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How many World War 2 battles were in Australian waters?

Updated: 8/20/2019
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11y ago

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The Japanese had no plans to invade Australia during the Second World War but they did plan to cut Australia's supply line with America by establishing bases in the south-west Pacific islands.

The Japanese first attacked the Australian mainland on 19 February 1942 when they launched a devastating air raid on Darwin in the Northern Territory. Two weeks later, more aircraft attacked Broome in Western Australia killing about 70 people. By the end of September 1943, Japanese pilots had flown 97 air raids against towns and bases in northern Australia.

In early May 1942, an American carrier force intercepted a Japanese carrier force in the Coral Sea and, after a fierce aerial battle - the Battle of the Coral Sea - the Japanese turned back. At the same time, hundreds of kilometres to the north, HMA Ships Hobart and Australia were part of a task force sent to intercept a Japanese invasion fleet heading for Port Moresby.

This force was attacked by enemy aircraft but, as a result of the American action in the Coral Sea, the invasion fleet also turned back. These actions were the first major setbacks to the Japanese during their advance south in the Pacific Ocean area. One month later, after a further naval defeat in the Battle of Midway, they abandoned their plans to capture Fiji, Samoa and the New Hebrides.

On 31 May 1942, the war came to the east coast when three Japanese midget submarines entered Sydney Harbour. In June 1942 a submarine lightly shelled the eastern suburbs in Sydney and then Newcastle. Japanese submarines also attacked coastal shipping, causing the loss of some 60 lives and 29,000 tons of shipping during the two months after the midget submarine attack on Sydney Harbour.

However, between July and September 1942, Japanese land forces continued their efforts to take Port Moresby in Papua New Guinea, fighting Australians on the Kokoda Track where they were eventually pushed back. In August 1942, Japanese marines landed at Milne Bay where Australian troops, together with RAAF Kittyhawk squadrons, defeated them. The Battle of Milne Bay was the first Japanese defeat on land in the Pacific War.

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Q: How many World War 2 battles were in Australian waters?
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