2. Why did Australia get involved in WWII?
Australia went to war with Germany alongside Britain their
close ally with the expectation that should Japan invade
Australia, Britain would help protect them.
When Hitler planned to invade Poland and Britain would no
longer tolerate this, Australia joined them and it was
declared on Sunday 3rd of September 1939 at 9pm that
Australia and Britain were officially at war with Germany.
4. Australian Losses
On 19 February 1942 Darwin’s harbour and two airfields
were attacked by Japanese aircraft and heavy losses were
inflicted to the town and many civilians were killed and
injured.
5. Australian Victories
On the 8th of May 1945 Germany surrendered to the Allies.
Prisoners of war in camps throughout Europe were freed
and Australian soldiers started the journey home.
Japan then surrendered to the Allies on 2nd of September
1945 and many thousands of Australians military personal
and prisoners of war were liberated and the war was over.
6. How was Australia affected after WWII?
After WWII Australia was confronted with various issues as there
was a widespread fear in western countries of the threat of
communism. Australia developed close ties with the US during
WW2 and this resulted in the participation of other overseas
wars. The strain of such overseas wars and the fear of
communism created much tension within Australian society and
formed an era of protest amongst various social groups.
7. Why did the U.S get involved in WWII?
The U.S were relatively neutral in WWII for the first 2
years, up until the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbour on
December 7, 1941 which led to their entry into the war.
8. U.S Military Involvement (Numbers )
During the war over 16 million Americans served in the U.S
Military.
9. U.S Losses
On December 7, 1941 the U.S Naval base in Pearl Harbor,
Hawaii was attacked by the Imperial Japanese Navy. The U.S
suffered heavy losses with many war ships and aircraft
damaged or destroyed. There was 2,402 Americans killed and
1,282 wounded in the attack.
10. U.S Victories
The U.S military dropped an atomic bomb on the Japanese city
of Hiroshima on August 6, 1945 which destroyed the city and
killed tens of thousands of people.
A second atomic bomb was dropped on the town of Nagasaki
three days later on August 9, 1945 causing many more deaths
and causing mass destruction.
The Japanese Emperor surrendered to the U.S six days after
the bombing of Nagasaki and this signalled the end of world
war II.
11. How was the U.S affected after WWII?
The U.S and the Soviet Union arose from the war as rival
superpowers. They helped form the United Nations to prevent future
conflicts and to foster international co-operation.
Although there was no physical damage to the American mainland,
after the war American society was affected in many ways as it had
brought new ideas and changes to American life. There was increased
industry and change in the workplace and a strong economy.
America’s own prejudices and shortcomings were recognized after the
war and this prompted change in society.
12. Why did Japan get involved in WWII
Japan entered WWII in an attempt to gain control of the pacific
and East Asia. Japan aspired to become a world leader however,
because of their relatively small geographical size and lack of
natural resources, Japans leaders believed they needed to gain
more land by taking over other countries.
13. The official name for the armed forces for the Empire of
Japan during WWII was the Imperial Japanese Army (IJA).
Imperial Japanese Army
At the beginning of the war the IJA had 51 divisions with a
variety of special purposed artillery, cavalry, anti-aircraft and
armored units totaling 1,700,000 men. By 1945, there was
5.5 million men serving the Empire of Japan.
14. IJA Victories
Southeast Asia was quickly dominated by Japan and they
were well on their way to dominance by 1942.
15. IJA Losses
The atomic bombings carried out by the United States on the cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki
occurred in 1945. This is the only time in history to date where nuclear weapons have been
used. The bombing of Hiroshima resulted in 135,000 casualties with 66,000 deceased and
69,000 left injured. Nagasaki was faced with 64,000 casualties with 39,000 deceased and
25,000 injured.
16. How was Japan effected after WWII
Following WWII, Japan was occupied by the Allied Powers until 1952. During the occupation,
Japan went through a state of reform whereby they became democratic state. Furthermore, the
Empire of Japan was terminated through the enforcement of the Constitution of Japan on May
the 3rd 1947.
17. Why did Germany get involved in WWII
WWII began to unravel when Germany invaded Poland
on the 1st of September 1939. France and Britain
declared war on Germany but two days after the
invasion of Poland.
18. Wehrmacht
The unified armed forces of Germany from 1935 to 1945 was referred to as the Wehrmacht. An
estimated 18.2 million total number of soldiers served in the Wehrmacht according to historian
Rudiger Overmans. Recruitment was achieved through voluntary enlistment as well as the
implementation of conscription.
19. German victories
Germany quickly gained power over Luxembourge, the Netherlands and Belgium. France then
surrendered on the 22 of June. The Wehrmacht also conquered Denmark, Yugoslavia, Greece,
Norway and Western Poland.
20. German losses
The estimated German casualties float around 5.5 to 6.9 million persons.
Including 900,000 men that had been forcibly conscripted from outside of
Germany's borders such as Austria. Civilian deaths due to Allied strategic
bombing sit at an estimated 437,000 civilians. The Battle of Berlin took 22,000
German citizens.
21. How was Germany effected after the war?
Close to one quarter of Germany’s pre-war borders was annexed by the allies; leaving roughly
10 million German citizens exiled from these areas or forbidden from returning. Germany was
made to pay reparations to the UK, France and the Soviet Union, in forms of dismantled
factories, forced labour and coal. These post war repercussions saw the German living standard
reduce to its 1932 level.
22. References
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Australian Soldiers Wewak June (14 June 2008), Retrieved from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Aust_soldiers_Wewak_June_1945.jpg
The Second World War Australia (n.d.), Retrieved from http://rslnsw.org.au/commemoration/heritage/the-second-world-war
Victory 8 May 1945/15 August 1945 (n.d), Retrieved from http://www.ww2australia.gov.au/vevp/
Silk, G. (25 December 1942), Buna, Retrieved from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Buna.jpg
The Bombing of Darwin (3 January 2014), Retrieved from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bombing_of_Darwin
Australian casualties of World War II (6 May 2012), Retrieved from
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Australian_casualties_of_World_War_II
Returned Australian POWs (17 October 1945), Retrieved from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Returned_Australian_POWs_Oct45.jpg
He's coming South (1942), Retrieved from http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:He's_coming_South.jpg
Why did Australia become involved? (n.d), Retrieved from http://www.skwirk.com/p-t_s-14_u-91_t-198
Flag of Australia, (3 Oct 2011), Retrieved from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Flag_of_Australia.svg
Levy .C, Atomic bombing of Japan, (2 Dec 2010), Retrieved from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Atomic_bombing_of_Japan.jpg
The Atomic Bomb (n.d), Retrieved from http://www.ducksters.com/history/world_war_ii/ww2_atomic_bomb.php
Flag of the United States (3 October 2011), Retrieved from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Flag_of_the_United_States.svg
Petruzelli T.Snr., Put me in your pocket (16 December 2009) Retrieved from http://www.writeonnewjersey.com/2009/12/put-me-inyour-pocket/
American World War II senior military officials (circa 1945), Retrieved from
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:American_World_War_II_senior_military_officials,_1945.JPEG
War Flag of the Japanese Army (2008) , Retrieved from
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:War_flag_of_the_Imperial_Japanese_Army.svg
Troops of the 18th infantry (1937) Retrieved from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:IJA-18th_Infantry_Regt-1937.jpg
Imperial Japanese history (2012) Retrieved from http://imperialjapanesehistory.tumblr.com/post/15588609985/jn-special-navallanding-forces-sailors-celebrate
Atomic Bombing of Japan (2010) Retrieved from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Atomic_bombing_of_Japan.jpg
British FT in Japan (2012) Retrieved from http://limpehft.blogspot.com.au/2012/03/interview-british-ft-in-japan.html
Imperial Japanese Army (2014) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Imperial_Japanese_Army
23. References
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Nazi Germany (2012), Retrieved from http://historyonthenet.com/Nazi_Germany/nazigermanymain.htm
World War II Pictures in Detail (2012), Retrieved from http://ww2images.blogspot.com.au/2012/11/a-column-of-german-wehrmachtparaded-in.html
Nazi Occupied Europe Map (2013), retrieved from
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Nazi_Occupied_Europe_September_1943_Map.png
Vivid new battle of the Bulge (2011), Retrieved from http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2075565/Vivid-new-Battle-Bulgephotos-offer-seen-look-war-weary-soldiers-braving-frigid-weather-fight-Nazi-Germanys-major-offensive-World-War-II.html
Germany, Year Zero Retrieved from http://betonbabe.tumblr.com/post/1329107497/roberto-rossellini-germany-year-zero-1947
Nazi Germany (2014) Retrieved from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nazi_Germany
