Thread: BATTLE OF THE BEACHHEADS -BUNA, GONA and SANANANDA

Great link Spidge pity Blamey had the Btn disbanded as they were possibly the most experiance jungle fighters the Aussies had during those years 1942/43.

Oh, yes, I have. I've read and am reading numerous books. Ham, Fitzsimons, several Brune, and Johnston. Next purchase will likely be Blood and Iron by MacAulay. I was in Australia (I live in the USA) in Nov and Dec, and purchased some 60 books. Will be purchasing numerous more as I can afford them.
Utterly stunning the lack of knowledge here in the USA. MacArthur can do no wrong, and the land war in the Pacific began at Guadalcanal.

Originally Posted by Daeyel

Utterly stunning the lack of knowledge here in the USA. MacArthur can do no wrong, and the land war in the Pacific began at Guadalcanal.

Hi Daeyel,

Macarthur is not my favourite person nor may I add the favourite person of many informed Americans on forums that I participate in. He was a political animal in the Pacific War with his "minders" always manipulating reports to the US. US wins were US wins - Australian wins were allied victories. Macarthur was unaware of the horrendous conditions that American and Australian troops had to fight under.

I was in a conversation with American Air Force personal on Tarawa speaking of the Australians in the Pacific war and one of them said - Australia, they weren't even in WW2 were they?

When I told them that Australian troops were the first to defeat the Japanese on land after they had made a "beach head" (Milne Bay)
they could not believe it.

Americans have so much history of their own in schools, they do not have too much time for others.


Cheers

Geoff

Originally Posted by Cobber

The men of the 39th after being called running rabbits by Blamey, due to this many of the 39th fought to the death at Gona, after the battles these men were found in their positions surrounded by loads of dead Imperial Japanese.

It would be worth a check on this: my understanding is that the infamous Blamey assertion about running rabbits was directed to the 21st Brigade at Koitaki after their relief by the 25th Brigade.

Originally Posted by Bob

It would be worth a check on this: my understanding is that the infamous Blamey assertion about running rabbits was directed to the 21st Brigade at Koitaki after their relief by the 25th Brigade.

I cut this from a bio done on Blamey and this confirms one incident of mentioning rabbits.

MacArthur confided to the US Army Chief of StaffChief of Staff of the United States Army
The Chief of Staff of the United States Army is the highest ranking officer in the United States Army and is member of the Joint Chiefs of Staff...

George MarshallGeorge Marshall
General of the Army George Catlett Marshall was an American military leader, Chief of Staff of the Army, Secretary of State, and the third Secretary of Defense. Once noted as the "organizer of victory" by Winston Churchill for his leadership of the Allied victory in World War II, Marshall served...

in Washington, D.C.Washington, D.C.

Washington, D.C. , formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, the District, or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States, founded on July 16, 1790...

that he was "not yet convinced of the efficiency of the Australian units", and was highly critical of their performance during the early battles in New GuineaNew Guinea

New Guinea, located north of Australia, is the world's second largest island. It became separated from the Australian mainland when the area now known as the Torres Strait flooded after the last glacial period. The name Papua has long been associated with the island...

. "The Australians," he reported to Marshall, "have proven themselves unable to match the enemy in jungle fighting". Blamey appeared to be keen not to antagonise MacArthur or publicly hold a dissenting view. For example, during a speech to 21st Brigade, 2nd AIF, on 9 November 1942, he spoke of "rabbits who run" and "the brigade gave to what he said interpretation that 'they ran like rabbits', an accusation of cowardice against the men that was received by them with intense bitterness. It was seen as contrasting with his own inability to stand up to MacArthur and the Prime Minister. Rowell felt that Blamey "had not shown the necessary 'moral courage' to fight the Cabinet on an issue of confidence in me." However, when American troops were checked at BunaBattle of Buna-Gona

The Battle of Buna–Gona was a battle in the New Guinea campaign, a major part of the Pacific campaign of World War II. On November 16, 1942, Australian and United States forces attacked the main Japanese beachheads in New Guinea, at Buna, Sanananda and Gona. By January 22, 1943, after prolonged...

, Blamey turned the tables on MacArthur and "frankly said he would rather send in more Australians, as he knew they would fight", (despite his "rabbits who run" comment only weeks before). Later, Blamey thwarted MacArthur's proposal to use the Australian Army primarily for logistic support and leave combat roles to American troops.

Originally Posted by Bob

It would be worth a check on this: my understanding is that the infamous Blamey assertion about running rabbits was directed to the 21st Brigade at Koitaki after their relief by the 25th Brigade.

Thanks for the info mate, I for some reason had for some time thought he used these words towards the 39th militia, obviously from other posts it was directed at the
21st Bgd AIF. Good thing about Internet is you can learn something new. Obviously I have confused myself, so many years after reading Brunes books and got the two formations post Track campaign parades mixed up.

Cheers