapears? :(
you keep calling the 39th the 36th!
could you do on Commander Akhmad shah massoud Afghanistans national hero also known as the lion of Panjshir ⚫️🟢⚪️
For an Australian like me, I'm learning so so much that was not taught growing up. Us Aussies know small snippets about Kokoda, but that's it. Thank you so much for delivering this series, and showing how hard our boys fought and what they had to endure. It helps our knowledge immensely.
Look up hyperhysterical history he does great content on Australian war history
Been a veteran I can tell you we didn't know how hard they had it either. I was a chef in the Army until I had a bad accident on my way to join the Queensland Police which was something some of us Reservists did back then
I was never taught about the Australian Light Horse in school, until (years after I graduated) I saw a suggested video after watching a clip from the 1970 film Waterloo. That suggested video was a clip from The Lighthorsemen.
@@crazygrainger2006 history at school is just focused on giving you a general view and timeline. It works this way in every country. Only people that are really into history will find these kinds of things, which is fine.
@@martinquinn2980 does he pronounce Kokoda correctly?
My great grandfather fought in that battle, he hated the jungle, rain and bugs after that, heroes each and every one. Lest we forget.
So did mine , 58/59th Battalion, got Malaria twice , survived that nightmare. Wouldnt touch a gun when he can back , and would never speak of it. He was smart though , told them he was a smoker when he wasnt , and he traded or sold them to made a bit extra on top of his pay , nice little trick lol. Unfortunately he died in 1980 from a mine collapse about 3 weeks before retiring......
@@thenextbondvillainklaussch3266 Tough old boys they were our grandparents, that generation as a whole, Tough as fuck, thanks for sharing bro, may he rip 💙
Dingo: Which unit? I interviewed veterans of the 2/14 who were at Isurava. Sadly all gone now.
@@pshehan1 same unit, you might even have interviewed him, Peter Goodman he was a corporal.
@@Therabidrabbit89 Not among the 8 of the originals I interviewed. Did he join in 1940 and serve in the Middle East? Did he live in Melbourne? If Peter attended reunion lunches from 2008 on, I would have met him but can't remember all the names. I will look him up in the records.
The fact the Japanese were starting to feel the the effects of inadeuqate supplies already at Isurava, shows how poorly prepared Horiis men were for portracted jungle fighting against an enemy that had the benefit of shortening supply lines the closer the front got to Port Moresby.
For the Japanese, the further they went, the worse their supply situation will become.
I mean, the same could be said for the australians when they were at Kokoda
*laughs in malaria*
Good point wolfu597.
@@vaughanhealy8558 Which is why Potts decided to pull the Japanese further and further into the mountains. Potts knew that if he was having difficulty supplying his men, then the Japanese would be in a similar situation. Therefore, the further he pulled back, the worse it would get for the Japanese.
On the bright side, Potts and the Australians probably had no idea of how dire the Japanese supply situation truely were.
@@wolfu597they knew because they sabotaged small food tins etc and leave them in places they would be found and eaten knowing the Japanese were so hungry they would eat it get sick and pass it on.
It’s cool to note that this battle took place exactly 80 years before this video was posted
The whole Pacific War series is like that
It's almost like they planned it. Nah...that's impossible.
It's almost like they planned it. Nah...that's impossible.
@@33moneyball Sheeert... Germany in for a bad time.
Yeah I love that K&G is doing these videos weekly as they happened. Really puts this war into a perspective I had not realized before.
Loving the Pacific War series. Being an Aussie its great to see such an in-depth analysis of each campaign. Keep up the great work! 👏🇦🇺
You and I have very different definitions of "in-depth"
@@waveygravey3575 I'm keen to learn more. Can you link the series that has added detail please?
@@waveygravey3575 Compared to what most of us are taught about WWII, this is incredibly in-depth. Mostly it is all Europe and then "island hopping battles, Midway, nuclear bombs" Of course there could be more detail but I think the intent of this series is for non-historians to better understand the actual events and not necessarily a historian-level breakdown of everything and their implications.
@wavegrave sir, your comments are undefined and incomplete. We need more detail to understand your meaning of what in-depth means to you!
@@marklindsey4668 How about you explain how a 15 minute video could be considered an in-depth analysis as opposed to a broad overview. I personally consider the 1000 page book I own to be "in-depth".
Simple enough for you???
The fighting retreat of the Australians as the IJA pursues them was so intense. Can't imagine what it looks like as they are fighting in an unforgiving terrain and weather conditions.
If you're interested there's a movie called Kokoda that gives a decent depiction of what it was like for some of the soldiers there.
You deserve that for your racism
@@youtubeowlowlman9888 ???
@@twrampage thanks for the advice, already watched it.
Mum's uncle was shot and left for dead in his foxhole, when his position was overrun, during the Kokoda campaign. Dad's uncle was busy at Milne Bay! So many Australians have some kind of connection to this period of the war. Thank you for this series! Very thorough!
So many Australians have connections to the War. Paternally, I don't remember their exact position on the family tree, but they are mostly grandparents's Aunts and Uncles.
I had one family member at Darwin, one somewhere at Kokoda, and by marriage, Lionel Matthews.
I actually met the latter's son about 18 months ago which was quite interesting.
This is once again historical content on a new level. Once finished, this Kings & Generals series will be considered as the Gold Standard of war documentarys on YT.
Keep up the good work, guys!
I agree
Have you been watching the WW2 series by the timeghost team?
It is also top tier.
Aussies are severely underrated in WW2. They fought everywhere like lions.
As an American, you were never underated, as a matter of fact growing up reading about world war two, a lot of the books that I have read always high lighted the huge contributions and how tough jungle fighters you Aussies were, never did I read anything different, what I learned was America and Australia fought and won the south west Pacific TOGETHER!!! with that being said, I say this.....Thank to the great people of Australia, thank you for the sacrifices to her sons that fought like LIONS and helped win WW2.
@@jackdaniel7465
🇳🇿🤝🇦🇺🤝🇺🇸
🇺🇸🇦🇺👍🏻
@@jackdaniel7465 Actually not true many Americans are taught Yanks did it all and Australia only did mop up operations. General MacArthur even lied to HQ in USA that Aussies were useless even though his only few American troops fought poorly with even US 32nd Division refusing to fight in Buna Gona battle.
I have so many arguments on here on Australia role with Americans..
But thank you for knowing the truth. i would not say either USA or Australia could of done it alone.
If was not for the Aussies the foothold might of been lost until Germany war end and USA flooded in to Pacific...
@@nedkelly9688 Well the 32nd infantry division was a national guard unit that was initially tasked with going to Europe, they were sent to the jungles of New Guinea with no training whatsoever in jungle warfare, read the book Ghost mountain soldiers, I don't have kind words for General McArthur, those of us that read about world war two in the Pacific know full and well the Huge contribution Australia played in the southwest pacific theater and the victory as well, now we both played a very role in the very beginning, Australia stopping and defeating the Japanese on the kokuda track and the U.S Navy checking the Japanese at the battle of coral sea and ultimately destroying their carriers at Midway, and as the war went on the Australian Army continued fighting and defeating the Japanese not only in the New Guinea area but Solomons as well, the Australian coast watchers that's another huge contribution that is understated, the Australian Army Airforce was a HUGE MAJOR CONTRIBUTION AS WELL, all the victories and battles that the Australians fought in were always claimed as McArthurs victories because he was a pompous clown that wanted to claim fame off of the Australians backs, that was a disservice and TRAVISTY brought on to you Wonderful people, I like to say this, victory in the Pacific is ours together we achieved it together as a team, the younger generations today Don know anything about world war 2 so you are correct in that aspect, it doesn't matter what McArthur thought, what matters the most is we know that Australia has damn good soldiers and i am sure you do have a lot of Arguments and that's ok, you have to right a wrong and i understand that, but please don't beat up me and those that fought and sacrificed in those jungles it wasn't their fault, what's important is those of us that know will always stand with you in your argument and understand your anger and frustration, I served as a Paratrooper/infantryman with the 82nd Airborne division myself for 12 years, I have nothing but the Utmost respect and Admiration for you Aussies and you definitely have world class soldiers as well!! 🇺🇸❤️👍
Proud to be an Australian. We gave as good as we received in the most appalling circumstances and held strong. We are a strong bunch of convicts together.
As an Englishman, god bless you lot. Fought alongside us for centuries.
All the ausies did was keep running and retreating
@@SilentEmpires Sometimes that's what you've got to do to buy time and pull the win later. The Roman Senate hated Quintus Fabius Maximus Verrucosus' tactics but he managed to avoid another Cannae until Hannibal was defeated elsewhere.
Convicts strong Together. (Bumps fists together)
Agree 100 percent!!!
Thank you all.
My poppy fought as part of the 2nd 16th battalion WX5595. This is incredibly moving to watch the timeline unfold. Great job Kings and Generals, Im looking forward to the next chapter with great anticipation!
I've heard this battle had the worst environmental conditions in all of WWII. Soldiers literally fighting while rotting alive in the mud and heat.
“Heaven is Java
Hell is Burma
But no one returns from New Guinea”
A Japanese poem
Not to mention getting supplies and other rations here was difficult and it quickly rotted in the rain and mud so you're literally starving all the time
Don’t forget the malaria.
@@Hiraeth-zq8ze CAP!
@@namenotfound8747 it’s a poem, not a literal fact. Calm your autism.
This is just the coolest series and the coolest idea to do it in-time with how events actually unfolded. I am enthralled!
I love K&G
Interesting name for the video considering Australians fought Germans during the battle for Greece at the actual site of Thermopylae in 1941.
Think autocorrect got you. It is site, not sight.
@@sjonnieplayfull5859 prolly. ill fix it now that i notice.
Most of us understand That autocorrect Often sucks So Probably do not need anyone to Play English teacher
@@marklindsey4668 for those who don't speak English, auto translate gives weird stories when one key word changes
Sorry if my help offended you
that's cool
As a Australian thanks for uploading this content 🙌
I look forward to these more than any TV show, best series around, well done lads
The Pacific, is a great WWII drama to watch
The disease factor in this theatre was a big deal.Scrub typhus, malaria ,tropical ulcers,dysentery ,sepsis & fungal skin diseases were a factor for both sides. There are many truly iconic photos of “ fuzzy wuzzy angels “ ( local natives ) bringing wounded Aussies back down the “track” to aid stations & then on to Port Moresby . Australia had always acknowledged the loyalty & bravery of the native people. The Japanese had no such support & suffered accordingly.
Knife fighting in a phone booth, that's what all those island jungle battles make me think of, knife fighting in a phone booth....
Historically, Australia has had spectacular infantry
The emus are indeed an elite fighting force.
Come up with an original stereotype, simple fool
I’d say their rabbits are infantry and emus are the shock troops lol
Yeah I would say they are 2nd best trained soldiers after the British
Don't forget their biological warfare unit: chlamydiatic koalas
My grandfather fought in this battle! He was shot in the legs and was left in the jungle for 5 nights till he was found by natives and carried back to allied lines.
Holy shit. That should be a movie. Do you have any sources on his story? Mad interested.
I have to admit it. Jungle Fighting is extremely unforgiving n treacherous. Sometimes I'm amazed anyone survives it at all. Great video.
@@CFarnwide----Thanks for responding.
@@xWarLegendx---Wouldn't surprise me at all
I trekked the Kokoda track 4 years ago carrying only half a pack and the terrain and humidity was unbelievably grueling! The sites of the battles are incredibly small and ambush sites are everywhere. Foxholes can be found at every blind bend. Most of the 39th were reservists having to wear desert gear as we were so unprepared for the jungle and numbers of attacking Japanese. Their efforts in delaying and harming the advance has been forever under-rated! This campaign on our home soil (as it was then) is as significant as Gallipoli. Thank you for highlighting it. Should check your pronounciation of the villages with locals though!
My grandfather fought in the New Guinea campaign and told me that Australian troops laced their rations with arsenic and left them behind knowing the Japanese would consume them.
Just need to say i love this channel so much, its one of my top channels, but as a 36 year old aussie who loves history ive never once heard this be called our thermopylae
I came to the comments looking for this lol. Also the pronunciation of a lot of the places is so different to what I'm used to it took me a minute before I could actually follow the video properly.
It was named such by Ralph Honner.
The M ilne Bay engagement , initially derided by this commentary was the very FIRST time in the whole of ww2 that a Japanese invasion force was actually pushed back in to the sea!
My dad is ex Australian infantry. He's said that if it wasn't for the "fuzzy Wuzzy angels" this fighting withdrawal wouldn't have been as successful, the native New Guineans were essential.
Also getting tired of people complaining about the pronunciation of Kokoda, you know what's being described when the narrator says it so the thought has been conveyed. The fact people are here crying like stuck pigs about how someone says a word speaks volumes to me about their priorities in life.
So you would be cool with someone not saying your name correctly? That wouldn't bother you at all?
Well said mate.
@@asdusty4372 No
Them not being able to say a name properly that is as heavily propagated as Kokoda with it's pronunciation incorrect for not 1, not 2 but 3+ videos I think is very embarrassing for a HISTORICAL channel EDUCATING people on a HISTORICAL event which is apart of primarily Australia's and Papua New Guinea's HISTORY. Not only is it disrespecting the Aussies and Papuans but it shows a high level of ignorance about the historical event.
What priorities are you referring to? The priority for stopping the propagation of something wrong? I think more and more people should call out this stuff?
You said it man, spot on! What a bunch of spoiled brats. If they're so stuck on the pronunciation of a word, they can make their own damn videos.
Rain, heat, humidity, and not to mention the damn mosquitoes. Surviving in the jungle itself is hard enough, but add onto that the scenario of fighting an all out war in those settings. Hats off to those soldiers who faced off in such challenging conditions.
Australia's Thermopylae:
Me: Yeah...but didn't they also have a last stand at the...actual Thermopylae? You know, in 1941? Battle of Greece? Anyone?
Well we'd have to share that with the Kiwi's, and no one wants that
@@declanellery8500 😂
That was a short-lived ANZAC formation, too.
Can't spell Anzac without NZ.
Ralph Honner, the commander of the 39th, called it Australia's Thermopylae.
This series makes Tuesday a good day, not just Not Monday! Thanks, K&G for the awesome work you put together.
There's a reason the USMC called the Australian forces 'honorary marines'.
Wow Aussies are tough lads. Best orderly retreat I have ever seen.
Don’t think MacArthur would agree with that
@@redacted9912 MacArthur the clown who f*ck a defense plan?
Australia also fought the Germans at the actual Thermopylae site itself, 1941 Greece
thank you for the video. amazing job
As an Australian thank you this is great work! Its pronounced Ko-Ko-da.
And Ma-Roo-Bra or Ma-Rib-Ra 😉
Add "Miln", not Miln-ah".
Normally the pronunciation on the channel is top notch. This one not so much.
the way he says 'etchalon' for echelon is making me wince, and the weird put on old-timey English accent is a strange choice. Still great video
lol~ thank you!
I hope we see a video series like this on other ww2 theaters.
Something devoted to the African Campaigns would be really cool. And of course a week to week for the European Theater would be amazing. 😎
My Pa was in the 53rd he hated the Army almost as much as he hated the Japanese for putting him through this . I almost joined the army myself when he found out he gave me a talk something about id end up in some godforsaken battle in some godforsaken hell hole . Glad I listened he wasn't far off
Great work. Thank you for producing this series, looking forward to watching each time you upload.
ivbeen waiting for this! great work.
I love the videos you put out, I consider myself as a somewhat history buff on WW2, however I find myself learning more and more by watching your vids. I'm wondering, have you already done a series on WW2 Europe? If not, are there any plans in the works for starting that?
Creo que si. Hizo un vídeo en la guerra a lo largo de Grecia
@@CFarnwide ok, I'll check it out thanks
@@CFarnwide Turns out I have already watched a few of his videos. He has a new sub thanks to you :) Cheers
The best voice over ever
Brilliant as Always! The depiction of the battle between brave Australians and savage IJA reminds us that K&G staff are on the civilized side.
Japanese suffered from "overeating" must have blamed the Australians.
The 39th Battalion, the Mud over Blood, the Chocolate Soldiers, the Men that Held the line!
My respect goes to the Boys from Down Under. They fought honorably.
Utterly unlike the savages they faced. Look up "Unit 731" (the Japanese biological warfare unit in China which experimented on captives in ways at least as nasty as the Germans) or the horrors of any of their occupations. This was no war of evil leaders and ignorant masses, for the masses were perpetrating slaughter after slaughter upon defenseless innocents. Australians stood strong and saved their people from literal extermination.
VERY GOOD VIDEO KINGS AND GENERALS I AM REALLY INJOYING THIS SERIES👏👍
Kokoda is covered extensively by Australian commentators & is very prominent in our historical view of the New Guinea campaign. The battle that took place around Wau & the Black Cat track was a huge victory for Australia & exposed considerable short comings in Japanese tactics . The efforts of American pilots to get troops & supplies into the airfield at Wau on Dakotas was a major factor.The Japanese had to retreat in disarray & had major casualties .Kokoda,Wau & Milne Bay were the turning point in New Guinea & a major boost to Australian moral.
these new videos and visuals are amazing!! you should do Stalingrad like this or other ww2 battles love it
Well done explanation along with brilliant graphics. Thank you.
In my opinion the Thermopylae of the Japanese war was the Battle of Kohima, 1,500 British and Commonwealth soldiers vs a force of 15,000 Japanese. The odds at Isurava were only 2,290 vs 2,130 making it more close.
It is more that Thermopylae was narrow as was the Kokoda track. Kohima and Imphal were not so narrow. If you are looking at numbers only then yes.
@@MrMart374 It's precisely the difference in numbers what makes the greek Thermopylae notorious, that and the fact that it was a last stand for the Spartans. Tbh this was totally the opposite, a series of ambushes and rearguard actions to delay the Japanese while retreating. The comparison seems more for propaganda reasons than anything else
@@maximipe you are correct on the technical front but your conclusion is stupid
By the end of Kohima the numbers were a lot more even. Two British divisions plus several brigades.
The strategic situation in 1944 was also vastly different than 1942. The Allies knew that they would win by 1944.
Thermopylae generally refers to the untrained 19 year old conscripts of the 39th and 53rd battalions who were sent up Kokoda to stop the experienced Japanese.
@D G The Australians outnumbered the Japanese....
Yay, it's Tuesday! Great series.
I started watching this series 2 weeks ago and have gotten up to date. The narration is incredibly detailed and the maps are great too. I have enjoyed watching this. The narrator could slow down a bit, the A & V zips right by. I guess that's what pause is all about, haha.
I am also Australian whose forefathers fought in ww2 & i would just like to share that Australia has never been defeated in any wars we have been involved in.This is testament to the great fighting spirit of the Aussie soldier.I am sure that ALL AUSTRALIANS 100% AGREE WITH ME in saying that WE APPRECIATE EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THOSE BRAVE MEN & WOMEN WHO PROTECTED OUR GREAT COUNTRY (AUST) & MADE IT WHAT IT IS TODAY!PROSPEROUS & FREE!! "WE WILL REMEMBER THEM" LEST WE FORGET 🇦🇺
Amazing series k&g
Actually, the Australians (19th Brigade) also fought at Thermopylae on April 24-25, 1941, trying to delay the German advance on Greece.
Thanks for covering this so incredibly well! It is extremely informative 🇦🇺
Running out of supplies seems to have been systemic in the Japanese military. They had the same problem with the Burma campaign and starvation occurred for Japanese garrisons on many of the Pacific Islands. Many of their front line commanders understood the problem but the Japanese High Command wouldn’t acknowledge the issue.
My uncle was there, wounded seriously.
Honor and respect.
Lest we forget.
A friend and colleague of mine (Dr Matthew Kelly) has been doing work on Eora (Eota) since 2010 and is currently in PNG doing a little more. I'll send this to him, should make his day :)
Your videos are Amazing, Truly Nothing like mine, And you upload almost always a week or more, Which is amazing truly cause of the time needed to create these videos
I don't have a father, an uncle or any other family member that fought in WW2, no medals or heroic efforts.
Just thought Id like to point that out.
Thank you for their non service ;)
@@ArmySigs 🤣😅😂
with the weather, swamps, experienced Japanese fighters who don't surrender, the Owen Stanley mountains and much more, I believe the Aussies had the hardest time and conditions in the entire Pacific Campaign! My highest regards to all who fought in any campaign on New Guinea!
Is Owen Stanley Mountains the local name? 🤔🤣
@@Puddlef1sh I'm sure not! Every explorer always named it as if no one had ever been there before of course. Alas, even now, people try and name things more pronounceable to them and no one cares what the native population has been calling it for generations. Alaska's Mt. McKinley was finally put back to Denali just recently!
Great uncle was killed in battle in WW2 as a US combatant on Papua New Guinea. He was a US Navy fighter
Great work 🥳 Thank you 💜
On this day Tuesday August 30, 2022, the last Soviet leader Mikhaïl Gorbachev has died, with his death marks the final end of an era. May he rest in peace.
Please do series on battles fought on India mainland and sorrounding countries between British India and Japanese Empire during 2nd world war.
Yes hopefully Bill Slim and his 14th army will be part of the Pacific series.
He might be getting to that.
India was the key for both the Germans and the Japanese. If that piece of the puzzle failed both would have linked up.
@@mikemcclure9983 I wouldn't say the Germans, but the Chinese definitely since the supply routes were linked and if India was taken by the japanese the Chinese would've been in trouble.
Aussie here , Kokoda is said Koh Koh dah not the way you are saying mate , thank you ‘ great videos best history on utube. , it should be told in all Schools as history lessons .
The 'Choko' militia, and later the AIF, in PNG fought like lions. And Blamey called them 'rabbits' for their fighting withdrawal (having himself abandoned his troops in Greece), and MacArthur (who abandoned his troops at Bataan) critiscised the slow pace of the counter-attack, with the Diggers fighting in impossibly difficult terrain against a fanatically brave and determined enemy.
10:29 ‘… Many would also be killed by the savage Japanese, who would later execute them’
That’s quite savage
The rations were not contaminated, but there is evidence the Aussies put small holes in the base of the tinned goods leading to food poisoning. There was also evidence of cannibalism practiced by the Japanes on dead Australians.
Incidently, one of the issues faced by the Australian commanders was Macarthurs belief that the track was a wide well formed road.
Thanks for the video
Given the problems with the steep valleys, I never understood why the engineers of both sides hadn't slung cables from ridge to ridge (or at least well above the rivers & trees at their bases) to span them. There were plenty of large trees to anchor them.
Why can’t we move passed the mispronounced word and just appreciate the quality content
Agreed 100%, especially when it's free entertainment.
Quality?
He have weys of makin you taulk
@@marklindsey4668 Oh man, who the heck was that? I remember some German officer on TV in the 70s wearing a monocle saying that.
Pretty important word!
have you ever mentioned that the first Australian forces in New Guinea wer called chocolate soldiers as they weere under trained and equipped and were expected to melt in the heat of battle , but instead they distinguished them selves and fought the much motre battle hardened Japanese
Japanese : let charge
While Australian : EMU! COME AND GET THEM!
When I first heard of this in primary school it was called the Kokoda Trail
Although you mispronounced almost every place name (:P)... Its good to have this (often overlooked) campaign presented to an audience that may not have heard of it. Thanks
My great uncle died in that campaign
My great uncle was a Gunner on a B17. He was killed over Stuttgart Germany. Both uncles served well.
2:04 Arnold Potts has a New Zealand Flag behind him. He was Australian and born in the Isle of Man.
The Australians are excellent fighters! It was general Erwin Rommel himself who said that if he was going to take Hell he would use the Australians and if he was going to hold it he would use the New Zealanders! Cheers from California 💪💪💪
He never actually said that. It wouldn't have made sense for him to have said it.
"Australia's Thermopylae"
The Australian's at the Battle of Thermopylae (1941):
Brigadier Potts did a great job despite limited men, supplied, and equipment. It a disgrace that Blamey and Mac took a credit
7:55 was the Australian LEFT flank but otherwise awesome video
16:02 I heard our diggers did contaminate food supplies to make the Japanese sick. I heard they would puncture tiny holes in the bottom of tinned food and leave them out in the mud and rain. Pretty clever!
It's worth noting the 39th & 53rd battalions were militia forces (reservists) and were never meant to leave Australia's shores. The regular forces were on the way to the Middle East at Churchill's behest so the situation was desperate enough to send these part-timers who were, at first, labelled 'chocolate soldiers' because it was said they would melt in the Sun. The 'Chockos' didn't melt but suffered a lot of misery and loss in that campaign but did inflict the first real, albeit temporary, check to what had been rampant Japanese advance.
Papua New Guinea was an Australian territory, which is why militia troops were allowed to be sent there.
The 39th fought like lions but suffered greatly, by the time they were pulled of the track there were only about 80 men still able to walk out of there from a original compliment of 500 men.
I confess: I mostly view these videos because the word "withdraral" never ceases to make me laugh.
Australians fought at the actual Thermopylae a year ago, now they got to have their own Thermopylae.
Nice done!
Apart from the pronunciation of Kokoda, great vid
Excellent video 📹
Fighting retreat
Having walke the track let me correct some pronunciations
Kokoda: Co Co Da
Isurava: Eye Sur Ah Va
Myola: My Ola
Deniki: De Knee Key
Illola: Eye Lola
Milne Bay: Miln
I always thought Australia's Thermopylae was the one against the emus :P LOL jk, hats off to the brave Australian warriors. Great video as always though!
We never speak of that war. It's too shameful.
Nice!
No mention of the Fuzzy Wuzzy Angels or the famous Chocolate Soldiers?
As always a brilliant account of the crucial battle of Milne Bay. Please don't take this the wrong way but the weakness of the Kings and Generals documentaries is, understandably, the occasional pronunciation errors. At the very beginning, Milne Bay and Kokoda are both mispronounced. Milne is pronounced Miln (silent e). Kokoda is pronounced Ka coda. Keep up the good work.
2:03 what flag is that?
🇭🇲 = 🇳🇿
Bro can i ask ? Do u have full documentary of ww2 from starting to end?
They probably will have one stitched together in 2025...
@@bevanml lol
Do a video on both IJA and IJN and the weapons, tanks, and planes they used
Hurray. Mentioned!
With due respect to your great efforts (which I greatly enjoy) as an Australian, whose family took a very small part in the P.N.G. campaign, I would like to make one small correction. Kokoda is pronounced K"o"k"o"da (it does matter to us). I believe you are using a computer generated voice. These are known at times to fail to pronounce names and other words correctly. Please check this. Also please continue your terrific work which I find well balanced, secant and well researched. One small note also. General McArthur had General Blamey (who had his faults) at the Japanese surrender in Tokyo in part as an apology for his remarks about the fighting ability of the Australians (politely put) in P.N G. I have read. I know also many Americans have had their views about him. He like the rest of us had his positives and negatives.
The 39th and 53 rd battalions were CMF weekend soldiers and the 53 were added to in Melbourne with deserter’s convicts and shirkers the 39 were added to with the good elements of the 53
Kokoda track. Long second o Rhymes with soda. Maroubra also has a long vowel UO as in you. Milne also drops the e at the end. Very good otherwise.
Maybe he pronounces it the Japanese way, at least that's how I imagine the Japanese pronouncing kokoda
@@tomz5704 Maybe but Australians revere these names and it jangles when they are mispronounced. 👍🏻