How Did Japan Attack Sydney Harbour in World War II?

• Three midget submarines were used.
• The submarines came from large mother ships.
• One torpedo accidentally hit a ferry.
• The attack brought war to Australian shores.
• Sydney was shocked by the raid.

By 1942, the Empire of Japan controlled much of the Pacific Ocean. They wanted to expand their borders and gain more natural resources. Japan saw Australia as a key base for Allied forces fighting in the war. The United States navy used Sydney Harbour to repair and refuel their ships. Japan decided to attack Australia to weaken these Allied defenses. They also hoped to shock the Australian people and hurt their morale. Leaders in Japan believed that attacking a major city would force Australia to pull its troops home. This strategy was meant to slow down the American war effort in the Pacific. It was a bold and dangerous plan to bring the war directly to Australian soil.

On May 31, 1942, three Japanese midget submarines approached the coast of Sydney. These tiny boats were launched from larger mother submarines waiting far out at sea. The Japanese sailors quietly slipped past the protective steel nets at the mouth of the harbor. A ferry boat named the HMAS Kuttabul first spotted them in the dark water. The crew raised the alarm, and the harbor was suddenly full of activity. Searchlights scanned the water, and patrol boats began to fire their guns. One torpedo struck a floating depot ship, which caused a massive explosion. The explosion sadly killed 21 sailors who were sleeping on board. The Australian military quickly fought back with depth charges and machine guns. Two of the Japanese submarines were sunk by the Allied defense forces during the chaos. The third submarine escaped into the open ocean, but it was never heard from again. This raid left the people of Sydney feeling very unsafe in their own homes. It proved that no place in the Pacific was truly safe from the reach of the Japanese navy.

It changed how Australians viewed the war. They realized the fighting was not just happening far away, but could reach their homes.

• Imperial Japanese Navy
• Royal Australian Navy
• US Navy

• 1.Australian War Memorial
• 2.National Archives of Australia
• 3.State Library of NSW