Australia’s Asia Pacific Relations Historical Overview

Boxer Rebellion, China The new Australian Government was anxious to aid Britain and the other European powers against a Chinese uprising that wanted to remove the European influence from Beijing.

Gallipoli and the Anzac Legend This was the first battle in WW1 that the Australian and New Zealand soldiers fought in. Although the battle itself was lost and was unimportant for the war it cemented relations between Australia and New Zealand and was one of the first events seen as part of the slow separation of Australia from the UK.

Colonial Government in PNG In 1882 the British and Germans divided up what is now PNG. In 1902 the British gave Papua to Australia to administer and at the end of WW1 New Guinea also came under Australia administration. Australia saw it’s role as supporting Australian and British plantation owners and in the 1920’s offered confiscated German land to ex servicemen. In the 1930’s the first local leaders start to question Australia’s methods and want more say and better conditions for local workers. At this time the Australian administration reacted by arresting the troublemakers. In WW2 major battles were fought by Australian troops in PNG (Kakoda Track)

Australian administrators and local village people

The European owned plantations produced cash crops that were exported to Australia and elsewhere – copra, cocoa, coffee, rubber, tea. They depended on local labour. Burns Philp controlled the trade.

The Kakoda Track was a major operation for Australian soldiers in WW2. Conditions were terrible with very rough terrain, constant rain, disease and well trained Japanese enemy.

Suppling troops was a major problem and the army depended on local carriers to collect supplies and carry them across the rough terrain. The local villagers also evacuated wounded soldiers and provided scouts and guides.

Japanese raids on Darwin From Feb 1942 until the end of 1943 Darwin and other towns across northern Australia were regularly and often severely bombed by the Japanese. The Australian government was sure the Japanese intended to invade Australia and had plans to evacuate the population the the southeast if this happened.

The major purpose of the bombing was to destroy ships, planes and any materials useful for the war effort. Damage was extensive.

Japanese submarines in Sydney Harbour In May 1942 three midget submarines entered Sydney harbour. Little damage was done but it brought the war into the backyard of Australia’s largest city.

War in Timor In Feb 1942 the Japanese Army invaded Timor. Throughout 1942 the Australian Army, aided by Dutch and Portuguese Colonial forces fought the Japanese. They were soon overrun but the Australians remained throughout 1942 to fight a guerrilla war with the Japanese in East Timor. Their successes depended heavily on the aid given by the local East Timorese.

East Timor 1942

Japanese prisoners of war in Cowra

Japanese garden Cowra

Australian prisoners of war of the Japanese Of the 22,376 Australian prisoners of war captured by the Japanese, 8,031 died while in captivity, particularly on the forced death marches ( eg at Ranau only 6 out of 2500 survived.) and as forced labour on the Burma railway. After the end of the war, War Crimes Trials were held to investigate reports of atrocities and massacres. Many Australians felt resentment towards the Japanese for many years because of the treatment of Australian POW’s.

Prisoners were severely treated

War memorials for the prisoners of war are found both in Australia and Asia

Discussion Questions Why do you think that first the Queensland Government and then the Australian Government were keen to take over PNG as a colony? Before the 1930’s Australia took little notice of Asia. Why do you think this is? From the 1930’s the Australian Government was well aware of the growing military might of Japan but was still not well prepared when the war came to SE Asia and PNG in Why do you think this is?

Australian Attitudes to the Asian and Pacific Regions in Fear of Asia, particularly Japan and China, the Yellow hordes An important push factor for the introduction of large scale assisted migration from Europe Took a leading role in the formation of the UN and supported movements for decolonisation in South East Asia Increasing trade with Asia, especially Japan, as part of post war reconstruction Japanese war brides allowed to migrate to Australia although many other Asians that sought refuge during the war were deported Increasing concerns about the spread of Communism after 1949