 The implication of cowardice was seen as contrasting with his own inability to stand up to MacArthur and the Prime Minister . Rowell felt that Blamey " had not shown the necessary ' moral courage ' to fight the Cabinet on an issue of confidence in me . " When American troops suffered serious reverses in the Battle of Buna – Gona , Blamey turned the tables on MacArthur . According to Lieutenant General George Kenney , the commander of Allied Air Forces , Blamey " frankly said he would rather send in more Australians , as he knew they would fight ... a bitter pill for MacArthur to swallow " . In January 1943 , he visited the Buna – Gona battlefield , surprising Vasey at how far forward he went , seemingly unconcerned about his safety . Blamey was impressed by the strength of the Japanese fortifications that had been captured , later telling correspondents that Australian and American troops had performed miracles . 
