Australia in World War II

Australia joined with the United Kingdom in declaring war on September 3, 1939 on Germany. New Zealand did so also, preferring to send a separate letter to demonstrate independence. New Zealand and Australian units served in North Africa, Italy, and Greece and rendered good service. When the Japanese attacked around Asia and the Pacific in December 1941, the overseas units were rushed home as part of the agreement Australia and New Zealand signed with England at the start of the war. Some were sent to Singapore, where they were surrendered on February 17, 1942. Two days later, the Japanese bombed Darwin, sinking 26 ships.

England could no longer guarantee their support due to the war in Europe. In December 1941, the Australian government publicly asked for American assistance. That assistance would come with a price that Australia could not imagine in 1941.

In March 1942 MacArthur, fresh from his retreat in the Philippines, took stock of his new command, Supreme Commander Southwest Pacific. He found that he had few of his countrymen to command. Until 1944, the Australians would make up the bulk of his forces. The friction between MacArthur and his Australian subordinates would compromise the Allied operations in New Guinea.

Australia and New Zealand provided the Allies, especially Britain, with many needed supplies. New Zealand rationed its own food supply to increase the amount that could be sent to England.

In November 1942, while the Allies were landing in North Africa, MacArthur landed green American troops on Buna beach in New Guinea. They were immediately met with heavy fire, and discipline broke down. MacArthur's reaction was to declare an American victory, and send in his experienced Australian troops. They were successful, but taking Buna had left a bitter taste in the Australian's mouth. MacArthur was a bitter pill to swallow.

MacArthur recognized the importance of propaganda, and he often claimed American involvement in what should have been Australian laurels. Australians marched across the Kokoda Trail in New Guinea, took Kokumbona, and were landing along the New Guinea backbone.

By 1944 the New Guinea campaign was finally becoming an American operation. 500,000 American servicemen were in Australia, and both governments contemplated banning American-Australian marriages. Eventually 12,000 Australian women married Americans.

Australia's Armed Forces tried to promote volunteerism. The Australian constitution prohibited compulsory service overseas. By war's end, some 95% of her army and 100% of her navy were volunteers and could serve in New Guinea or Europe.

Internal Links

ABDA

New Guinea

Guadalcanal

North Africa

 

Internet Links

Australian Government - The Second World War

RAN IN THE SECOND WORLD WAR (Sea Power Centre - Australia)
Royal Australian Navy, Sea Power Centre - Australia

Australia in World War Two
School library and resource centre website for boys' Catholic college, with substantial worldwide curriculum related and educational links focusing on Western Australia, organised by subject area

Military history of Australia during World War II - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

National Archives of Australia - Fact Sheet 61 - World War II war crimes

Australia at War - australia.gov.au

An Australian World War II hero

ISTG - World War II Refugees to Australia

Australia's War 1939-1945 | Australians in war | World War 2 | War in the Pacific
A major educational site containing text, documents, graphics, video and audio about Australians in World War 2 including battles and campaigns such as the fall of Singapore, Tobruk, Kokoda, POWs and the homefront.

Royal Australian Navy in World War II

Australians in Borneo During World War II
Borneo Tour Specialists - Tours to Borneo - Visit Borneo with Us on Your Next Holiday to South East Asia - Borneo Travel and Information

Australian Aircraft of World War II

Australian Regiments in the Second World War, 1939-1945

World War Two Nominal Roll
Service record details of individuals who served in Australia's defence forces and the Australian Merchant Navy during World War Two

Australians at War
Australians at War, commemorating the service and sacrifice of Australia's veterans over the past 100 years.

Battle for Australia Council
The Battle for Australia was a struggle never before envisaged in this country but yet much of it still remains unknown. It was a struggle that stretched our national resources to the limit; which saw the bombing of mainland Australia; the attack by midget submarines on Sydney Harbour; and raised the spectre of the threat of a possible invasion through Papua New Guinea

World War 2 History start page

Military Aircraft Crashes in Western Australia during World War 2

Crisis at Home and Abroad

Welcome to The Descendants of the SHOAH

Australian Memories Of The Holocaust

The Kokoda Track

kokoda

Australians at D-Day 6 June 1944
Historical background to the Allied landing in France on 6 June 1944, known as D-Day. Outlines the Australian participation to this event

Peter Dunn - Australia at War

North Australia Observer Unit

Royal Australian Navy Gun Plot

Bibliography From Amazon.com

The World War II Multimedia Database
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