Bobby. wrote on Aug 6^th, 2014 at 9:03pm:


These F-35s can also communicate with each other. That eliminates the need to work with the Yankees.

Bobby. wrote on Aug 6^th, 2014 at 11:05pm:


Wouldn't we?  And on what basis do you make that assertion?

I assume you believe the United States "saved" Australia from the Japanese?

In reality, Australia saved Australia, with considerable help from the Japanese and to a lesser extent the United States.

Australia saved itself.  It brought back to Australia some of the best-trained, best led and most battle-hardened troops in the world from the Middle East in time to defeat any potential Japanese attack on the Australian mainland.

The Japanese helped save Australia because of their arrogance, their disorganisation and their continual internecine squabbling between their two branches of their armed services - the Imperials Japanese Army and the Imperial Japanese Navy.  The result was what is referred to as "strategic over-reach".   They captured far more than the could hold and were incapable of mounting any form of sustained military operation against a target as distant as Australia was from their main bases and sources of supply.   The Japanese had no firm plans to invade Australia.  At best, their efforts were ad hoc and consisted of after the initial offensive, withful thinking rather than real planning on their part.

The Americans without a doubt helped but most of the "heavy lifting" in the Pacific was done by Australia up until about mid-1943.  The overwhelming majority of the ground forces present on the Allied side were Australian.  A large proportion of the Air Forces were Australian.  A slice of the naval forces were Australian.

Australia halted and started the counter-offensive against the Japanese.  They achieved the first defeat of a Japanese land attack in the region (Imita Ridge).  They defeated the first Japanese naval landing in the region (Milne Bay).  They forced the Japanese into full long retreat for the first time (Kokoda Track).   Viscount General Slim remarked that until the Australians had defeated the Japanese at Milne Bay no one had believed it was possible.

Australians have for far too long suffered from a cultural cringe about our performance in WWII.  We have submitted for far too long to the American centric version of history which claims they were the only ones who seriously fought the Japanese and defeated them.  It's time it ended.   

Heh!