Get over it, we weren't at the heart of World War II

[Combat Wombat]

ahh beautiful work .. how's the back?

[Mike Abberton]

The South Seas Detachment that was assigned the task of capturing Port Moresby was something like a reinforced regiment, and the Japanese Navy, who was planning the PM attack, had to beg the Army for even that many troops. The Army just had no interest in the South Pacific, therefore the troops to invade Australia just weren't available.

All the Japanese Navy had for ground troops was the various Special Naval Landing Forces, and I don't think they had much more than a division of those altogether. So, the IJN didn't have the troops to invade Australia, and the IJA couldn't be bothered to send more than a few regiments to the entire theater.

It wasn't until the Allies began the counterattacks in New Guinea and Guadalcanal that the IJA woke up and agreed to commit troops in significant numbers to the South Pacific.

[D-Day_Dodger]

I find a parallel between the Australian fears of invasion to those who lived on the west coast of North America and feared invasion after Pearl Habor. Being in a state of war has a tendency to increase national paranoia and people tend to overestimate to abilities of their enemies. I've never quite managed to figure how people could seriously believe that Japan could ever invade America, but then I wasn't there at the time.

The Australians would probably been the target of invasion if Japan's victory streak continued. If they had won the Solomon's Campaign and the Battle of the Coral Sea then Australia would have been a natural target. If Japan had been able to eliminate Australia as a staging ground for attacks on Japan's expanding empire the whole course of the Pacific War would have changed.

[fastphil]

I am not fond of 'revisionist' history either. :rolleyes:

Following the Japanese initial successes the Japanese Navy General Staff did propose 'Australia First'. This is according to MIDWAY, the Battle that Doomed Japan, the Japanese Navy's Story When the General Staff made the pitch to the Army, the Army didn't have the 10 divisions available that were needed. The authors think the army was more interested in the coming German offensive and using those divisions against Russia in the Far East than supporting the Navy's plans. Subsequently the General Staff planned on the isolation of Australia. The Combined Fleet and the General Staff also butted heads over this This resulted in defeats at the Coral Sea (Navy General Staff's plan) and at Midway(Combined Fleet under Yamamoto).
So to say the war 'centered around Australia' is an exaggeration , but so is to say that the Japanese never made any plans concerning Oz. JMHO:stir:

[Mike Abberton]

According to what I have heard, Fuchida's book contains enough errors (intentional or otherwise) that it is a dubious source at best. (See Shattered Sword by Parshall for a critique of Midway).

Also, I don't think anyone said they didn't have a plan for invading Australia, just that it wasn't ever seriously considered to put the plan in action. Heck, the US had a plan for fighting a war with Japan in the 30's. As you pointed out yourself, the Navy came up with a plan to invade Australia, but it required help from the IJA. And that just wasn't going to happen in April-May 1942. The IJA didn't get serious about the South Pacific until it was way too late.