LogFAQs > #878029610

Coffeebeanz posted...

Why would anyone send troops to Australia anyway, let alone during WWII

Because island hoping was an intricate part of the WWII Pacific Theater. Not only was it important for establishing ports along the Pacific to deter Japanese invasion forces, but the Japanese had captured the Dutch East Indias and several other resource-rich islands that were fueling the Imperial war machine. By securing various islands, they could cut off Japan's source of oil and deny them the ability to build more weapons.

So why Australia? Well, moving troops takes resources. Austrailia is significantly closer to the Pacific islands than the continental US. On top of that, during a military campaign you want a nearby, secure location to mass troops so you can send them out in large, organized groups. If you send them by ship, they can easily be picked off and you can end up with a significantly weaker force than the one you dispatched.

Austrailia was also part of the British Commonwealth, which meant it was an allied port that needed defending and could provide resources and space to set up a secure military outpost. You have to remember too that at the time, airplanes had significantly shorter ranges, meaning that every single island they could set up an airstrip on helped.