what led to attacks on australia?
During the 1930s, Japan invaded and occupied large parts of China. By 1941 Japan also controlled Indochina (a federation of French colonies). In December 1941, Japan bombed the Americans at Pearl Harbour and formally entered the Second World War. Within ten weeks, Japan controlled Hong Kong, Malaya, Singapore and the Australian territory of New Britain.
At the time many Australians believed that the Japanese planned to invade Australia as they had done in South East Asia, however historians believe that the Japanese plan was to wipe out as much of Australia's and the Allied air and sea defence in order to gain control of the resource rich countries of South East Asia. To protect themselves Australia needed to establish strong defences against any possible attacks, so as a result they pulled out their troops in the middle ease and turned to america for and allegiance .