In the early stages of the war, Australians who remained at home felt little direct threat. “But that all changed with the growing fear of Japan,” John says. Japan entered the war in December 1941 - forming the Axis alliance with Germany and Italy - and achieved swift victories throughout Southeast Asia.
Australia’s growing fears were realised with the Japanese bombing of Darwin in February 1942 - the first time in history that we had been under direct attack. In response, all Royal Australian Navy ships in the Mediterranean returned to defend the home front, as well as the 6th and 7th Divisions of the Second AIF.
The situation gradually swung in Australia’s favour in 1942 with decisive victories in the Coral Sea and on Papua New Guinea’s Kokoda Track. The threat of invasion continued to recede until Japan finally surrendered on 14 August 1945, days after the US dropped atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. All told, World War II had claimed the lives of more than 39,000 Australian service men and women.