ajcooper . # .

Milne Bay, Kokoda, & Guadalcanal: Obviously Milne Bay & Kokoda are vital & symbolic victories for Australia, but Guadalcanal was far more important. Firstly it was a much bigger battle. Secondly it was a naval and air campaign as well as a ground campaign. The IJNAF was decimated, with whole wings of G4M bombers wiped out - it thereby imposed major attrition upon Japan\'s very finite supply of trained airmen, & shattered their offensive potential for 1943. The Japanese navy was also \'attrited\' significantly. The Americans had learnt quickly and had bounced back from Pearl Harbor far quicker than Japanese war planning had allowed for.
As much as I salute my fellow Australians in the 39th Btn & the 7th Div., it was the \'Yanks\' who sucked the major Jap. forces into their version of \'Verdun\', & crippled Jap. offensive potential in the SWPA. Taken together with Midway, Guadalcanal saved Australia. The two Aussie victories in New Guinea were powerful statements of Australian ability to defeat the enemy, but were realtively minor campaigns by comparison.