Historical Overview:

Port Moresby is one of the key points in the South Pacific. It is located on the south coast of the island of New Guinea, with access to the Coral Sea, thus controlling an important route from the Indian Ocean to the Pacific Ocean. In addition, it is strategically close to Australia. The city has a port, a base, and several airfields.

New Guinea campaign started with the capture of port Rabaul on the island of New Britain by the Japanese Army. From there, they continued the offensive southward. The invasion of Port Moresby would have provided the Japanese with a base for landing in Australia.

Having suffered strategic defeats in the Battle of the Coral Sea and near Midway Atoll, the Japanese ceased their attempts to invade Port Moresby by sea, launching a ground offensive along Kokoda Track. However, by then the Allied forces had assembled enough troops in Port Moresby, which allowed them to not just defend the city, but also to launch an offensive on Rabaul and take over the Japanese base in the South Pacific.