Getting Started
Overview
The Kokoda story is a quintessential Australian
tale of the underdog beating the team expected to win. The Australian militia
was a poorly trained and equipped group of soldiers who were sent in to Papua New Guinea (a tropical country north of Australia) during World War II to stop the Japanese
from reaching Port Moresby, the capital. It was feared that if the Japanese
invaded Port Moresby, they would then have easy access to Australia. The inexperienced militia, especially the 39th Battalion, was used as 'speed bumps', to
stop the Japanese. They fought a 'fighting withdrawal' – in which they would
fight the enemy, then retreat, then fight, then retreat – along the Kokoda
Track.
In spite of the difficult conditions – fierce
disease-carrying insects, mud, lack of food, supplies and communication, coping
with the wounded and dead, orders that were at times inept – and negative
propaganda by some officers (both Australian and American), politicians
and the media – this was the 'first successful Allied offensive against Japan
in the Pacific War in WWII' (p 3).
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Author profile
Peter Macinnis is a science writer who got his break by
writing textbooks. He also wrote 'rude letters for a Minister of Education' – he
says that this gave him the chance to be rude while somebody else took the
blame.
He has been a teacher, a writer of science talks for radio
and a writer of science for an online encyclopedia. He has also worked in
museums.
Source: Black Dog Books (used with permission)
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Useful websites
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Focus questions
Before reading the book
- What does the cover photo show about these soldiers?
- How might a photo like this, featuring men pulling, represent what happened at Kokoda?
- Describe the expressions on the men's faces, and what may have caused them?
- What might the significance of the subtitle '101 Days' be?
- Why might a 'small, poorly trained group of Australian militia' be expected to stop the Japanese?
During and after reading the book
- The author gives strong opinions in the dedication and throughout the book about people involved in the war. Which of these seem to be fair and reasonable comments, and why do you think this? Which seem to be unfounded?
- Why may we be able to accept this book as a true version of events and people's actions during the events around Kokoda?
- Why was the militia, a poorly trained group, sent to Papua New Guinea?
- Was possession of the airstrip at Kokoda important or futile? Explain.
- How were the Japanese in a better position to win than the Australians?
- 'Why did it take so long to get reinforcements onto the Kokoda Track?' (p 136)
- After reading the book, what is the significance of '101 Days'?
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Activities
Responding to text
Imagine
Class
This book is not faction beccause there is a clear separation
between fiction and fact: the fiction is in italics. Read the 'Imagine'
sections in italics at the chapter ends. Discuss some of these, considering
which elements are based on fact and which are imagined.
Individuals
Write your own 'Imagine' segment, based on one of the
characters who hasn't been featured by the author, or an invented character.
Individuals
Make a bravery award for your character.
Heroes and villains
Small groups
The author has strong opinions about the people involved
in the war around Kokoda, such as Blamey, MacArthur and Jim Cowey. Complete the
Hero and Villains Chart. List the people's names in the hero or villain
column and write a brief explanation as to how and why Peter Macinnis shows
them in this light. Then discuss or write a conclusion that explains where the
author may have done this as a literary device (to make it more interesting,
perhaps) or if it is an accurate record of history.
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Responding to images
'Fuzzy wuzzy angels'
Class
The caption for the photo of the native carriers on p 155
is the only place in the book where these people are called this name. Why do
you think the author doesn't use this name elsewhere? Why might he have used it
here? How important is this name, 'fuzzy wuzzy angels', and how important are
these people in the story of Kokoda? Use other sources, such as the internet,
to find out about them. After further research, decide if the author has given
enough written and visual space to the native carriers, or not.
Moving images
Class
View age-appropriate excerpts from the movie, Kokoda,
film footage or other moving images of World War II – preferably set in Papua
New Guinea (parental permission may be required).
Individuals
Respond to the excerpts on paper by drawing an abstract
picture. Use a combination of colour, shapes and lines. Significant symbols may
be repeated and accented by thick and heavy lines, shapes and colours.
Small groups
Explain to your group what your pictures represent and how
you have shown this.
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Events of the past
Key people
Individuals
Key people are listed at the start of the book. Find out
more about some of these people (this can include journalists or novelists such
as George Johnston). Write a diary from their viewpoint.
Military strategy animation
Small groups
'The tale of Kokoda is a tale of military strategy' (p
52). Military strategy incorporates maintaining supply lines, using carriers
and keeping communication open, including the airstrip. Some of this is
summarised on p 141: 'It was the same old story: fight, hold the line while new
defences are dug, and slip away to fight again from the new defences...' Read
more of this summary from the book. Create a digital animation or use the Storyboard
template to show the repetitious nature of this war. Include the important
elements from your reading.
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Research skills
Individuals
An account of war needs to tell the bad parts as well as
the good (p 2). Use the Issues Map to record a selection of the
good and bad aspects of war. When you have completed the map, use a legend or
key to highlight which groups of people would:
- want these things on record
- not want these things on record.
Include groups such as politicians, Australian 'foot'
soldiers, senior militia, families of the dead and wounded, and people from Papua New Guinea.
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Making connections
Australian folklore
Individuals
Many people, including celebrities, now trek the Kokoda
Track (p 6). Explain why you think this is happening. Make a montage of
this and other examples of Australian folklore, such as Ned Kelly, on paper or as
a digital video.
Kokoda and Vietnam
Individuals
The war around Kokoda and the war in Vietnam have similarities, such as the soldiers being initially ignored on their return (p 7). Show
these similarities as a Venn Diagram after reading the book. You may
also wish to use other sources.
Australian and British connections
Individuals
Create a flow chart of Australia's changing
relationship with Britain to the present. It will be helpful to read chapter 1,
'World War II Begins'.
Australian and United States of America connections
Individuals
Use a different colour or font (or add a new strand to the
flowchart) to incorporate Australia's relationship with the United States in your flowchart.
Interviews
Beyond the classroom
The author states on p 22 that there were significant
cultural barriers between the people of Australia and the United States but he doesn't elaborate on this statement. Discover some of these differences
by interviewing people in the school, home and community. Compile with the
findings of the class.
Truth and lies
Truth seems to have been sacrificed at times in war. Read chapter
9, 'General Horii's Plan Falters', especially p 146–7.
Class
Debate: 'Truth is unimportant in war'.
Individually, list ten questions requiring a 'yes' or 'no'
answer relating to truth and lies in the present. These could be personal
choices, school-based or related to current issues. An example of a current
issues question could be: 'Should Australians fight in Iraq?' In pairs, answer your partner's ten questions. Each person then writes their best question on
a piece of paper. These form a class quiz. Compile the results and publish them
electronically or in a newsletter for the school community to answer and give
feedback on. Discuss these results as a class.
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