Australian War Memorial Logo
Search

Donate Today

  • Collection Open Information Close Information
    • Official Histories & Unit Diaries
    • Understanding the Collection
    • Research at the Memorial
    • Donating to the Collection
    • National Collection Loans
    • Projects
  • People
  • Visit
  • Commemorate Open Information Close Information
    • Last Post Ceremony
    • Honour Rolls
    • Anzac Day
    • Remembrance Day
    • Customs & Ceremony
    • Speeches
  • Learn Open Information Close Information
    • Schools & Teachers
    • Memorial Articles
    • Encyclopedia
    • Understanding Military Structure
    • Podcasts
    • Glossary
    • Magazine
  • Get Involved Open Information Close Information
    • Donations & Bequests
    • Corporate Partnership
    • Employment Opportunities
    • Volunteer at the Memorial
    • Friends of the Memorial
    • eMemorial Newsletter
    • Grants, Scholarships & Residencies
    • Research Papers
  • Shop Open Information Close Information
    • Memorial Shop
    • Images, film and sound
    • Lone Pine Seedlings

Breadcrumb

  1. Home
  2. Visit
  3. Exhibitions
  4. Australia under attack 1942-1943
  5. Australia under attack

Main navigation

  • Other Exhibitions
  • Current Exhibitions
  • Past Exhibitions
  • Touring Exhibitions
  • Online Exhibitions

Australia under attack

  • Introduction
  • Under attack
  • Mobilisation
  • The End in sight

In February 1942, an invasion of the Australian continent appeared imminent. Just ten weeks after Japan’s whirlwind invasion of South-East Asia, Australia itself became the target of air and sea attacks.

Whether fighting on the front line in northern Australia, living on the land, or experiencing austerity measures in the cities, Australians found a unity of purpose they had not known before. They responded to the attacks and the threat of invasion in their own ways, depending on where they lived and what jobs they did. Civilians took air raid precautions like digging shelters, they trained for civil defence, learned first aid, budgeted their rations and worked in vital industries. Those in uniform crewed anti-aircraft artillery, staffed the lines of communication and supply, or searched for mines or submarines. All Australians were touched by the war.

Attacks on Australia continued into 1943 and it was not until September that year that Prime Minister John Curtin finally announced to his cabinet that the danger of invasion had passed. There was still a victory to be won, but that was elsewhere and Australia was no longer threatened.

Australian defence in February 1942

The Menzies government committed Australia to war against Nazi Germany in September 1939. By February 1942 Australia had raised a four-division expeditionary force, the second Australian Imperial Force (AIF). Three of these – the 6th , 7th and 9th Divisions – were serving in North Africa or the Middle East. Most of the men in the 8th were killed or captured in Asia. Many of the Royal Australian Navy’s (RAN) warships were deployed in the Mediterranean Sea or Indian Ocean, and most of Australia’s airmen were serving in the European theatre or training in Africa or North America.

Australia was barely equipped to defend itself. However, it did have several militia divisions that would be used, and local production of war material had commenced.

Japanese attacks in the Pacific

Just after midnight on 8 December 1941 Japanese troops began the invasion of British Malaya. Hours later another Japanese force attacked the US Pacific Fleet at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. It was still 7 December in the western hemisphere. The attack drew America into the Second World War.

The “Malay Barrier” breached

The fall of Singapore and the Netherlands East Indies meant that the “Malay Barrier”, a notional chain of defences across south-east Asia, had been breached by early 1942. Australia was open to attack.

Collection Item C395747

Accession Number: P02759.011

The merchant ships Neptuna and Barossa in Darwin Harbour.

Last updated: 26 November 2019

1 The Donations and bequests

Donations & Bequests

Your generous donation will be used to ensure the memory of our Defence Forces and what they have done for us, and what they continue to do for our freedom remains – today and into the future.

Find out more
2 Visit Transcribe.awm.gov.au

Transcribe

Help preserve Australia's history by transcribing records from the National Collection. Enhance accessibility and discoverability for all Australians.

Find out more
The placesofpride

Places of Pride

Places of Pride, the National Register of War Memorials, is a new initiative designed to record the locations and photographs of every publicly accessible memorial across Australia.

Find out more
Visit the Australian War Memorial

Visit the Australian War Memorial

The Australian War Memorial is open for visitors as we work to expand our galleries. Entry is free and tickets are not required.

Find out more
Canberra Highlands in Grayscale

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF
TRADITIONAL CUSTODIANS

The Australian War Memorial acknowledges the traditional custodians of country throughout Australia. We recognise their continuing connection to land, sea and waters. We pay our respects to elders past and present.
Location map of The Australian War Memorial
The Australian War Memorial building

The Australian War Memorial

Fairbairn Avenue
Campbell ACT 2612
Australia
View on Google Maps (opens in new window)
Google Map data ©2025 Google
Australian War Memorial Logo
  • Go to AWM Facebook
  • Go to AWM Trip Advisor
  • Go to AWM Instagram
  • Go to AWM Youtube

Footer

  • About
  • Contact
  • Venue Hire
  • Media
  • WM Magazine
  • Donate Today

The Australian War Memorial

Fairbairn Avenue

Campbell ACT 2612

Australia

 

Opening Hours

10 am to 4 pm daily (except Christmas Day)

 

In preparation for the daily Last Post Ceremony,

galleries are progressively closed from 3:40 pm.

 

Public entrance via Fairbairn Avenue, Campbell ACT 2612

Sign up to our newsletter

Subscribe

Legal

  • Copyright
  • Disclaimer
  • Privacy Policy
  • Accessibility
  • Freedom of information

Copyright 2025 Australian War Memorial, Canberra. All rights reserved