AustralianAustralian History Mysteries

Five case studies in 2 twentieth century Australian history

National Museum of Ryebuck Media Pty Ltd ISBN 0-949380-58-X © 2005 National Museum of Australia and Ryebuck Media Pty Ltd Written by Robert Lewis, Tim Gurry, David Arnold Produced by National Museum of Australia Ryebuck Media Pty Ltd Schools Program Section 31 Station Street Malvern GPO Box 1901 3144 Canberra ACT 2601 Phone (03) 9500 2399 Phone (02) 6208 5239 Fax (03) 9500 2388 Fax (02) 6208 5198 Email [email protected] Email [email protected] Website www.ryebuck.com.au Website http://schools.nma.gov.au Designed by Polar Design, Carlton, Victoria Printed by Impact Printing, Brunswick, Victoria All efforts have been made to find copyright ownership of materials used in this publication. Any contraventions are accidental and will be redressed. For any copyright matters please contact Ryebuck Media Pty Ltd. Teachers are welcome to duplicate any pages in this publication for educational purposes in their classrooms. Case Study two Why did the government lie about the ? Overview Why was the bombing of Darwin ‘hushed up’ by the government? Was there a warning that was ignored? Was there looting and cowardice by soldiers? Was 19 Australia’s ‘day of shame’? Students visit the sites, analyse maps, interrogate witnesses, sequence the events, and come to their own conclusions. It is a powerful study of the behaviour of people at a time of great danger and stress, and an exploration of a government’s moral dilemma — to lie and maintain order, or to tell the truth and perhaps encourage panic and defeatism?

Key learning outcomes After a study of this unit students will be better able to: • understand some reasons for Australia’s involvement in World War II • identify a key place where Australians fought in World War II • describe the experiences of Australians serving in World War II • explain the impact of the war on Australian civilians • outline the arguments for and against restrictive controls in wartime, such as censorship of news. Teachers’ Guide

Classroom planner

Classroom activities Resource Suggested classroom format Approximate pages required (Class, group, individual, classroom library/home) time 1 — Fire! What would you do? 1 Classroom discussion 15 minutes 2 — Images of war 2–3 Individual and classroom 10 minutes 3 — Video visit 4–7 Classroom and groups 40 minutes 4 — An inquiry 8–14 Groups 40 minutes 5 — Was it right for the 15 Class 20 minutes government to lie? 6 — Creating images in wartime 16–17 Class 10 minutes

Classroom strategies In this unit students become investigators of the behaviour of a particular group under in wartime, and also members of a Royal Commission of Inquiry set up to come to conclusions about what happened at Darwin on 19 February 1942. It is important to be careful about the judgements students may make about people who are in situations that most of us never have to face. To try to help them understand this, Activity 1 introduces them to the idea of people having different responsibilities in a situation according to their roles, and how those responsibilities might change under extreme conditions. Activity 2 asks them to begin empathising with people in a combat situation, as well as thinking about the nature of evidence and representations of the past. Students then ‘visit’ Darwin in Activity 3, see some of the places referred to, and start to gather ideas and information that they can apply as they explore the issues further. Activity 4 is the key section, and it is in two parts. Students have to both investigate an aspect of what happened on the day, and then make judgements based on all the evidence presented to them. Students work in groups to present information about one or several groups to the whole class, but then the whole class discusses their overall conclusions based on the evidence available. In Activity 5 students consider a key issue — why the Commonwealth Government initially lied about the Darwin casualties. They should be able to develop a range of ideas and arguments both for and against the government’s decision in the extreme circumstances that existed. Finally, Activity 6 helps students to appreciate the ‘heroic’ nature of some of the official war art of the time, and to decide what is needed to create a fair and accurate representation of such an event. One of the key conclusions students are likely to reach in this case study is how difficult it can be to make judgements based on limited evidence — limited both by the amount of evidence available, and the fact that different witnesses can see different things, and interpret what they see differently, from the same event.

30 Australian History Mysteries 2 Investigating five case studies in twentieth century Australian History Key discussion points • Is it OK for governments to lie in wartime? • Is there information that a government needs to keep from its people? • We celebrate the ANZAC tradition in Australian history, but should we also acknowledge those occasions when Australians have behaved badly or not as well as expected? • We make judgements about people in the past. Is this fair? • Should Australia rely on itself for defence, or should it tie itself to a ‘great and powerful friend’? Web activities The web activity at www.nma.gov.au/ahm/home.html is designed to help students realise that Darwin’s defences were inadequate, regardless of the behaviour of people on the ground that day. By being forced to make decisions about Darwin’s defences, students will better appreciate the reality of what happened on the day and why. Acknowledgement This unit was developed from the two main general books on the attack: Douglas Lockwood, Australia Under Attack, New Holland Publishers, Sydney, 2005 and Timothy Hall, Darwin 1942: Australia’s Darkest Hour, Methuen, Sydney, 1981; and the work of writers and historians who have studied the events, in particular Tom Lewis, A War at Home, Tall Stories, Darwin, 1999 and Alan Powell, The Shadow’s Edge: Australia’s Northern War, University Press, Melbourne, 1988.

Case study 2 Why did the government lie about the bombing of Darwin? 31 32

case study 2 I activity one activity 2 Mysteries History Australian 5 4 3 situation. Somepeoplehadagreater responsibilitythanothers. You willhave worked outyour responseaccordingtowhatisreasonable andresponsible inthe 2 circumstances. faced acrisis,how they behaved, andwhetherpeople governments behaved responsibly inthe situation. How didthey react? That is whatyou will explore inthisunit—whathappenedwhen people But during World War ofageneration ofAustralian IIalargepart men andwomen were putinthat Most Australians arenever calledupontoactinaway thatshows theirheroism,orlack ofit. 1 to collectkids Parents whoarewaiting classes Teachers withno Office staff class Other studentsinyour You inclass Teacher withaclass Principal

the firehastaken hold,b iny magine thatamajorfirehassuddenlystarted What ifsomestudentsareinfact tr would expect any ofthepeopleabove todo? Are thereothersnotmentionedwhowould ha department officialswhoplanned firesafety featuresdepartment inschools?Firefighters?Others? loot theremainsofschool? y How would you react? What would you do? What shouldyou thisideaanddiscuss do?Brainstorm What aboutafterthefire—dopeoplestillhav situation. Here aresomepeopleintheschool—explain whaty our responses. Fire! What doyoudo? Investigating five case studies in twentieth century Australian history Australian century twentieth in studies case five Investigating ut hasnotgoneoutofcontrol. apped inaroom. Doesthismake adifference towhatyou ve hadarolebeforehand —for example, education e any responsibilitiesinthissituation,suchasnotto our school. You andcanseethat hearthealarm, ou thinkeachofthemshoulddointhis resource page 1 page resource case study 2 activity two activity (AWM 012741) (AWM 128108) This unitisaboutwar, andspecificallyaboutabombingattack onDarwin. Forming ideas 1

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what peoplewould ha how peopleresponded who was in what happened Images ofwar volved aphs showing aspectsoftheJapanese attack onDarwin19February ve felt aboutit. Case study 2 2 study Case (AWM P02759.009) (AWM 012696) Why did the government lie about the bombing of Darwin? of bombing the about lie government the did Why resource page 2 page resource 33 34

case study 2 activity two activity 2 Mysteries History Australian 3 2 Historians’ accounts News film Physical remains People’s memories Paintings Photographs Strengths Source ofevidence

(Keith Swain, Attack onDarwin,AWM ART 28075) Compare thetwo sourcesofe film, physical remainsonthesite, andhistorians’ accountsofit. ofevidence abouttheeventother sorts thatyou willlookatsoon—people’s ofit,news memories What arethestrengthsandweaknesses ofeach?Consideralsothestrengthsandweaknesses of Now lookatthispaintingofthesameevent. downofwords inresponsetoit. Write aseries Images ofwar Investigating five case studies in twentieth century Australian history Australian century twentieth in studies case five Investigating vidence (thephotographs andthepainting)aboutwhathappened. Weaknesses resource page 3 page resource case study 2 O activity three activity the peopleofourstock. that istraditionalwith thegallantry in themselvesand thecivilianscomported forcespublic toknow that thearmed soil, tothe itwillbeasourceofpride to theJapanese). You you hear(onlythosemarked *apply shouldcompleteapagelike allthereports thistosummarise groups. of particular make a general finding. You are all members of that Royal Commission, as well as special investigators to aRoyal alltheevidence —whichwillbring ofdifferent CommissionofInquiry groups together, and You willdothisby ‘visiting’ onthatgroup evidence,topresent Darwin,gathering areport andpreparing These arethekey questions you willneedtoinvestigate. appropriately? Territorythem? DidtheNorthern leadeffectively? authorities DidtheAustralian Government behave civilians panic? Was therelooting?DidtheJapanese respecthospitalfacilities andavoid attacking Did they behave well, ordidthey falter reactequallywell? Did underthepressure?Didallservices people therefromtwo othernations, theUnitedStatesandJapan. Territory);(Commonwealth andNorthern theAustralian Army, Navy andAirForce; civilians; andthe To intothebehaviour dothisyou ofeightkey willhold aninquiry groups ontheday: thegovernments were acceptable orunacceptable atthetime. and decidefor yourself how peopleandgovernments reacted, andwhetherthosereactions What isthetruthofsituation? That’s your task: tolookatsomeoftheevidence available wartime? Government, oftheattack. whichinitially liedabouttheseriousness Aresuchliesacceptable in the raid —whichreflectsbadlyonAustralians’ character. AndthenthereistheroleofAustralian selflessly; othersthatitwas Australia’s ‘day ofshame’,withcowardice andlootingfollowing during Some have arguedthatpeoplereactedaswell ascouldbeexpected, andmany actedbravely and Darwin 1942,Methuen,Sydney, 1981page17) quotedin MinisterJohnCurtin, Timothy(Prime Hall, were themostdevastating, andwhicharestillcontroversial inAustralian history. There were thewar, 64raids onDarwinintotalduring but itisthefirsttwo that raids on19February Darwin, toattack anddestroy. *Did they dotheirdutywell? Were they involved inlooting? Did they panic? *Evidence ofbadbehaviour: *Evidence ofgoodbehaviour: Group beinginvestigated:

In this first battleIn thisfirst on Australian off fromthedecks ofaJ n 19Febr Video visit uary 1942war cametoAustralianuary soil. took Onehundredandeighty-eightwarplanes apanese fleet,andflewapanese aircraft carrier 350kilometressouth-eastto over, couldhave occupied Australia that day. pans,with frying anRAAFofficersaiddisgustedly when itwas inevitable, norbrave when itcame. A hundredJapanese armed people inDarwinwere neitherpreparedfor anattack that was an enemy isnotonefromwhich we candraw much pride. The (Timothy Hall,Darwin1942,Methuen,Sydney, 1981,page7) Case study 2 2 study Case The first time in history that timeinhistory The first Australia was attacked by Why did the government lie about the bombing of Darwin? of bombing the about lie government the did Why • • questions: to your conclusion onthesemain is to use all the evidence to come the Royal Commission,your task to After eachgroup hasreported

Why didthego Did Austr Was thisjustified? alians behave well? vernment lie? resource page 4 page resource 35 36

case study 2 activity three activity 2 Mysteries History Australian 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

What arethe ‘mysteries’ aboutthisevent thatyou arebeingasked toinvestigate further? ofevidenceList thedifferent aboutthisevent sorts that areshown inthevideo. ofevidence existsWhat sort inthecommunity tostudysuchanevent? How didpeoplebehave andaftertheevent? during Why event was itanimportant inAustralian history? What were theeffects orimpacts? Why? When was Darwinbombed? Video visit Investigating five case studies in twentieth century Australian history Australian century twentieth in studies case five Investigating resource page 5 page resource case study 2 activity three activity and afamily ofthree. and women, Indigenous andnon-Indigenous people, Chineseresidents, agrandfather, ateenagegirl, civilianworkers,workers, sailorsandairmen, andJapanese American pilots. The deadincludedmen who diedincludedmembers ofallthreeAustralian merchantseamen, wharfworkers, services, postal put thenumber arguethattherewere ofdeathsat243—thoughsomeexperts morekilled. Those statedthatseventeenThe firstpublic report peoplehaddied —but that was alie. Official records now Reporting theattack attacking aircraft were shotdown by thedefenders. Japanese losses arenotdefinitelyknown, but aminimum offive, andpossibly seven toten,ofthe 243 peoplewere killed; twenty aircraft were destroyed; many government buildings were wrecked. in theharbourandtown. Twenty-one shipswere sunkorbadlydamaged intheharbour; atleast The raids, involving moreplanesandbombsthanthoseatPearl Harbor, devastation causedenormous The damagecaused in theCelebes, swept over theRAAFbaseandattacked itagain. the town centre. This raid lasted40minutes. At11.45asecondwave of54bombers, basedinKendari, andcivilianaerodromes,12kilometresfrom ofthetown, andahospitalatBerrima, themilitary parts the south-east. Just before 10.00 amtheJapanese attacked warplanes shipsinDarwinHarbour, then westabout 30kilometres,tothefinaltargetarea,Darwin,cominginunexpectedly and turned from The planescrossedthemainlandcoastatapoint40kilometreseastofDarwin,continued inlandfor was given totheships, ortotheanti-aircraft gunnersandcivilians. were arguingover whetherthey were Japanese ones, alarm planesorAmerican andsonowarning over —theRAAFofficers thatisland,themessage didnotleadtothesoundingofairraid alert wasAlthough awarning senttoDarwinfromBathurstIslandwhentheJapanese attacking force flew The attackstarts three inAustralia, was notworking. Japanese warplanes. Itsradar installation,oneofonly these were hopelesslyinadequateagainstthemodern place; ithadfew aircraft touseagainstattackers, and the gunsdesignedtoattack shipsatseawere notin equipped for thetask. Ithadtoofew anti-aircraft weapons; Darwin was now Australia’s frontline—anditwas poorly isatrisk Darwin a Japanese invasion! Australia looked vulnerable. Australians now expected were taken ofwar.servicemen, prisoner Suddenly, Australian soldiers, onefifthofallAustralia’s nearly the Japanese swept throughthearea. thousand Thirty navalpresence oftheBritish baseatSingapore, but Australia intheareaon hadbaseditssecurity Australia isunderthreat Singapore. Australia declaredwar onJapan. colonyDutch EastIndies(Indonesia),andtheBritish of It alsolaunchedinvasions ofMalaya (now ), the attacked theUnitedStatesnaval baseatPearl Harbor. but now seeingachancetoseize aPacific empire, In December1941Japan, previously neutral inthewar, Japan entersthewar expansionGerman intoothercountries. In 1939Australia hadjoinedthewar(anditsallies)over (anditsallies)andGermany between Britain Australia isatwar Background briefing Video visit Case study 2 2 study Case Why did the government lie about the bombing of Darwin? of bombing the about lie government the did Why resource page 6 page resource 37 38

case study 2 activity three activity 2 Mysteries History Australian Map of Darwin and 19 February 1942 Harbour19February andDarwin Map ofDarwin Video visit Investigating five case studies in twentieth century Australian history Australian century twentieth in studies case five Investigating

(East Point Military Museum) resource page 7 page resource case study 2 activity four activity people inDarwinreacted totheJapaneseattacks. Present your totheclass, report andadd thisevidence toyour overall conclusion abouthow is takenfrom accountsby historians, and canbetakentoaccurate.) be contradictory. (Forthisexercise where asource isnotspecifically referenced thatmeansit that exist withevidence —such ashow reliable itis, andhow you dealwithaccountsthatmay table likethatonResource Page 4. Increatingyour summary, takeintoaccounttheproblems Here istheevidence presentedtoyou duringtheinvestigation. Useittocreateasummary raids Darwin duringandafterthe Evidence ofthebehaviourAmericanservicemen Evidence 1 An inquiry Memorial plaques Case study 2 2 study Case Why did the government lie about the bombing of Darwin? of bombing the about lie government the did Why Evidence 2 away tosafety. were wounded, but staggered other pilotsalsocrashed and machine-gunned. The two and justavoided being a slittrenchby anAustralian take off, andwas dragged into to had crashed whiletrying out fromhisaircraft afterit ground. Another staggered gunned andkilledonthe the fall, onlytobemachine- above ground andsurvived The pilotbailedout25metres ground, but was shotdown. they tried. Onegotoff the nil,but the airwere virtually their chancesofgettinginto to getairborne. Allknew that ground alldesperately tried escape. The planesonthe andmanagedto shot down two ofthedive escaped intocloud,then safety. The fifth,Oestreicher, managed toparachute to and safety. Anotherpilot scrambled intoaslittrench but managedtolandand pilots. Athirdwas wounded, immediately killedtwo the air. The attacking enemy and five were onwatch in were refuellingontheground, KittyhawkAmerican P-40s oftheraid five At thestart American pilots resource page 8 page resource 39 40

case study 2 activity four activity 2 Mysteries History Australian Evidence 4 Evidence 1 people inDarwinreacted totheJapaneseattacks. Present your totheclass, report andadd thisevidence toyour overall conclusion abouthow accounts by historians, andcanbetakentoaccurate.) is notspecifically referenced thatmeansitistakenfrom may becontradictory. (Forthisexercise whereasource as how reliable itis, andhow you deal with accountsthat account theproblems thatexist withevidence —such on Resource Page 4. Increatingyour summary, takeinto investigation. table Useittocreateasummary likethat Here istheevidence presentedtoyou duringthe raids Army duringtheandafterDarwin Evidence ofthebehaviourAustralian 2005 page 159) (Douglas Lockwood, for theinvasion we allbelieved was imminent.’ the next few days whilewe waited thereonthatpromontory stands, mattresses. innerspring We were lonelyin alsovery smokers’ —canefurniture, equipped gunsitesinthenorth anything elsewe coulduse… Thereafter we hadthebest rot, sowe helpedourselves tochickens andvegetables and were… Refrigerators andfood notworking was beginningto Hotel DarwinoppositetheOval. Iorganisedaraiding party we shouldn’tborrow whatwe couldfindintheabandoned ofafewshort andIsaw otherhomecomforts noreasonwhy tropical heatweren’t gettingenoughtoeat. We were also food andtheanti-aircraft crews doingheavy inthe work aircraft unit’s lootingofhousesaftertheattack: ‘We hadlittle commentingonhisanti- Lieutenant Graham Robertson, explosives outtosafety. of volunteers went intotheblazing the storeandcarried theraid anammunitionDuring storecaughtfire. Aparty (Quoted in Timothy Hall,Darwin1942,Methuen,Sydney, 1981page82) areas oftheNaval oiltankshewas defending.’ to thefailure oftheenemy todive bombanddestroy thevital … Hisactioninhisexposed gunpositioncontributed largely attacked by Dive BombersandMachineGunfirefromtheair coolness inholdinghisfirewhilstthepositionwas being targetoftheraid.principal ‘He displayed great courage and protecting theoiltanks, whichyou would expect tobea Lance SergeantFraser was inchargeofthemachinegunners tenacity andcompletedisregardfor hisown personalsafety.’ aircraft attacking thepositionandshowed great courage and open tofireamachinegun, ‘He maintainedeffective fireon wrapped around him—whichsoonfell off. Hestoodinthe Gunner Hudsonran outwithonlyatinhat,boots, andtowel Australia Under Attack Looting Soldiers underfire An inquiry Investigating five case studies in twentieth century Australian history Australian century twentieth in studies case five Investigating , New Holland Publishing, Sydney, Evidence 2 Evidence 3 Justice Lowe creditablyvery intheirbaptismoffire.’ efficiently andthepersonnelperformed operated‘The [anti-aircraft] batteries of theJapanese raid onDarwin ineffectual.’ CommanderFuchida,leader ‘Anti-aircraft firewas intensebut largely New HollandPublishing, Sydney, 2005page78) (Quoted inDouglasLockwood, Australia UnderAttack, pages 134,161,162,168) (Based on Timothy Hall,Darwin1942,Methuen,Sydney, 1981 on themerchantships. andsellingthemtoseamen the wharves radios, sewing machinesandclothingto Soldiers were openlytakingrefrigerators, toys, clothes, pianos, ornaments. appliances,to loadthegoods—furniture, intruckswith theProvost bringing Corps Looting wasoutsystematically, carried responsibility for law andorder. men oftheUSforces. Nobody accepted RAAF were involved, aswere officersand blame. To alesserextent theNavy and by theProvost whichwas Corps, mostto predominantly theArmy, spearheaded involved, and services itwas thearmed first raid. Althoughcivilianswere certainly Looting beganstraight aftertheendof unruly, undisciplined,drunken mob. police)was an Provost (military Corps which was devastating onmorale. The Barracks tookoffatthreeinthemorning, Most ofthesoldiersatLarrakeyah (AWM ART22720) The anti-aircraft gunners After theraid resource page 9 page resource case study 2 activity four activity accounts by historians, andcanbetakentoaccurate.) is notspecifically referenced thatmeansitistakenfrom may becontradictory. (Forthisexercise whereasource as how reliable itis, andhow you deal with accountsthat account theproblems thatexist withevidence —such on Resource Page 4. Increatingyour summary, takeinto investigation. table Useittocreateasummary likethat Here istheevidence presentedtoyou duringthe during the and after the Darwin raids during theandafterDarwin Evidence ofthebehaviourAirForce people inDarwinreacted totheJapaneseattacks. Present your totheclass, report andadd thisevidence toyour overall conclusion abouthow Evidence 4 Evidence 1 (Timothy Hall,Darwin1942,Methuen,Sydney, 1981page96) just like alot oflostsheepwhohadnoideawhattodo”.’ … close tothemark The officers left,andthemen “were tailandfled,itwould havethose whoturned beenvery word cowardice was pointedlyavoided, but for many of his diary, “Australian worst”. attheirvery servicemen The communications, but itwas also, notedin asanobserver theresultofbad leadership,It was primarily andbad that days laterhundredsofthemhadstillnotreappeared. aircraftsmen alike ran away. They ran sofar andsofast stampede asofficers, non-commissionedofficersand ‘[I]n theabsenceofproperleadership, therewas anear- inDanielConnell,The (Les Barnett War, Sydney, atHome ABC, 1988page44) out oftheway. Everyone was cursingtheJap!’ didn’t thinkaboutdying,Ijustthoughtgetting They were thatfast, zooming down andpastyou. I You thinkyou candothesethingsbut you can’t. toshoottheJap planesbutdid try itwas impossible. roofs. We andtinhatssomeofus hadourrifles bullets upthefibrowalls running andthroughthe all aroundusandyou couldseethemachinegun and we jumpedin. There were bombsdropping ‘Outside ourblock there was anairraid trench away,firing untilaZerocameroundandshothim.’ were deadly. Oneofourofficersdidgooutthere, We weren’t gametogo nearthembecausethey with machinegunsmountedup, way intheopen. Pretty daggythey were, justholesintheground ‘Out ontherunways we hadmachine-gunposts. An inquiry After theattack (2) A survivor remembers Case study 2 2 study Case Why did the government lie about the bombing of Darwin? of bombing the about lie government the did Why Evidence 2 Evidence 3 the attacking aircraft. andfiredat machine gunsandrifles the bush, but about50 manned theattackDuring many raced into at thebase. totheirduties immediately returned realising thattherewas noplan, evacuation. left,but Someairmen garbled, andledtoapanicmass This vague orderbecamefurther road, andhalfamileintothebush. were tomove halfamiledown the The orderwas given that men (AWM 012741) Evidence 5 and Melbourne. , Sydney, , Adelaide River, AliceSprings, vehicles, andgottoBatchelor, …Many acquired unarmed landing andthey were be followed by aJapanese they expected theairraid to had taken to thebush because Many laterclaimedthatthey During theattack After theattack (1) After theattack (3) resource page 10 page resource 41 42

case study 2 activity four activity 2 Mysteries History Australian people inDarwin reactedtotheJapanese attacks. Present your totheclass, report andadd thisevidence toyour overall conclusion abouthow is takenfrom accountsby historians, and canbetakentoaccurate.) be contradictory. (Forthisexercise where asource isnotspecifically referenced thatmeansit that exist withevidence —such ashow reliable itis, andhow you dealwithaccountsthatmay table likethatonResource Page 4. Increatingyour summary, takeintoaccounttheproblems Here istheevidence presentedtoyou duringtheinvestigation. Useittocreateasummary raids Evidence ofthebehaviourNavyduringandafterDarwin Evidence 2 Evidence 1 and exploding ammunition. They saved 35–40men. to withinafew metresofthePeary amongflames , right water. intheburning floundering They pushedtheirlifeboat a boatacrosstothePeary topullinmenwhowere Some ofthecrew ofthehospitalshipManunda took have drowned throughwounds andexertion. thoughwounded, swamEricsson, tothemenandbodilypulledoutmany whowould otherwise of several menwhovolunteered tohelp. Inspiteofshellsexploding onthedeck oftheNeptuna, all aroundthem. The Neptunawas ablaze nearby, withitscargoofexplosives. was Ericsson one oil.’burning Over one hundred menwere trapped underthejetty, withflamingoilfromburst pipes insaving anumber ofmenwhowereleading part caughtunderajettyandingreat dangerfrom — Leading SeamanEricsson by splinters[aboardHMASPlatypus]hetooka ‘Though badlyhurt the ship’s company. Heeventually succumbedtohisinjuries.’ continuous machinegunattack by enemy aircraft thereby probably saving theshipandmany of wounded hecontinued‘Whilst seriously tofirehismachinegunonHMASKara a Kara during Leading CookEmms—[Hecameupfromthegalley andtookcontrolofamachinegun.] probable lossofmany ofthecrew.’ HMAS Koala intheface ofheavy firethereby probably saving and hisshipfromdestruction Able SeamanScott— ‘He continuously fought offdive bombersandmachinegunattacks on An inquiry Rescuing survivors Recommendations for awards Investigating five case studies in twentieth century Australian history Australian century twentieth in studies case five Investigating (AWM 134955) Evidence 3 success. at attacking planes—with guns andpersonalweapons on thedeck theship’s firing member ofthecrew was dock, asittingduck. Every HMAS Katoombawas indry HMAS Katoomba resource page 11 page resource case study 2 activity four activity Japanese attacks. about how peopleinDarwinreactedtothe this evidence toyour overall conclusion Present your totheclass, report andadd accounts by historians, andcanbetakentoaccurate.) is notspecifically referenced thatmeansitistakenfrom may becontradictory. (Forthisexercise whereasource as how reliable itis, andhow you deal with accountsthat account theproblems thatexist withevidence —such on Resource Page 4. Increatingyour summary, takeinto investigation. table Useittocreateasummary likethat Here istheevidence presentedtoyou duringthe raids during theandafterDarwin civilians Evidence ofthebehaviourDarwin Evidence 3 Evidence 2 Evidence 1 and beingnearanammunition shiponfire. rescuing over 100people, despitethefire, shelling in thearea. Hemadeseveral inasmallboat trips water,from theburning despite shellsandbullets employee, Ray Crocker, rescuingmen started rescue inthewater, andheanotherDCA instead ofseekingshelter, hesaw menneeding He was knocked down by abombblast, then Waldie actedindisregardofhisown safety. ofCivilAviationDepartment employee John three otherships, andwithoneenginedisabled. was tiedtothewharf, next toanaval ship, close to raid, whenaraid couldhave been expected, she target intheharbourthatday. On theday ofthe to theUSdestroyer Peary, themostimportant ships out. The hospitalshipManunda was close There was plentyofroomintheharbourtospread recover thedead. they were there, torescuewounded working and group agreed toact,andwhentheattack came called andfew cametojoin. However, asmall form anAirRaid Wardens group. Meetings were Few civiliansshowed any interestinhelping An inquiry A public servant Harbour manager Air RaidPrecautions(ARP) Case study 2 2 study Case Evidence 4 Evidence 8 Evidence 7 Evidence 6 Evidence 5 people outoftown. — hereceived noanswer, soledmostofthe to theARPofficeandoffered tostay andhelp A representative oftheChinesecommunity went War Canberra, 1955page141) Memorial, (Paul Hasluck, TheGovernment andthePeople, 1942–1945,Australian however, outoftown arush started. sign ofpanic. Very soon aftertheraids ceased, the ordealremarkably well andtherewas little theraids thetownspeopleduring stoodupto made immediatelyaftertheevent allagree that First handaccountsfromresponsible officers after theraids, but mostdidnot. theirships Some merchantseamendeserted many stayed aftertheraid tohelp. constituted 22ofthe37civiliandeaths, and to stay —thoughthey were well very paid. They knew thatitcouldbedangerous, but allchose Nobody was forced onthewharf. towork All Darwin, except by direction. butwould panicand run, itseemsthatnoneleft that intheevent ofanairraid Indigenous people For someweeks thebeliefhadbeenwidespread Why did the government lie about the bombing of Darwin? of bombing the about lie government the did Why (AWM 304996) Chinese An historian'saccount Merchant seamen Wharf labourers people Indigenous resource page 12 page resource 43 44

case study 2 activity four activity 2 Mysteries History Australian people inDarwinreacted totheJapaneseattacks. Present your totheclass, report andadd thisevidence toyour overall conclusion abouthow Police Local Administrator is takenfrom accountsby historians, and canbetakentoaccurate.) be contradictory. (Forthisexercise where asource isnotspecifically referenced thatmeansit that exist withevidence —such ashow reliable itis, andhow you dealwithaccountsthatmay table likethatonResource Page 4. Increatingyour summary, takeintoaccounttheproblems Here istheevidence presentedtoyou duringtheinvestigation. Useittocreateasummary raids Darwin Evidence ofthebehaviourlocalgovernmentofficialsduringandafter Evidence 3 Evidence 1 possible after theraids. All localpoliceseemtohave stayed andhelpedwhere day, helpingtorescuepeople. through theday oftheraid, intothenight,andallnext Constable McNab, Eric broken, withhisribs worked all (Edward D’Ambrosio in DanielConnell,The War, Sydney, atHome ABC, 1988page41) stations.’ toprovideof theauthorities sandbagsfor firstaid The wardens resigned asagroup afterthefailure we would do. have any training. Allwe didwas meetandsay what androcks invarious areasaroundtown,dirt We didn’t with ourselves, but allwe didwaswith fillsomedrums everything [for organisingtheARP]incombination The Administrator saidhewould take careof hadbeengiveninstructions infirstaid. where peoplewere togo, nofirstaidposts, andno few air-raid shelters, few slit-trenches, noplansfor organise it—whentheJapanese attacked therewere was totallyuninterested andhaddonenothingto nominally headofAirRaidPrecautions(ARP),but Territory‘The Northern Administrator, Abbot, was An inquiry Police behaviour Before theraid Investigating five case studies in twentieth century Australian history Australian century twentieth in studies case five Investigating Evidence 2 running running ‘like hares’. labourers’ unionleadersof and evacuate, andthewharf thefirsttopanic being virtually later accusedtheChineseof Abbot stayed athispost,but others by remaining. the raid, offering noleadershipto Hilda Abbot, left half an hour after The wife oftheAdministrator, most unlikely. was notdead,but thisseems there. There isasuggestionshe — allthetimeDaisywas dead crockery andglassware tosafety several policemen to help remove After theraid, Abbot ordered probably killed.Daisy Martin, maid, hit, withanAboriginal the building, whichtookadirect tookshelterin and eightservants theairraid Abbot,During hiswife During theraids resource page 13 page resource case study 2 activity four activity people inDarwin reactedtotheJapanese attacks. Present your totheclass, report andadd thisevidence toyour overall conclusion abouthow is takenfrom accountsby historians, and canbetakentoaccurate.) be contradictory. (Forthisexercise where asource isnotspecifically referenced thatmeansit that exist withevidence —such ashow reliable itis, andhow you dealwithaccountsthatmay table likethatonResource Page 4. Increatingyour summary, takeintoaccounttheproblems Here istheevidence presentedtoyou duringtheinvestigation. Useittocreateasummary raids Darwin Evidence ofthebehaviourJapaneseairmenduringandafter Evidence 2 Evidence 3 Evidence 1 (Douglas Lockwood, Australia UnderAttack, New HollandPublishing, Sydney, 2005pages52–53) the explosion andfour people onboardwere killed.’ Manunda shudderedandrolledfromtheeffects ofa near-miss. Herdecks were sprayed withshrapnel from thatwhiletheirboatswere picking fromthedestroyer upsurvivors reported Peary andothersinkingvessels, In fact, thatwas thesecondbombaimedatManunda. The ship’s chiefofficer, Captain Thomas Minto, sent upabrown cloudofshatteredwooden hatchcovers. was itsbombatthehospitalship. astonished,instead,toseetheplanehurl and Itstruck nearthebridge with hisown shipinthefloatingdock. Heexpected theJapanese toflyover Manunda andcomeathim. He Captain CousinonKatoombasaw adive- approachingManunda fromthesouthanddirectlyinline thatview.hitting othertargetsdoesnotsupport tender William said thatwhatsubsequentlytranspired was causedaccidentallywhenthedestroyer Peary andtheCatalina visible. Inthefirstfifteenminutes oftheraid theJapanese pilotsleftheralone…Somewitnesseshave Manunda’s funnelanddeck. Seniorofficershadflown over theshiptomake surethatthey were plainly theRedCross…crosseswere paintedunmistakablyand allotherplacespersonscarrying on totheGeneva‘Japan hadbeenasignatory Convention guaranteeing immunity tohospitals, hospitalships shots hitthehospitalaswell. plane, but machine-gunned,and were inturn to thehospital. They shotdown aJapanese There was ananti-aircraft detachment close 7,000 metres. the rooves would nothave beenvisible from not attacked. The redcrossespainted on the Larrakeyah Barracks, Army whichwere hospitallookedThe Berrima similarto very (Timothy Hall,Darwin1942,Methuen,Sydney, 1981pages42–43) wanted to.’ the shipcouldhave beeneasilyfinishedoffiftheattacking planeshad disobeyed ordersby attacking theship. InFuchida’s favour isthefact that the ship. Afterthewar CommanderFuchidasaidthatthepilothad and carefullyaimed. The pilotcameback threetimes, machine-gunning saw the dive-bomber release its bomb, and has no doubt it was deliberate marked withredcrosses,clearly alone. Then itwas hit. Aneye-witness ‘For thefirstfifteenminutes oftheattack theJapanese lefttheManunda, An inquiry

Attack onthehospitalshipManunda Attack onthehospitalshipManunda (1) B Attack on Berrima hospital . Prestonbothpassedcloseby intheirattempttoescape. The accuracy ofthepilotsin

Case study 2 2 study Case Evidence 4 people inDarwinreactedtothe Japanese attacks. evidence toyour overall conclusionabouthow totheclass, andaddthis Present your report nottobombthetown.were instructed substance totheJapanese claimthattheirpilots town —whichsuggests thattheremay besome Only 15ofthedeadwere civilianskilledinthe Why did the government lie about the bombing of Darwin? of bombing the about lie government the did Why The natureofthetargets resource page 14 page resource (AWM 134960) 45 46

case study 2 activity five activity 2 Mysteries History Australian understanding oftheattackunderstanding anditsaftermath. exaggerated. Prof. Powell’s book toescapefromthetown onnight-soilcarts havehitching rides beengreatly that ofmasspanic, thereports to and bicycles Alice Springs ofmenriding oftheNorthern historian Territory’s war, Prof. Alan Powell, hasestablished have becomefolkloric.the stories They needtobeconsideredcarefully. The it. While mendidabscondandlootinthechaoticdays following theattacks, oftheso-called story “Darwin panic” andthedisorderwhich accompanied attacks would soonbefollowed byaninvasion force. thesorry Herebegins about what couldhappen. mobilize Australians intoworking, them fightingorsaving byfrightening suppressed, government’s theCurtin notleastbecauseitsupported desireto putthedeathreports tollat 17, but word oftheraids onDarwinwas never it was suppressed. Itwas certainly diminished. The following day news Here issomee Newspaper reactions http://www.awm.gov.au/atwar/remembering1942/darwin/transcript.htm Some historians’opinions 3 2 allowed figurestobepublicised. thetrue buildings andsomeofouraircraft damaged ontheground. That was alie. The government soon were 17killedand24wounded, several and shipshadbeenhitanddamagedonetowharves The officialannouncementmadetotheAustralian was peopleon20February thatthetotalcasualties onDarwin,andthebehaviour them. February of people during Commonwealth Government tooccuratsometime. You have seentheimpactoftwo raids of19 Darwin was inadequatelydefended againstaJapanese raid orinvasion thatwas expected by the Coming toaconclusion:Was itrightfortheCommonwealthGovernmenttolie? 1

What isyour own decisionaboutwhatthegovernment shouldhave done? Prepare a set of arguments or reasons that support thego Prepare asetofargumentsorreasonsthatsupport Prepare asetofargumentsorreasonsthatsuggestthegov The attacks fears onDarwinpromptedunderstandable that theair Darwin hasattracted many myths, nottheleastbeingthat newsof Was itrightforthegovernmenttolie? xtra information thatmight helpyou discusstheissue. Investigating five case studies in twentieth century Australian history Australian century twentieth in studies case five Investigating The Shadow’s us a more Edge accurategives vernment’s decisiontolie. ernment shouldhaveernment toldthetruth. resource page 15 page resource case study 2 activity six activity (AWM ART22724) Hodgkinson, Roy 14Australian 1942 Anti-Aircraft Battery Here arefour doneby works officialwar artists. How areimagescreatedinwartime? Creating imagesinwartime Case study 2 2 study Case Battery 1942 Battery (AWM ART 22720)Hodgkinson, Roy Anti-aircraft defences ofthe14thAnti-Aircaft crew a6inchnaval gunonthecoastinDarwin1943 fromtheAustralian Forces(AWM Military Artillerymen ART22186) Murch,Arthur Why did the government lie about the bombing of Darwin? of bombing the about lie government the did Why resource page 16 page resource 47 48

case study 2 activity six activity 2 Mysteries History Australian 2 (AWM ART28520) Honisett,Ray Airraid, harbour; HMASDeloraine 1984 1

Comment ontheimagebeingcreated—isitafair andaccur story ofthebombingDarwin? story What otherimagesmightyou w Creating imagesinwartime Investigating five case studies in twentieth century Australian history Australian century twentieth in studies case five Investigating ant to see if you were putting together a collection of art onthe ant toseeifyou were puttingtogetheracollectionofart ate one? resource page 17 page resource AustralianAustralian History Mysteries

Five case studies in 2 twentieth century Australian history

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