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

[Sgt Barker]

Yeah, my post is definitely not a denigration of Aussies. Provincialism defines humanity – I live here, so this must be the center of the universe! Human nature, and unlike some I don’t find it offensive or dangerous at all. Just part of being human.

The battles on the Kokoda were concurrent with Gudalcanal, mid 42 to early 43. Very vicious, not only the fighting but the terrain and disease as well. IIRC most of the fights were battalion sized actions, with some being company sized. Regiment sized forces were rarely committed, mostly due to the insane terrain. You can get lost and die there just walking around, much less trying to maneuver and fight. The Japanese outnumbered the Australians through pretty much the whole affair, which has made the Aussies justly proud.

[Mike Abberton]

I don't think the original idea was that the Australians did not contribute to the war effort. They certainly did in several theaters, and especially in the Pacific.

The point was that Australia itself was never seriously at risk from invasion of the mainland by the Japanese, any more than the Japanese seriously considered invading Hawaii. They might have talked about it. They might even have come up with a basic operational plan, but there is no evidence that it was ever seriously considered.

This is particularly true since the Imperial Japanese Army, who would have needed to supply the bulk of the troops for an Australian campaign, was completely uninterested in the South Pacific until it was obvious that the Allies were concentrating their effort there as a means to get back to the Phillipines. By the time the IJA started to take the theater seriously in late 42/early 43, it was way too late and the situations in New Guinea and the Solomons were swiftly heading down hill for the Japanese.

[Outlaw Josey Wales]

I didn't mean to imply anything, just what I could remember about books I have read and a little taste of my own personal experience with the Aussies that I actually met.

[Mike Abberton]

No offense taken at all. Just providing some more info.

All that being said, if I was living in Australia in early-to-mid-1942, I probably would have been pretty worried about a Japanese invasion, too. Especially if I lived in Darwin or one of the towns along the coast north of Brisbane.

[Steel God]

No offense taken at all. Just providing some more info.

All that being said, if I was living in Australia in early-to-mid-1942, I probably would have been pretty worried about a Japanese invasion, too. Especially if I lived in Darwin or one of the towns along the coast north of Brisbane.

And you'd have been little different than the folks living on the California Coast who were living in the same imagined fear, which I believe proves everyone's point. ;)

[Mike Abberton]

And you'd have been little different than the folks living on the California Coast who were living in the same imagined fear, which I believe proves everyone's point. ;)

Especially if you're Capt. Wild Bill Kelso, right?

[Combat Wombat]

ahh all excellent posts folks. ! Well from an Aussie point of view, I'll confirm that Kokoda is up there in the national conciousness as "the" defensive battle that the Australians fought in WWII. Up to that point the Japanese were unstaoppable . Initial contact and fighting undertaken by 'Reserves' - yep "Territorials" and some of them were still in training after landing in New Guinea (reports were that soldiers were learning the Maxim on the ship over and the Bren while moving up the track) .

As with the Japanese plans to invade, i thought it was agreed that the US Navy intercepted the invasion fleet in the Coral Sea (off Queensland) ? ... I would love to confirm details and discuss points, but mywife want's me off the computer ..;)

cheers

[Steel God]

John, if you are referring to the Battle of the Coral Sea, that invasion force was destined for Port Moresby no Australia.

[Combat Wombat]

True true, and here we head into conjecture . After the conquest of New Guinea, would the Japanese left the practically empty top half of Australia alone or would they have 'expanded' into those areas ? Once in Port Morsby they would have been able to take their time to flatten Darwin and maybe moved on over to limit any Allied military precence there?

Maybe they would have sat in Port Morsby and enjoyed the view, but who knows ..

Another unproven legend was that of the "Brisbane Line" - in the face of invasion, the north of Australia, all that above a line drawn accross the country from Brisbane, would be abandoned to the Japanese ! unsure of that. What I have seen are those WWII era poster encouraging guerilla warfare against any invading forces. ...

[wigam]

Your Kiwi cousins would have come to your aid and saved the day!! ;) hehe

Your lucky to have us.