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Question: Did Japan bomb Australia during WWII!?
I just saw a preview of the new movie "Australia" with Nicole Kidman and Hugh Jackman!. There is the premise that the country was bombed by the Japanese!. I have studied history, and I am not sure about this!. I know that the Australians have always been our allies, and that they played a big part in the war of the Pacific, because of their location, and I just am not sure if they were actually bombed or not!. It could just be a part of the story line of the movie, but I am just curious!. Does any one know!?Www@QuestionHome@Com
Best Answer - Chosen by Asker:
Yes, the Japanese did bomb and straff places in Northern Australia!.
Darwin, Broome, Wyndham, Port Hedland, Derby, Katherine, Townsville, Mossman, and Horn Island in the Torres Strait!.
This is from the Australian War Memorial site!.
Japanese Bombing of Australia!.
14 February 1942 - 12 November 1943
On 19 February 1942 Darwin itself was bombed!. Japanese fighters and bombers attacked the port and shipping in the harbour twice during the day, killing 252 Allied service personnel and civilians!. On 3 March Broome, in Western Australia, was strafed!. In succeeding months air attacks were made on many towns in northern Australia including Wyndham, Port Hedland and Derby in Western Australia, Darwin and Katherine in the Northern Territory, Townsville and Mossman in Queensland, and Horn Island in the Torres Strait!. Despite popular fears these raids were not the precursor to an invasion but they did serve to interrupt the use of Darwin's port facilities!. The raids also tied up anti aircraft defences and air force units that would have otherwise been sent to more forward areas!.
The Japanese air raids on Darwin on 19 February involved, collectively, over 260 enemy aircraft!. Subsequent raids in April, June, July and November 1942, and March 1943 where carried out with forces of 30 to 40 fighters and bombers!. Between the large raids there were smaller operations by groups of under a dozen Japanese aircraft!. Most of the raids occurred in daylight but there were some small scale night attacks!.
The 64th, and last, air raid on Darwin occurred on 12 November 1943!. In total there were 97 air attacks on northern Australia and enemy air reconnaissance over the region continued through much of 1944!.Www@QuestionHome@Com
Darwin was bombed in February 1942, just a few days after the Fall of Singapore!. Broome came under attack by Japanese fighters on March 3, 1942!. From May 31 to June 8, 1942 Japanese midget subs entered Sydney Harbor in order to attempt to sink Allied warships there!. They attempted to sink the USS Chicago and did manage to sink the HMAS Kuttabul, resulting in the deaths of 21 Austrailan and British sailors!. Meanwhile the five fleet subs acting as mother subs to the midgets attacked shipping off the coast of Austrailia and on June 8th two of them (the I-21 and I-24) shelled Sydney and Newcastle using their deck guns!.Www@QuestionHome@Com
Yes, not only did they bomb Darwin and other Australian targets, they bombed Broome in Western Australia, which had a large population of Japanese Australians, who worked in the pearl industry for decades!.
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Yes Japan bombed the city Darwin in 1942Www@QuestionHome@Com
It bomberd Darwin in 1942!.Www@QuestionHome@Com