RAAHC's Firepower: Lessons from WWII - Event Four: Canberra

Event Four: Canberra - Joint Fires in the Littoral (applying modern lethal effects in Australia’s approaches). Seminar Event (5-7pm): Joint Fires in the Littoral, 1943-1945. Presentation One: Strategic Context: Presenter One: Vice Admiral Peter Jones, AO DSC RAN Ret'd • Case Study: ‘The Apogee of Amphibious operations’: what did it take in terms of the operational employment of firepower for the United States to capture Guadalcanal in 1942-43? • Explore the theatre setting and operational generation requirements to command, project, apply and protect the amphibious joint force. Presentation 2: Campaign Application: Presenter Two: Dr Dayton McCarthy, CSC • The Operation Oboe Landings: Operationally outstanding, or operationally ‘overtaken by events’? • How did Australia generate, command and project the joint fires required to support Australia’s largest ever amphibious lodgement in 1945? • What Allied dependencies were needed to set theatre conditions, project and sustain the operation? Panel Discussion: • What lessons for today’s military and political decision-makers can be drawn from Australia’s preparation for and conduct of the Borneo campaign? • What Australian experiences then are not applicable for Australia today? • What strategic policy and/or military capability decisions might be considered to best prepare Australia’s firepower today, for employment tomorrow? Dual Keynote Address with refreshments (7.30-9pm): Ambassador Vasyl Myroshnychenko and Professor David Kilcullen will be our dual keynote speakers - they will speak on political, industrial and civic leadership preparing national military capability, and steward the Australian societal will to employ it in the forceful defence of Australia’s military strategic interests – then and now?