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Essay on the bombing of Darwin
Essay on the bombing of Darwin
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The Bombing of Darwin
Considering that Darwin was an important base for Australia, it was not properly prepared for the Japanese air raids. The Japanese had been invading areas of the Asia-Pacific and Darwin was going to be one of its targets. The bombing of Darwin was one of Australia's most devastating fights on land, and resulted in severe losses. The aftermath is considered an embarrassment as looting became an issue, alongside more bombing attacks which occurred throughout Northern Australia. Throughout these events, Darwin was considered to be unprepared for the Japanese attack.
Darwin played a significant role in the war prior to the bombing and was considered a vital Australian defence base, (Australian War Memorial). As an important town in Northern Australia, it was isolated from other major cities, so heavily relied on sea transport. In the 1930s when the war was beginning to develop, Australia began to build Darwin up as a military base, using it to send forces to help defend the Dutch East Indies. The port and airfield were improved, along with coastal defences on the beaches. As it was in such a strategic position, the Royal Australian Navy (RAN) and the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) built bases near the town. They also established maintenance facilities, munitions storage and improved communications. Within the two months before the bombing, especially when Singapore fell, the civilians of Darwin were evacuated including women, children, the sick and elderly.
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Fuchida, & M. Okumiya, 1957). Considering that Darwin was an important base for Australia, the preparations made were not enough for the
On September 3, 1939 Prime Minister, Robert Gordon Menzies, declared the commencement of Australia's involvement in the Second World War on every national and commercial radio station. From 1942 until early 1944, Australian forces, especially Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders played a key role in the Pacific War forming the majority of Allied strength throughout the South West Pacific. Aboriginal and Torres Strait islanders affected Australia’s World War Two efforts in their extended volunteering and willingness to fight and die in the war. Aboriginal people were a crucial part of defending the Australian home front, in which they had limited or no rights. Many experienced equal treatment to white Australians for the first time in their
Australia relied on Britain holding Singapore as it was the gate way to Australia, it was feared that if it fell a Japanese attack was imminent. The Australian Prime Minister at the time, John Curtain, suggested the Fall of Singapore to be “Australia’s Dunkirk” and said it would be followed by the “battle of Australia” (National Archives of Australia). This corroborates with Curtain’s statement after Singapore fell, he said, “the fall of Singapore opens the Battle for Australia.”( http://www.anzacday.org.au/history/ww2/bfa/overview.html, Richard Reid). The government was preparing the Australian public for a Japanese attack, they wanted the public to be ready for an attack that was, what they thought, certain to come. After the Japanese air raid on Darwin on Feb 19 1942, Curtain told Australians there was “no more looking away now. Fate has willed our position in this war.” It is obvious that the government was predicting an invasion, an invasion that probably wouldn’t have happened if Britain held ...
On the 9th of February, three divisions of Japanese soldiers landed in Singapore; a major British military base and presence in the Pacific, under the control of Lieutenant General A.E Percival. Six days later, over 90 000 British, Australian and Indian troops were forced to surrender. It had been believed that Singapore guaranteed the security of Australia, therefore leaving the country seemingly hopeless under the threat of Japanese invasion. The Fall of Singapore in 1942 was significant in affecting the relations between Australia and the United States as the lack of support received from Britain caused, resulting in a drastic movement towards America for protection.
... to hold Port Moresby from the Japanese until the AIF assisted. Kokoda lead to the growth of the nation because of the conditions that the Australian troops had to go through was unbearable and amazing how they were still able to defeat the Japanese.
The Kokoda Campaign, also known as the Battle that saved Australia, was a series of battles in which the Japanese fought the Australian and Americas for control over Port Moresby. Had the Japanese been successful in taking over Port Moresby, Australia would have been under serious threat. This was a significant event in Australian History because it was the first time the Australian Nation had been threatened by invasion. This was a significant event in Australian History because as it was a time to reflect upon those who put others lives before theirs for the safety of this Country.
In 1942, Darwin was a small town of 5,800 with limited civil and military infrastructure. Because its strategic position in northern Australia, the R.A.N and R.A.A.F had constructed bases near the town in the 1930s and the early years of World War II.
In the evaluation of why Britain colonised Botany Bay, Australia, one can draw on many conclusions. When the First Fleet arrived at Botany Bay in January 1788, little did they realise that for years to come historians would be contesting the real reasons as to why the British Parliament planned to establish a colony in Botany Bay. The Botany Bay debate, as it has been known to be called, began among historians in the 1950’s when Geoffrey Blainey said that it was colonised for strategic motives#. These motives included such plans as there was a plant nursery to be established on Norfolk Island and Australia was to become a flax farm and a market garden that was to be surrounded by goal walls; there had been a failure of the growing of flax and pine on Norfolk Island, this at first had been very promising; and that flax and timber were vital to Britains economy as explained by the British Politicians in many letters. Along with Blainey’s argument came another debate, this being that Botany Bay, was colonised as it was a good outpost for trading purposes. The traditional view in the debate was that Botany Bay was the chosen place for the convict population and it is this traditional view that my argument will follow.
Unfortunately, with most if not all large-scale conflicts, a detrimental aftermath was soon sure to follow. Australia was by no means exempt from this, as made evident by the Australian veterans and
MacDermott, D. (1993). As we see you. In D. Grant & G. Seal (Eds.), Australia in the world (pp. 86-91). Perth: Black Swan Press
The Australian participation in WW2 was similar to that of WW1 in many ways. After the British declared war on Germany on September 3rd 1939, an Australian declaration of war was automatic. Aussie troops were soon sent to different parts of the world to help the British and other allied countries. It was not until late 1941 that they were recalled in order to defend the homefront. Darwin had been suddenly attacked by Japanese planes and small enemy submarines had snuck into Sydney Harbour. Darwin was repeatedly bombed by Japanese planes until July 1941, when along with American troops, the Aussies managed to drive them out of the Solomon Islands and northeastern New Guinea and eliminate a strong Japanese base at Rabaul. Without General MacArthur's troops, the enemy may very well have invaded Australia. This illustrates the importance of alliances.
In conclusion the Kokoda Battle was a highly significant event to Australia firstly because of its cultural significance then and now: secondly, because of its strategic significance and finally, the military significance to Australia and the condition they faced during the War.
During the second world war, the Japanese attacked Australia with one of the most brutal air raids since the attack of Pearl Harbour. At the time of the attack Darwin was the largest town in Northern Australia and therefore was a key defensive position against the Japanese’s plans to capture the Dutch East Indies (Allied with Australia). On the 19th of February 1942, the first of 64 raids was launched into Darwin putting many allied lives and artillery at risk. Over the course of the raids, from 19th of February 1942 to the 12th of November 1943 Australia and its allies lost about 900 people, 77 aircraft and several ships(Wells & Mulholland 2015). Many military and civilian facilities were destroyed, although it could have been much worse
- What/how does it tell us about living in Australia during times past? (100 - 150 words)
When writing the "big picture" histories, historians often overlook or exaggerate certain aspects of Australian history to make their point. Discuss with reference to one the recommended texts.
This is an incredible paragraph extracted from Bora Ring. This poem depicts perfectly of the European invasion of Australia. It shows how the traditions and stories are gone, how the hunting and rituals are gone and ‘lost in an alien tale’, the Europeans being the aliens. This poem also describes that it seemed as if the tradition of Aborigines was ‘breathed sleeping and forgot’. These are powerful words Judith Wright used to show how they Aborigines were quickly invaded and ‘forgotten’. This poem is an excellent example of why Australian students should study her poetry.