-
Japan retreats from the Kokoda Track.
Australian troops fought hard to hold back the Japanese attacking, with the Japanese on the Kokoda Track finally falling into retreat in late September- this meant that Australian troops believed they could easily win the battle of the beachheads as the Japanese army appeared weak and that they had lost a lot of men. -
The Battle of the Beachheads of Buna, Gona and Sananda had started.
The battle opened with simultaneous attacks against Buna by the Americans, Gona by the Australians and Sanananda by both Australians and Americans. The troops encountered a string of well-defended Japanese bunkers, expertly camouflaged in the lush tropical vegetation, and enemy troops armed with machine-guns and mortars. American and Australian troops suffered heavy casualties. The Allied attacks faltered on all fronts. They had grossly underestimated the strength of the Japanese troops. -
16th and 25th brigades relieved of their duties
By the end of November the Australian 21st and 30th Brigades, including many veterans of the Kokoda Track, had been flown in to relieve the exhausted 16th and 25th Brigades. -
Australian soldiers captured Gona
After Australian brigades slowly began making progress, they had suffered very high casualties from both battle and also tropical diseases (malaria). They didn't let these setbacks lower their determination or resolve and Gona became the first beachhead to fall. -
The Australian and American troops renewed their attack on Buna
The Australian 18th Infantry Brigade and tanks of 2/6th Armoured Regiment had begun arriving in mid-December. On December 18th, the Australian and American 2/9th Battalion and tanks converted the attack, making ground but suffering heavily. -
Australian and American soldiers captured Buna
The Australian and American soldiers had grieved heavy losses leading up to the Buna beachhead finally falling, but they continued attacking with tank and artillery support as well as air support and their resilience allowed them to overpower the last of the Japanese troops in Buna. -
The Beachhead of Sananda finally fell to the great Allies
When Buna fell, Allied commanders decided to send the Australian and American troops. They also sent tanks from that front over to Sananda. The opening tank attack in mid-January was unsuccessful, and the battle again bogged down. Finally, the Japanese, exhausted by battle and sickness casualties, retreated from their foward positions and the Allies were able to advance to the coast, gaining the Sananda front. -
American and Austrlian soldiers won the campaign in Papua.
Japanese resistance had finally ended and the campaign was won. Japanese troops swiftly departed when they realised that the American and Australian troops were unassailable.
