World War II in the Pacific had a profound effect on the pre-war status quo of European colonial domination of the Asia-Pacific region. Independence for most of the region followed the war, but the physical relics of war linger as a tangible reminder of suffering, loss and the winning of freedom.
The preservation and interpretation of the physical remains of war reflect the value of sacrifice by those who fought and those who remained at home, to work in support of the efforts abroad.
War in the Pacific will examine the meaning of war in the region, the meaning of the relics of war and how these relics are preserved, venerated or destroyed.
Areas which could be explored: thematic studies of war sites, government agency identification and conservation of sites such as coastal defence infrastructure and aircraft crash and shipwreck sites, collections management, interpretation of sites and events, etc.
The papers listed below were presented in this stream.
John Schofield
Archaeology, Conflict and Heritage: Some thoughts and perspectives from the northern hemisphere
Full Paper
Author Biography
Tim Smith
M24 Out of the Depths: Shipwrecks instill a love of 20th Century Wartime Heritage
Presentation Slides
Author Biography
Scott Robertson
Identification of War Sites in NSW – A Thematic Study
Full Paper
Presentation Slides
Author Biography
David Wixted
Its got Maribyrnong written all over it
Full Paper
Presentation Slides
Author Biography
Jane Ainsworth
Sydney’s World War II Sites: Context, Networks and Growth
Presentation Slides
Author Biography