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Japan expands and attacks!
In 1937, Japan invaded and occupied many large areas of China. There was little response from other countries. By 1940, Japan was allied with Nazi Germany. Japan had the chance to expand into south-east Asia when Nazi Germany expanded in Europe as many of the Asian countries were controlled by Europe (Dutch had Indonesia, French had Vietnam, British had India, Malaya, Burma, Borneo and Singapore. By 1941 only the USA stood in the way of Japan's expansions in Asia. -
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World War 2
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First Phase
The first phase for Australia was from 1939 to 1941. During the first phase, Australia fought against Germany and its allies. -
Australia goes to war!
On September 3, 1939, Australia joined Britain in a fight against Germany only hours after Britain declared war. -
Battle of Britain
In May 1940 Germany invaded Norway, Denmark, Holland and Belgium before striking at France. The RAF was allotted the twin tasks of defending allied communications and slowing up the German advance.
Its European‑based units fought desperately to win control of the air.
Among the 40 Australians who took part in this fighting was the nation's first ace of World War 2, Flying Officer Leslie Clisby of Walkerville, South Australia. -
Battle of Bardia
The Battle of Bardia was fought over three days between 3 and 5 January 1941, as part of Operation Compass, the first military operation of the Western Desert Campaign of the Second World War. It was the first battle of the war in which an Australian Army formation took part, the first to be commanded by an Australian general and the first to be planned by an Australian staff. -
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Second Phase
During the second phase, Australia fought Japan when they attacked America and began to advance into south and south-east Asia. For the first time in history, Australia was threatened. -
Japan attack USA!
By 1941 the USA was the only country to stand in the way of Japan's expansion plans in Asia. On 7 December 1941, Japan attacked the US Pacific Fleet at Pearl Harbour, Hawaii. The USA declared war on Japan and so did Australia. Australia joined because the expansions of Japan was a threat to the northern parts of Australia. -
Australia is attacked!
Just four days after the fall of singapore, Australia itself was attacked. On 19 February 1942, over ninety Japanese planes bombed Darwin. The town, the air base and the vital shipping in the harbour were heavily damaged. A few hours later there was a second raid by Japanese bombers where 234 people were killed nad over 300 were injured. The Japanese bombed Darwin because they saw the air base and harbour as a threat to their invasion of Indonesia. -
Sydney is attacked! (Part 1)
Three months after Darwin was bombed Sydney harbour was attacked. At about 4:30am on 30 May 1942, an unidentified floatplane circled the harbour. They believed it was an American destroyer but it was actually launched from a Japanese submarine out in the sea. On the following night, on 31 May 1942, three Japanese submarines were launched by their mother ships fifteen kilometres east of Sydney Heads. They entered the harbour, with a goal to sink Allied ships in Sydney Harbour. -
Sydney is attacked! (Part 2)
Harbour defences detected the first submarine at about 8am just after it was entangled in an anti-submarine net near the harbour entrance. Unable to escape, the two crew men blew up their submarine. The second and third submarines avoided the net and headed towards Sydney Harobur.
