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On 3rd September 1939, Prime Minister Robert Gordon Menzies announced the beginning of Australia's involvement in the Second World War on every national and commercial radio station in Australia.
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The battle of Britain was lasted from the 10th of July till the 30th of October 1940. The battle was fought entirely by air forces. The battle took place over Britain
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On 19 November 1941, HMAS Sydney was sunk following a battle with the German raider HSK Kormoran in the Indian Ocean off the Western Australian coast. The loss of the Sydney with its full war complement of 645 remains Australia’s worst naval disaster.
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One hour after Japan bombed Pearl Harbor on the 7th of December 1941, Priminister John Curtin declared that "from one hour ago. Australia has been at war with the Japanese Empire". War was formally declared on the 9th of December.
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On the 19th of February 1942, 242 Japanese aircraft attacked ships in Darwin's harbour and the town's two airfields in an attempt to prevent the Allies from using them as bases to contest the invasions of Timor and Java.
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On the night of 31 May 1942, three Japanese midget submarines attacked Sydney Harbour. They were launched from a group of five larger submarines. All three midget submarines were lost, with two of them destroyed before they could fire their torpedoes. The third fired at but missed the USS Chicago, sinking HMAS Kuttabul, a coverted ferry.
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In the early hours of the morning on August 9 1942, HMAS Canberra was severely damaged. The ship was hit 24 times by the Japanese Naval Force in a surprise attack. The ship was sunk the next day by a torpedo from a US destroyer.
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On the 18th of November 1942, Australian troops had pushed the Japanese back over the mountain and reached the Kumusi River. The battle for the Kokoda Track was over.
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On the 16th of June 1945 Australia took control of the region. The strategic gains that possession of North Borneo provided the Allies with were ultimately negated by the sudden conclusion of the war in August 1945.
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Japan formally surrender to the allies on the 2nd of September 1945, bringing World War 2 to a close. The ceremony was held on board the USS Missori inTokyo Bay.
