{"product_id":"oboe-one-tarakan-1945-an-australian-tragedy-tpb","title":"Oboe One, Tarakan, 1945: An Australian Tragedy | TPB","description":"In 1945, the small island of Tarakan off Borneo's coast became the unlikely stage for one of the Second World War's most gruelling campaigns. As part of General Douglas MacArthur's plan to liberate the Netherlands Indies, Australian soldiers launched Operation Oboe One, a mission to capture Tarakan’s airstrip. What was meant to last three weeks stretched into two months of bitter jungle warfare, claiming 240 Australian lives and 1,500 Japanese defenders. The airstrip’s strategic goal faltered, but the courage and sacrifice of those who fought there remain an untold story.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Through vivid narratives and exhaustive research, \u003ci\u003eOboe One\u003c\/i\u003e brings this obscure battle to life, uncovering the grit and camaraderie of the Second Australian Imperial Force. These citizen soldiers faced dense jungles, hidden mines, and relentless enemy fire, embodying professionalism and resilience in the war’s final days. Their experiences reveal not just the hardships of combat, but the unique ethos of a generation shaped by a vanished Australia—an era of robust, unpolished camaraderie and quiet determination.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e This compelling account revisits Tarakan through the eyes of its participants and confronts lingering questions about the campaign's necessity. Was it a strategic misstep or a justified sacrifice within the larger Pacific war effort? Tarakan challenges readers to remember the forgotten, honour the fallen, and understand the extraordinary men whose lives were forever marked by this brutal campaign.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e For those seeking to explore the human cost of war, \u003ci\u003eOboe One\u003c\/i\u003e is an essential tribute to courage, leadership, and the enduring echoes of an extraordinary Australian legacy.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e ‘Detailed, thoughtful and highly readable’ - \u003ci\u003eThe Age\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e ‘A notable work, learned, detailed and absorbing’ - Bill Sweeting, \u003ci\u003eCanberra \u0026amp; District Historical Society Journal\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e ‘Enthralling reading … deserves to be widely read … captures the spirit of mateship’ - Harry Powell, \u003ci\u003eRSL Victoria\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e ‘a first-rate account’ - David Horner, \u003ci\u003eJournal of the Australian War Memorial\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e ‘One of the best explanations I’ve read of the place of such campaigns in our military history’ - Frank Cranston, \u003ci\u003eCanberra Times\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e ‘a fitting history … effectively portrays what battle is like’ - Graeme Faragher, \u003ci\u003eThe War Cry\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e ‘ … [written] with a Bean-like understanding of and empathy for ordinary people … shows us a great deal about war and about Australians’ - Paul Macpherson, \u003ci\u003eArchives and Manuscripts\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e ‘’I attended the launch of this book and saw the considerable interest and approval that the author enjoyed from those veterans who had assisted him’ - Hugh Collis, \u003ci\u003eStand-To\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e ‘A scholarly work most thoroughly researched … At the same time, it is sensitively written’ - Gordon Maitland, \u003ci\u003eUnited Service\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e  ","brand":"Big Sky","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":46101956460735,"sku":"9781923300361","price":36.62,"currency_code":"NZD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0614\/1689\/8751\/files\/76762-b26b13afa3350c55dcf22ac1690af940f9584fc8936dace6a41fbc91ddd2f134.jpg?v=1787856056","url":"https:\/\/www.popweasel.co.nz\/products\/oboe-one-tarakan-1945-an-australian-tragedy-tpb","provider":"Pop Weasel","version":"1.0","type":"link"}