Editing Papua New Guinea (section)

===World War II===
[[File:Buna (AWM 014008).jpg|thumb|Australian forces attack Japanese positions during the [[Battle of Buna–Gona]], 7 January 1943.]]
During [[World War II]], the [[New Guinea campaign]] (1942–1945) was fought in both the mainland and offshore islands. Approximately 216,000 Japanese, Australian, and U.S. servicemen died.<ref>Fenton, Damien. {{cite web |url=http://ajrp.awm.gov.au/ajrp/remember.nsf/pages/NT000027A2 |title=How many died? (QnA) |access-date=9 August 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090705115116/http://ajrp.awm.gov.au/ajrp/remember.nsf/pages/NT000027A2 |archive-date=5 July 2009 }}. Australian War Memorial.</ref>

The Second World War punctured the myth of differences between locals and foreigners, and increased the exposure of the population to the wider world and modern social and economic ideas. It also led to significant population movements, beginning the establishment of a common identity shared by those in the two Australian-ruled territories.<ref name="May2004chapter4"/>{{rp|53}} Both Tok Pisin and Hiri Motu became more common to facilitate communication, and were used for radio broadcasts.<ref name="May2022chapter8"/>{{rp|139}} The joint governance of both territories that was established during the war was continued after the war ended.<ref name="May2004chapter15"/>{{rp|302}}<ref name="May2022chapter8"/>{{rp|134}}