Summary
Highlights
Australia officially entered World War II when Great Britain declared war on Germany due to the invasion of Poland. Unprepared for war, Australia began recruiting a new expeditionary force for land, sea, and air combat. The Citizens Military Forces (CMF) was established, and by 1942, military service became compulsory for men aged 18-35.
By the end of World War II, close to a million Australians served, including over 5,000 Indigenous soldiers who fought despite not being recognized as citizens. Women played a crucial role, enlisting in armed forces for the first time in various roles, from driving to manning anti-aircraft guns, and keeping the economy functioning on the home front.
Initially, Australian soldiers were deployed to Europe, the Mediterranean, and North Africa. However, in 1941, the war escalated closer to home with Japan's attacks on British, Dutch, and American territories in Asia and the Pacific. Japan, allied with Nazi Germany, aimed to control the Pacific region, leading to fears of an invasion of Australia after attacks on Darwin, Sydney, and Newcastle. Japan then started an invasion of New Guinea, an Australian territory.
The Japanese navy's attempt to capture Port Moresby by sea was thwarted by US and Australian forces in the Battle of the Coral Sea. Simultaneously, a Japanese ground force of 2,000 soldiers trekked the Kokoda track to take Port Moresby overland, where they met a smaller group of Australian soldiers. The ensuing Battle of Kokoda was a difficult campaign, with young and inexperienced soldiers battling both the Japanese forces and the harsh, muddy, and extreme weather conditions of the track. With the help of local Papuan people and reinforcements, Australia prevented Japan from taking control.
For three years, Australians continued fighting in the Pacific, Europe, and the Middle East until the tide turned against the Axis powers. By the war's end, nearly 30,000 Australians had died, and many more suffered physical and mental injuries, including tens of thousands who endured captivity as prisoners of war. The Second World War left a lasting and transformative impact on those who served and on the country as a whole.