I'm always learning more about American history and it's so interesting. America and Australia have been such great allies through the years and the world would not be the same without America's involvement in war among other things. Australia also suffered an attack at the hands of Japan not long after Pearl Harbor, killing Australians and destroying military and civilian infrastructure.
Today is the 77th anniversary of the attack on Pearl Harbor, "a date which will live in infamy" ... December 7th, 1941.
Then President Franklin D. Roosevelt asked for Declaration of War, leading to the United States' entry into World War II after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. The attack took virtually everyone in the United States military by surprise after Japan's carrier-launched bombers found Pearl Harbour totally unprepared.
The short, surprise attack left the USA with a total of 2,403 deaths including military personnel and civilians.
On February 19, 1942, Darwin (at the top of Australia) was attacked by two Japanese air raids. They were orchestrated by none other than Mitsuo Fuchida, the commander who had 10 weeks earlier bombed Pearl Harbour. Overall, the attacks cost around 250 people their lives and injured between 300 and 400 military personnel and civilians. Not the same numbers as the USA but it was none the less a devastating attack on beautiful Australia.
A total of 188 planes descended on Darwin’s port and harbour before they destroyed 20 military aircraft and eight ships. The National Archives of Australia state that most of Darwin's military and civil infrastructure was also blown to smithereens in what’s popularly known as “Australia’s Pearl Harbor”.
Thank you to those currently serving in the Australian and American Military. Flying the flag at half-staff is a way to pay respects today.