Lyla Lindsey
During World War II, Australia fought alongside the Allied forces, including Great Britain, New Zealand, Greece, and the United States. Australian troops were engaged in battles against Germany, Italy, and Japan. The Australian mainland came under direct attack for the first time, with Japanese aircraft bombing towns in northwest Australia and Japanese submarines attacking Sydney Harbour. Australian forces fought in Europe, the Mediterranean, North Africa, Southeast Asia, and the Pacific. They participated in campaigns in Egypt, Libya, Greece, Crete, Malaya, and Singapore, among other places. The Australian army also fought against isolated Japanese garrisons stretching from Borneo to Bougainville and New Britain, with the final campaigns taking place in Borneo in 1945.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Countries Australia fought alongside with | Britain, New Zealand, Greece, United States |
| Countries Australia fought against | Germany, Italy, Japan, Vichy France |
| Regions where Australians fought | Europe, Mediterranean, North Africa, Southeast Asia, Pacific |
| Battles | Battle of Britain, Battle of Cape Matapan, Battle of the Atlantic, Battle of Crete, Battle for Australia, Battle of Midway, Battle of Milne Bay, Battle of Buna |
| Notable events | Defence of Britain, Fall of Singapore, Invasion of Australia, Ambush of Japanese forces in Malaya |
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What You'll Learn
- Australians fought against the Japanese in southeast Asia and the Pacific
- Australians fought Germans and Italians in Egypt, Libya, Greece, and Crete
- Australians fought alongside the British in Greece
- Australians fought the Japanese in Borneo, Bougainville, and New Britain
- Australians fought the Germans in Europe
Australians fought against the Japanese in southeast Asia and the Pacific
On 8 December 1941, Australian Prime Minister John Curtin announced that Australia was at war with Japan, stating that it was "the gravest hour of our history". The Japanese Army aimed to crush British Empire forces in Malaya and Singapore in 100 days, and they achieved this in just 70 days. In January 1942, Australian troops successfully ambushed Japanese forces at Gemas and Bakri in Malaya. However, by 31 January 1942, all Empire forces had withdrawn to Singapore Island, and the Japanese soon took control of Singapore.
The Japanese advance continued, and by March 1942, they had conquered a line of territory directly north of Australia, stretching from Rabaul to Singapore. The Japanese planned to capture various island groups in the Pacific, including Fiji, the New Hebrides, Samoa, and the Solomons, to cut off Australia from America. On 2 May 1942, the Japanese landed at Tulagi in the Solomons and launched an invasion fleet towards Port Moresby on the south coast of Papua. However, Allied codebreakers enabled an American-led fleet, including the Australian cruiser HMAS Australia, to intercept and block the invasion attempt.
Throughout 1942, Australians feared an imminent invasion, and the Japanese continued their efforts to capture Port Moresby, landing an invasion force on the north coast of Papua at Gona. Young Australian and Japanese soldiers fought fiercely for control of the Kokoda Track, a narrow jungle pathway over the Owen Stanley Ranges. In June 1942, the Japanese lost four aircraft carriers at the Battle of Midway, abandoning their plans to capture Fiji, Samoa, and the New Hebrides. Despite this setback, they continued their attempts to cut off Australia's supply line with the United States.
In 1943, the Japanese were forced onto the defensive throughout their island empire, and the danger to Australia subsided. In 1944, Australia began a new series of campaigns against isolated Japanese garrisons stretching from Borneo to Bougainville, involving more Australian troops than at any other time in the war. The final campaigns were fought in Borneo in 1945, and Australian troops were still engaged in this battle when the war ended in August 1945.
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Australians fought Germans and Italians in Egypt, Libya, Greece, and Crete
Australians fought German and Italian forces in Egypt, Libya, Greece, and Crete during World War II.
Egypt and Libya
In Egypt, the 9th Australian Division was besieged in Tobruk, where they held out against German and Italian forces. The 9th Australian Division played a key role in two of the three major battles that took place around El Alamein, Egypt, between July and November 1942. The Australian forces, including the 9th Division and a Brigade of the 7th Division, held out for eight months, from April to December 1941, and played a prominent role in the town's defence. The boldness of the defenders of Tobruk raised morale in the countries of the British Empire and Commonwealth.
In Libya, the 6th Division captured Tobruk from the Italians on 21–22 January 1941, and the town became a garrison for Australian and British forces. Advancing west along the Libyan coast, the 6th Division was aided by Erwin Rommel's Afrika Korps, who had come to the aid of their Italian allies.
Greece and Crete
In March 1941, Australian troops arrived in Greece and manned defensive positions in the north of the country alongside British, New Zealand, and Greek units. Australian warships formed part of the force that protected the evacuation of Allied troops from southern Greece between 24 April and 1 May.
Australian troops fought alongside British, New Zealand, and Greek forces in the Battle of Crete, which took place from 20 May to 1 June 1941. The battle was one of the most dramatic of World War II, with Allied troops desperately trying to fight off a huge German airborne assault. Despite suffering heavy casualties, the German parachutists and glider-borne troops secured a foothold on the island and eventually gained the upper hand. The bulk of the Allied force was evacuated to Egypt.
The bond between Greece and Australia is strong, welded in blood and sacrifices. Greeks and Australians have been allies in all conflicts over the last 116 years. The Joint Committee for the Commemoration of The Battle of Crete and The Greek Campaign was formed to commemorate the Australian campaigns fought on the Greek mainland and Crete and to honour the Australian soldiers and their Greek allies.
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Australians fought alongside the British in Greece
Australian troops arrived in Greece in March 1941 and manned defensive positions in the north of the country alongside British, New Zealand, and Greek units. The Australian 6th Division, as part of the Lustre Force, formed the bulk of the Australian contingent. They faced two formidable German armies: the 12th and 2nd, each consisting of multiple divisions and armoured units. The Allies were vastly outnumbered and hampered by poor communication, inadequate infrastructure, and difficult terrain.
On April 6, 1941, German forces simultaneously attacked Greece and Yugoslavia. The Allies lost the initiative from the outset due to a devastating German air attack on Piraeus. Despite their efforts, the Allied force was unable to halt the German advance. The Australians and other Allied units conducted a fighting withdrawal, and naval ships evacuated them from southern Greece between April 24 and May 1. The evacuation was protected by Australian warships, including the HMAS Perth, which played a crucial role in both the defence and evacuation phases of the campaign.
The Greek campaign resulted in heavy casualties for the Australians, with 320 men killed and 2,030 captured. Many of the captured Australians were held in permanent camps in Italy and Germany, where they suffered a higher death rate than in World War I. The retreat from Greece culminated in the Battle of Crete, where Australian, British, New Zealand, and Greek forces fought a desperate battle against a massive German airborne assault. Despite their valiant efforts, the Allies were eventually overwhelmed, and the bulk of the Allied force was evacuated to Egypt.
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Australians fought the Japanese in Borneo, Bougainville, and New Britain
Australians fought against the Japanese in Borneo, Bougainville, and New Britain during World War II.
Borneo
The Borneo campaign, also known as the Second Battle of Borneo, was the last major Allied campaign in the Southwest Pacific Area during World War II. The aim was to liberate Japanese-held British Borneo and Dutch Borneo. The campaign, known as Operation Oboe, involved a series of amphibious assaults conducted by the Australian I Corps, supported by US and other Allied air and naval forces. The operation was aimed at destroying Imperial Japanese forces and recapturing the island's natural resources, particularly oil and rubber. The invasion of Borneo was the second stage of Operation Montclair, which sought to destroy Imperial Japanese forces and reoccupy the NEI, Raj of Sarawak, Brunei, and the colonies of Labuan and British North Borneo.
Bougainville
The Bougainville campaign was one of the final campaigns of the war in the Pacific, involving Australian, American, Fijian, and New Zealand forces. It was waged largely by militia formations and proved to be a costly encounter against Japanese forces on three fronts. The Australians replaced the Americans on the island, with the 3rd Australian Division comprising the 7th, 15th, 29th, and 11th Brigades, all of which had seen prior combat in New Guinea. The Australians skillfully probed and attacked Japanese positions, minimizing their own casualties, and advanced beyond the Hari and Mobiai Rivers. The 15th Brigade, in particular, suffered heavy losses, with 32 officers and 493 men killed or wounded.
New Britain
Rabaul in New Britain fell to the Japanese on January 23, 1942, marking the beginning of the Battle for Australia. This prompted Australian Prime Minister John Curtin to declare that "the fall of Singapore opens the Battle for Australia." The loss of Singapore heightened fears of an imminent Japanese invasion of Australia, leading Curtin to seek military support from the United States.
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Australians fought the Germans in Europe
Australians fought against the Germans in Europe during World War II, as well as in North Africa and the Mediterranean. While the majority of Australian forces were engaged in the Pacific Theatre, thousands of Australians continued to serve with the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) in Europe and the Middle East.
During the early years of the war, Australian airmen fought with the Royal Air Force (RAF) in the Battle of Britain in 1940, and Australian brigades were stationed in Britain to defend against potential German invasions. Australian fighter squadrons also contributed to defending Britain from German air raids and, later, V-1 flying bombs.
In 1941, Australians fought against the Germans in Egypt, Libya, Greece, and Crete. Australian troops suffered heavy casualties during the German invasion of Greece, with 320 men killed and 2,030 captured. Australians were also present in Syria, where they participated in the successful Allied invasion of Syria, a mandate of France and the Vichy government. In Libya, up to 14,000 Australians held out against repeated German attacks in the Libyan port of Tobruk, where they were besieged between April and August 1941.
In 1944, Australian squadrons supported the Allied invasion of southern France, and Australian light bomber and fighter squadrons continued to support the Allied armies until the end of the war in Europe by attacking strategic targets and escorting bomber formations.
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Frequently asked questions
Australians fought against Germany, Japan, Italy, and Vichy France.
Australians fought against the Germans in Egypt, Libya, Greece, Crete, Syria, Lebanon, and across Europe.
Australian troops fought the Japanese in southeast Asia, the Pacific, and New Guinea.
Australian troops fought the Italians in Egypt, Libya, Greece, Crete, and across the Mediterranean.
