What was Australia's involvement in Sinapore in world war 2?

Answer 1

Australian & other British Commonwealth troops, aircraft & ships were sent to Singapore to defend it from the Japanese in December 1941. Singapore was the most important British naval base in Asia. When the Japanese captured Singapore, many Australians were taken prisoner. At the time that Singapore was being attacked by the Japanese, the Australian government was very strongly trying to resist British pressure to send more reinforcements into Singapore. The Australians correctly estimated that Singapore would fall regardless of the efforts that could be mounted to save it. In fact many Australian troops arrived just prior to the British surrender, and never got a chance to fight, but instead spent the rest of the war (or their lives) in Japanese POW (mini-death) camps in South-East Asia. This caused alot of friction between the Australian and British governments. The Australian government had its troops in North Africa fighting Rommel's Afrika Corps, and some defending SE Asia. It was short of troops for Australian Home Defense. Because of this in early 1942, the responsibility for the defense of Australia would be shifted from the British Command to the United States Commanders in the South Pacific. The United States sent large numbers of troops to Australia to reinforce local Australian troops.