Australian Troops Fighting the Japanese in Buna (New Guinea), 1944

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Courtesy of Library of Congress, "Troops in Australia," 1944

Description

In this assault in Buna, American light tanks, manned by Australian crews, smashed through Japanese pillboxes. In this photograph, taken during the actual fighting, an Australian mortar crew has fired on enemy troops 150 yards away fleeing from a busted pillbox. Note the shell-torn coconut tree in foreground.

Source-Dependent Questions

• Describe the geography depicted in the photograph. How did this lead to different tactics than the image from the European Theater?
• In this photo, Australian troops were using American tanks. Why would it be necessary for allied troops to fight together and use tools provided by other countries?

Citation Information 

"Troops in Australia," 1944. Courtesy of Library of Congress