Historically, prolonged campaigns have been frequently lost or won
because of the greater fitness of one of the combatant armies. In the
twentieth century, infection was still a major problem, leading to
withdrawal from Gallipoli, and the near defeat of the Allies due to
malaria early in the Second World War's Pacific campaign. Malaria
emerged again as a major problem in the Vietnam War.
The Australian Army Medical Corps, founded in 1901, learned from past
medical experience. However, errors leading to significant morbidity did
occur mainly in relation to malaria. These errors included lack of
instruction of doctors sent to New Guinea with the Australian Force in
the Great War, inadequate prophylactic measures against malaria in New
Guinea early in World War Two, failure to perceive the threat of
emerging resistant strains of malaria in the 1960s, and military
commanders not fully implementing the recommendations of their medical
advisers.
Many Australian campaigns have taken place in tropical locations; a
substantial amount of scientific work to prevent and manage tropical
diseases has therefore been conducted by the Army Medical Corps' medical
researchers--particularly in the Land Headquarters Medical Research Unit
and the Army Malaria Institute. Their work extends well beyond the
military, greatly improving health outcomes throughout the world. This
book recognizes the efforts of both individuals and the Army's Tropical
Disease Research units since Federation in helping the Army succeed in
battle.
