"The Battle of Buna-Gona" Topic

"In the South Pacific the Japanese wanted to establish a perimeter which the Allies would not be able to penetrate, this perimeter would also allow the Japanese to interdict the lines of communications between the United States and Australia, thus isolating Australia. In order to accomplish this, the Japanese planned to capture Port Moresby, New Guinea and to use the facilities there for ground based air support against the Americans and Australians. The Japanese also planned to construct a sea plane facility at Tulagi, and to construct an airfield on Guadalcanal. The Japanese intentions were to Take Port Moresby and Tulagi in order to secure air mastery of the Coral Sea and its shores. It was allied resistance to this that resulted in the Battle of the Coral Sea 4-8 May 1942.

The Allies were successful at the Battle of the Coral Sea in that, although the Japanese were successful in taking Tulagi on 3 May 1942 they were prevented from landing at Port Moresby. Though the Japanese landing at Port Moresby was thwarted, they still intended to take it. The entire purpose of the attempted landing at Port Moresby was to provide the Japanese with facilities to protect additional movements into Southern New Guinea and to launch raids on Australia to weaken the Allies ability to move troops.[2] The Japanese developed a plan to land an invasion force at Buna-Gona, on the North shore of New Guinea, attack across the Owen-Stanley Mountains using the Kokoda Trail, and take Port Moresby from the North. This operation would be supported logistically from Buna-Gona with resources sent from Rabaul…"
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Courtesy of Military History Online.