Australia (the movie)

Inc · **Posted:** Tue Mar 24, 2009 2:22 am

(Yes, I know I am digging up an old thread)

I rented the movie for the Mrs. this last weekend and I enjoyed the movie quite a bit. I am ashamed to say I had no idea any of that happened to Australia. Not sure why but we were never taught about the bombing of Darwin in school, both me and my wife. Are or were you guys or your kids taught about Pearl Harbor in schools Downunder? Seems like a pretty significant event in World History I missed out on. :oops:

And what happened to Nicole Kidman's lips? She looks like she had an allergic reaction.

cmohr · **Posted:** Tue Mar 24, 2009 2:33 am

Still haven't seen it.

Nicole Kidman IS an Allergic reaction :lol:

But, acually, not really taught about the bombing of Darwin, surprising really :shock:

but Yes certainly knew about it. Australia being sooooo close in both wars to the action in the pacific was a real worry up there. My Dad fought in New Guinea in the 2nd, terribble stuff, have seen air survey fotos of the area he was fighting in, you can see the Australians in their trenches at the bottom of the hill, and the Japanese soldiers in their trenches at the top of the hill. Only 25 metres apart..... no wonder they could only sleep for 20mins a day..

Not taught about Pearl Harbour but knew about Pearl Harbour though from movies :wink:

Hmmmm, who was really teaching us at a young age?????

Inc · **Posted:** Tue Mar 24, 2009 2:38 am

cmohr wrote:

Still haven't seen it.

Nicole Kidman IS an Allergic reaction :lol:

But, acually, not really taught about the bombing of Darwin, surprising really :shock:

but Yes certainly knew about it. Australia being sooooo close in both wars to the action in the pacific was a real worry up there. My Dad fought in New Guinea in the 2nd, terribble stuff, have seen air survey fotos of the area he was fighting in, you can see the Australians in their trenches at the bottom of the hill, and the Japanese soldiers in their trenches at the top of the hill. Only 25 metres apart..... no wonder they could only sleep for 20mins a day..

Not taught about Pearl Harbour but knew about Pearl Harbour though from movies :wink:

Hmmmm, who was really teaching us at a young age?????

Apparently we learn more from movies than schools. :lol:

Fouros · **Posted:** Tue Mar 24, 2009 3:14 am

damm Cmohr

was he in gona, buna, sandanna, milne bay or the track ?

Team J.a.G · **Posted:** Tue Mar 24, 2009 5:57 am

Well Yes, I saw the movie............. I thought it had some great moments and then let down by over acting, a bit of poetic license and over directing. A bit long at 3hrs.

Yes I was taught at school about Pearl Harbour & Darwin attacks. Although the details of Darwin attacks were kept secret for some time after the war.

But, I did learn a lot more through the John Wayne, Van Johnson, Robert Taylor, Henry Fonda etc. era of movies. ...........Now both are tourist listed.

Inc · **Posted:** Tue Mar 24, 2009 12:04 pm

Team J.a.G wrote:

the details of Darwin attacks were kept secret for some time after the war.

Why was that?

Team J.a.G · **Posted:** Tue Mar 24, 2009 6:34 pm

The Government of the day decided that it would be better for the morale of the Australian people not to know the severity of the attack.

Inc · **Posted:** Tue Mar 24, 2009 6:57 pm

Team J.a.G wrote:

The Government of the day decided that it would be better for the morale of the Australian people not to know the severity of the attack.

I wonder if it actually was better. I mean, I have to assume people didn't think it was a terribly big of a deal since that was what they were told but what happened when everyone found out?

Team J.a.G · **Posted:** Wed Mar 25, 2009 2:34 am

Inc wrote:

Team J.a.G wrote:

The Government of the day decided that it would be better for the morale of the Australian people not to know the severity of the attack.

I wonder if it actually was better. I mean, I have to assume people didn't think it was a terribly big of a deal since that was what they were told but what happened when everyone found out?

I remember my Dad & Uncles talking about the event when I was young...ger, both my Uncles were stationed in Darwin at the time with Army, while Dad was with the RAAF in Aitape, PNG. After the attack appartently the Defence Force Propaganda was to keep the details to a minium and play the whole thing down and it really wasn't until some years later that the details were released for public knowledge under the Freedom of Information act. So, other than those that lived through it, the rest of the country were really unaware of the serverity of the attack, until decades later, by which time most things were back to normal (although to this day the main shipping wharf which was bombed in half remains and operates in two separate structures).

cmohr · **Posted:** Wed Mar 25, 2009 2:46 am

Yes, by not letting on it was bad, the enemy can only assume the failed, thus causing them to think their statagy was failing. No good making a big fuss, that would have caused more panic in Australia at the time, under 10,000,000 in population during the war, and with a couple of 100, 000, 000 against us, it was better for the enemy to think they lost, rather than won. who knows what would have happened if they thought it was successful.........

Team J.a.G · **Posted:** Wed Mar 25, 2009 3:13 am

That's right you never know........ Sony, Yamaha or Mitsubishi's Corporate offices & plants may well have been in Australia. um.......

Inc · **Posted:** Wed Mar 25, 2009 3:43 am

You learn something new every day. Thanks for the info and insight.

Australia (the movie)

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