Scribe,
Ever since Tasman the quickest way to/from the Indian ocean
has been across the Bight. It still is. Control of Torres Strait would
have compromised Darwin but it would have been better supplied by road
and air anyway.
What has not been taken into account in this discussion is that at that
time there was a large US army in Australia.

No, the Japanese army knew that an invasion of Australia would have
tied them up in a very difficult campaign with long support lines
and they may have taken note of the problems facing the German army
in Russia with it rapidly expanding front line length.
They would always have had an exposed end on any front.

Bazz,

The Japanese had a plan to cripple American forces so they would have an unopposed. path through the Islands north of Australia. They had good information about Australia and Australia's small population and lack of many numbers of men
and weapons back then.

There plan was to cripple the American navy by a surprise attack on Pearl Harbour.
A few hours later they flew back to Singapore and wiped out the American planes on
The ground at the air base the Americans had there.

There were no fighting men here at the time, they were all over helping Britain fight
the Germans. When the Japs began to attack, the Australian prime minster bought
our troops home to fight the Japanese. Churchill didn't want the Australian troops to come home and he couldn't help us because Britain was under intense attack by the Germans. He said let Australia fall and we'll get it back later. Australia's prime minister
didn't agree and bought the troops home.

The Japs knew Britain couldn't help us, and that their army far outnumbered Australia's.
They also thought their plan to decimate the American forces in surprise attacks would
disable America.

The Japanese underestimated the big armament factories already up and running, in America because they were selling Arms to the British and,allied forces and making heaps of money. That's how the Rockerfellas became filthy rich.

The Americans could turn out new weaponary very quickly and efficiently. In fact this industry was providing new jobs and prosperity after the bleak years of the depression.
Suddenly Americans had jobs again in these weapons factory's and the money was pouring in as they provided the much needed weaponary to Britain and its allies.
America didn't have to mobilize and arm, they were already highly mobilised and armed,
although not yet in the war physically.
So Japan's attack on their ships and planes didn't slow America down like Japan thought it would. Existing American factories turned out new planes and ships again very rapidly. This is what bought the Japanese,plan undone. Their plan to disable America never succeeded.

Chereful said;
A few hours later they flew back to Singapore and wiped out the
American planes on The ground at the air base the Americans had there.
Well I doubt that. Their carrier planes would not have anything like
that range.
I had never heard that the US had a base in Malaya pre Dec 1941.

Another not realised point is that the Japanese attacked Malaya before
Peal Harbour by a couple of hours. Because of the time zones everyone
thought Pearl Harbour was attacked first.

Hi Bazz,

Yeah, the Japanese occupied Indo-China in 1940 in league with the Vichy regime in France; and from there put pressure on the Thai Regent Pibul Songgram who allowed them to move their military into Thailand and set up bases. From there, they could attack Malaya and Burma with ease. And from there, the Dutch East Indies, and then northern Australia. So Australia was being assaulted from both the north-west and the north-east.

Joe

Bazz, " Japanese attacked Malaya before Pearl Harbour by a couple of hours. Because of the time zones everyone thought Pearl Harbour was attacked first"

The British Admiralty would definitely have endeavoured to get Churchill's immediate attention on that, irrespective of his engagements or preoccupied status at the time.

It raises many questions. But I guess that some secrets always stay that way. Sometimes a simple explanation though, such as the human errors in thinking. It may not have even registered, or have been interpreted differently.

Well yes Leoj there is 18 hours difference between Singapore & Hawaii.
so by date the attack was the next day in Singapore.
I guess it was a synchronised attack.