From Baird Maritime:
The year 1942 was the first and, thankfully, only one since European settlement in 1788 in which Australia experienced a serious foreign attack.
In fact it experienced a number of shelling, bombing and torpedo attacks in that year. These were carried out by Japan's, fortuitously, very over-extended naval forces.
Both sides saw the whole gamut of human behaviour from exceptional bravery to pig-headed stupidity. Probably both sides were equally lucky that, in the overall scheme of things, Japan's incursions were little more than skirmishes.
This very well researched book gives us an excellent overview of what happened on both sides. Given the amazing incompetence of many of the leaders involved, it is very fortunate that more damage was not done. The author finishes with some thought-provoking words on future Japanese philosophies. You have been warned!
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