Background
In 1942 with the fall of Singapore Australia lost nearly an entire division captured. The rest of Australia's professional military force – the Australian Imperial Force (AIF) were still in the Middle East fighting the Axis. Australia then only had available conscripts who were considered unfit for combat duties. These were known as chocolate soldiers (contracted to chocos) – it was believed that they would 'melt' away in the heat of battle. The chocos had been kept doing menial tasks such as working unloading cargo.
Given the circumstances that these men were the only ones immediately available to defend New Guinea they were rushed northwards with minimal or no combat training. From Port Moresby they were sent over the torturous Owen Stanley Range along the only track – the Kokoda Track till they came in contact with Imperial Japanese forces coming along the track from the other direction.
The story then of Kokoda is men from one of these units, under-trained, under-provisioned sent to face battle-hardened Japanese soldiers in a desperate effort to save Australia.
Read more about this topic: Kokoda (film)
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