During
the 1920s, Australia sees economic growth and large scale immigration.
However, the Depression of 1929 halted these trends. Australia
remained dependent on Britain for defence. In 1934, Australia
introduces a so-called "three-year plan" for re- armament.
Although Japan had been an ally in the First World War, Japanese
economic growth and the rise of Japanese militarism made Japan
a threat in Australian eyes. In 1938, the export to Japan of
important raw materials, such as iron and manganese were banned.
Australia and New Zealand declared war on Germany in 1939 along
with Great Britain. Australian and New Zealand troops see heavy
fighting in the North African desert campaign against the German
Afrika Korps of General Rommel. Ground forces also participate
in the Italian campaign. Australia itself experiences little
fighting during the war, but after Japan joined the struggle
in 1941, some Australian cities, such Darwin suffered heavy
damage from air raids. Australian and New Zealand military forces,
ground, air and naval, all participated in the campaigns throughout
the South Pacific and Southeast Asia.
Japan attacks the United States with the raid on the Pearl Harbour
naval base in Hawaii. The Philippines is invaded and conquered
by Japan by early 1942. The island groups of the South Pacific
are the scenes of major air, naval and ground battles between
the Americans and Japanese.
The battle of Midway in June 1942 is a turning point in the
Pacific war. The Japanese aircraft carrier fleet suffers huge
losses and Japan is now forced onto the defence. The American
counter-attack against Japan leads to bitter fighting. Some
important battles include Guadalcanal, Tarawa, Leyte Gulf, Iwo
Jima and Okinawa.
Immediately after the war, Bikini Atoll, an island in the Marshalls
group in the South Pacific, was selected as the main US nuclear
test site. Between 1946 to 1958, 23 atomic bomb blasts were
made here. The 167 people who lived on Bikini island were moved
off. Only now, in the 1990s, have plans been started to clean
up the radioactivity on the island to allow the 80 or surviors,
plus their families, to move back.
25
years ago / 50 years ago
/ 80 years ago / 125
years ago / 150 years ago
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years ago / 700 years ago
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years ago / 3,000 years ago
/ 4,000 years ago / 5,000
years ago / 10,000 years ago
