Kokoda: Beyond the Legend with Dr. Karl James

Cauldron - A Military History Podcast

In this episode, I talked to Dr. Karl James, the head of military history at the Australian War Memorial. The book he edited, Kokoda: Beyond the Legend, was the principal source for this series, and let me tell you, it's a fantastic read! Various contributors, including Antony Beevor, weave together the story of Kokoda, both past and present. A truly comprehensive account of the battle for the Owen Stanley mountains, Kokoda: Beyond the Legend, also contextualizes the campaign within the wider war. Like any fair bit of history, the book tells the story of struggle and endurance, suffering and success, from every angle; Allied, Japanese, and Native giving each their proper due. Dr. James was a blast to chat with, funny, engaged, and a man that knows his stuff; he was kind enough to give me a full hour of his Sunday morning. Give a listen, rate review, subscribe, and click the link in the show notes to pick up a copy of Kokoda: Beyond the Legend!

Guest - Dr Karl James is a Senior Historian in the Military History Section of the Australian War Memorial, where he has worked since 2006, and Departmental Visitor with the Strategic and Defence Studies Centre at the Australian National University. A graduate of the University of Wollongong, he specializes in Australia’s involvement in the Second World War, and the history of Australia’s Special Operations Forces.

Find him on Twitter @KarlJames_1945

And grab a copy of Kokoda: Beyond the Legend @ https://read.amazon.com/kp/embed?asin=B06XB1J7CG&preview=newtab&linkCode=kpe&ref_=cm_sw_r_kb_dp_7028W0ETR0NJ49SSYX2R&tag=cauldronpodca-20

Sources

• Kokoda: Beyond the Legend edited by Dr. Karl James
• Kokoda by Peter Fitzsimons
• The Pacific War by William B.Hopkins
• Battlegrounds by M. Stephenson
• The West Point Atlas Of War - World War II: The Pacific edited by Brigadier General V. J. Esposito

Music - Cinematic Trailer by Scott Holmes Music