Thanks for listening to today's episode! If you need maps, you've come to the right place.
First, let's take a look at the southwest Pacific theater of World War II.
Here, you can see Australia's proximity to New Guinea, and to Port Moresby.
To understand how scary Japan's original offensive was in World War II, this might be instructive:
General idea of the Kokoda Track Campaign's area of operations:
And the Track itself. Hope that helps!
SOURCES
Campbell, James. The Ghost Mountain Boys: Their Epic March and the Terrifying Battle for New Guinea–The Forgotten War of the South Pacific. New York: Crown, 2007.
Collie, Craig & Hajime Maturami. The Path of Infinite Sorrow: The Japanese on the Kokoda Track. Crows Nest, New South Wales: Allen & Unwin, 2009.
Duffy, James P. War at the End of the World: Douglas MacArthur and the Forgotten Fight For New Guinea, 1942-1945. New York: Dutton Caliber, 2016.
Fitzsimons, Peter. Kokoda. Sydney: Hatchette, 2004.
Steinberg, Rafael. Time-Life World War II: Island Fighting. New York: Time-Life, 1978.
Williams, Peter. The Kokoda Campaign 1942: Myth and Reality. Melbourne, Victoria: Cambridge University Press, 2012.