© ATOM 2012 A STUDY GUIDE BY ROGER STITSON http://www.metromagazine.com.au ISBN: 978-1-74295-144-7 http://www.theeducationshop.com.au Death and destruction, courage and mateship, desertion, chaos and looting – this is the untold story of what really happened during the bombing of Darwin in February 1942 … and how the nation would know nothing about it. Following the fall of Singapore, many feared a Japanese invasion was im- minent, but with the bulk of its troops overseas, Australia was unprepared and ill equipped for war on its own doorstep. On 19 February the nation’s darkest fears would be realised. At 9.58am Japanese bombers and fighter planes appeared in the sky over Darwin and began a day of carnage. By its end, the surprise attack would leave over 250 people dead, a town in burning ruins, eight ships sunk and an air-force base carpet-bombed into ABOVE: DURING THE RAID. oblivion. CURRICULUM LINKS: This study BELOW: WHARF AFTER RAID guide is mainly aimed at middle To this day, it is one of Australia’s and upper secondary school levels, greatest disasters. with relevance to English, Media and Film Studies, History, SOSE/ This was an attack led by the same Drawing on long-hidden documents, HSIE and International Politics. Japanese force that attacked Pearl using dramatisations of the Lowe Royal Harbour in December 1941, yet more Commission and first person accounts, civilians were killed, more bombs were The Bombing of Darwin: An Awkward accounts from survivors and expert dropped and more ships were sunk in Truth reveals the true story surrounding commentary, The Bombing of Darwin: An Darwin. However, the magnitude of this the attack. Awkward Truth reveals the little-known attack and the death and devastation facts about the bombing raids on 19 that followed has for decades remained Incorporating rarely seen archival February 1942 and the shocking events hidden. Why? footage, re-enactments, eyewitness that occurred in their aftermath. SCREEN EDUCATION © ATOM 2012 © ATOM SCREEN EDUCATION 2 DARWIN HARBOUR DARWIN HARBOUR ALAN JACOBS AFTER THE RAID BRYCE BELLETTE ALICE BALD 3.7 GUN BACKGROUND observe the similarity between Japan’s surprise Although the documentary film begins naval attack on Port chronologically with Japan’s military Arthur in 1904 before AFTER THE R A invasion of Manchuria in 1937, the war had officially been ID bombing of Darwin by the Japanese declared on Russia, military on 19 February 1942 may be and Japan’s air attack viewed in a broader historical context of on the USA at Pearl Harbour in 1941, cause and effect events and situations also with no warning. In some respects (China’s present- that, if we wished, could be traced back the sudden surprise attack on Darwin day capital city), Tokyo, Seoul, at least to the late nineteenth century. in 1942 was a continuation of the same Pyongyang and present-day Lushun successful military tactic, although by (the scene of Japan’s attack on the In the 1890s Japan became concerned that time both the USA and Australia Russian navy at Port Arthur in 1904). about Russia’s military and economic (and other Allied nations) were officially Note that Lushun is at the western encroachment into southern Manchuria at war with Japan. end of the city of Dalian. and Korea, which it regarded as a s Carry out research, then write a region essential to its national security. In this background section we will also short account of the general reasons Eventually, in 1904, Japan launched a briefly look at the history of Darwin for Japan’s invasion of Manchuria devastating surprise naval attack on leading up to the outbreak of the Pacific in 1931 and 1937, and its efforts to the Russian fleet at Port Arthur (now war. remain there until defeat in 1945. Lushun, China). The Russians were You should be able to provide three defeated in the 1904–1905 war, Japan JAPAN AND MANCHURIA interrelated reasons, military, eco- strengthened its power over China, nomic and political. (See ‘Second and continued its aims to expand into s First, it may be a worthwhile activity Sino-Japanese War’ in website a modern, industrialised nation similar to take note of Japan’s geographi- references.) to countries such as England, France, cal proximity to Manchuria and the SCREEN EDUCATION © ATOM 2012 © ATOM SCREEN EDUCATION Germany and the USA – for which it rest of eastern China, Korea (now THE BEGINNINGS OF FULL-SCALE required large supplies of oil, petroleum, divided into North and South Korea), WAR IN THE PACIFIC rubber, iron and steel. As well, Japan’s and south-eastern Russia. Draw victory over Russia announced that she a map of the region, ensuring that s From the documentary program and was now a major ‘player’ on the world you mark the national boundaries further research, explain the rea- stage, and a force to be reckoned with. of the respective nations, as well sons as to why Japan’s military and as the provincial Chinese region of economic presence in Manchuria As a side note, it is interesting to Manchuria, the positions of Beijing in 1937 spread to an invasion of 3 FUCHIDA JACK MULLHOLLAND FUCHIDA MITSUO IRIS BALD GUY DAY-LEWIS PETER HACKET NEPTUNA adversary? Comment on whether East Indies had been attacked, America’s own actions during 1941, therefore why did Australia and and possibly the similar actions of the Netherlands declare war? (See Britain and the government of the ‘Australian declaration of war on Dutch East Indies colony (present- Japan’ and ‘Japan invades Dutch day Indonesia), actually contributed East Indies’ in website references.) JACK BIRKS to causing Japan’s attack on Pearl s We have looked previously at the Harbour on 7 December 1941. (See causes that led to the attack on ‘Japan attacks Pearl Harbour’ and Pearl Harbour. Now discuss the ‘Japan’s need for oil’ in website purposes, the intended outcomes of French Indochina (now Vietnam, references. Note also for your web the attack in the short to mid-term, Laos and Cambodia) by 1940. and library search activities that that might give Japan an initial ad- Ensure you explain the actions the Americanised spelling of Pearl vantage over the USA and its allies of the USA, the UK, France and Harbour is ‘Pearl Harbor’.) in the Pacific. Australia that might have directly or s The following is an exercise on indirectly contributed to this inva- PEARL HARBOUR AND THE propaganda, information presented sion. For the Australian connec- IMMEDIATE AFTERMATH by the warring governments and tion, see ‘Australian embargo on their mass media, designed to influ- iron ore exports, 1938’ in website s First, draw a map showing the ence the populace of each nation. references. west coast of the USA and Mexico Keeping this in mind, plan and write Note that later in this study guide and the location of the islands of two different newspaper reports of you may wish to explore and dis- Hawaii in the Pacific Ocean. Label the attack on Pearl Harbour. One cuss the present-day issues of iron the positions of Pearl Harbour and should be written as though for a ore exports to China and uranium Honolulu. Also leave enough space Japanese daily newspaper, while the exports to India. See the section on the map to mark the positions other should be written as though titled ‘Contemporary Issues’. at sea of the six Japanese aircraft for an Australian daily newspaper. s Following from the previous activity, carriers from where the air fleet were Include appropriate headlines, and SCREEN EDUCATION © ATOM 2012 © ATOM SCREEN EDUCATION write a commentary on the reasons launched, and the route taken by use desktop publishing software to behind the Japanese attack on the planes. Ensure you include a format your news stories. Pearl Harbour, that led to full-scale scale measured in kilometres. s To gain a general historical perspec- outbreak of war in the Pacific. Why, s Describe the damage and destruc- tive of the order in which a number in other words, would Japan com- tion caused by the attack. When of events quickly happened in mit this act upon the USA knowing did the USA, Australia and the the Pacific between the attack on that it would immediately provoke Netherlands declare war on Japan? Pearl Harbour and the bombing of a declaration of war by a powerful Neither Australian nor the Dutch Darwin, on poster paper construct 4 RAID CASUALTY PETER HACKETT RAAF BOYS POST MASTER H.C BALD AGED 47 AT TIME OF RAID THE DON DARWIN PUB PREDICTOR a timeline from 7 December 1941 format it as though for a double- outbreak of war in the Pacific. to 19 February 1942. Include dates page spread for a popular history s From the program and elsewhere, of declarations of war, Japanese magazine. Cover the era from the describe the way in which the attacks and invasions of territory be- time of Darwin’s beginnings to the Northern Territory and Darwin itself tween the attacks on Pearl Harbour time of the Japanese attacks in were governed in the years prior to and Darwin, and the efforts of the February 1942. Why, for example, the breakdown of civilian authority Australian government to evacu- was the town named Darwin? Why after the bombings of 19 February ate citizens – mainly women and was the town built? What was 1942. For example, did the Northern children – from Darwin. life like for its inhabitants – men, Territory have its own parliament s Research then write an explana- women and children? How did the of elected politicians? Where did tion as to why the Japanese were citizens of Darwin earn a living? governmental power reside? (See able to invade the Dutch East Indies What was the population of Darwin relevant sections of ‘Administration relatively easily, on 10 January 1942 by the early 1940s? At the time of of NT and Darwin, 1930s–1945’ in (about six weeks before the initial the bombings, how many military website references.) attack on Darwin), and why the personnel were stationed in Darwin? Dutch surrendered in March 1942.