Sydney under attack

May 23, 2007 5:29 AM

65 years ago in May 1942, Sydney was doing what it does best: partying. The clubs and brothels of Kings Cross (site plays short burst of swing music, but may help set the scene) offered plenty of choice to US and Australian service men on leave in Australia's largest city. The party came to a shattering halt when three Japanese midget submarines crept into the harbour, past eight electronic indicator loops, past six patrolling Royal Australian Navy ships, and past an anti-submarine net stretched across the inner harbour entrance and … full history here. Recently one of the submarines has been found, virtually intact.
posted by mattoxic (14 comments total)

War is hell enough without exploiting Japanese midgets.
posted by DU at 5:35 AM on May 23, 2007

Intact Japanese midgets.
posted by pracowity at 5:36 AM on May 23, 2007

three no less
posted by mattoxic at 5:38 AM on May 23, 2007

Intact Japanese midgets

virtually.
posted by Pollomacho at 5:42 AM on May 23, 2007

Groovy post.
posted by Wolof at 5:50 AM on May 23, 2007

I grew up there and this part of history never seemed real to me- a country as huge as australia being attacked by these tiny submarines.
posted by bhnyc at 6:00 AM on May 23, 2007

Japanese soldier: [trying to squeeze a large radio into the sub] We've got to figure out how to make these things smaller!
posted by sergeant sandwich at 6:30 AM on May 23, 2007 [1 favorite]

See also
posted by pompomtom at 6:54 AM on May 23, 2007

Double.
posted by Steven C. Den Beste at 8:11 AM on May 23, 2007

Three Japanese midget subs sneak into Sydney.

Sounds kinky.
posted by LordSludge at 11:05 AM on May 23, 2007

very nearly a double but technically not
posted by Megafly at 11:38 AM on May 23, 2007

Double? Evidence please.
posted by mattoxic at 3:47 PM on May 23, 2007

Interesting tidbit: when the sub was found recently, somebody (on a Sydney Morning Herald blog, I think) told the story that their grandfather had been a POW of the Japanese at the time, and the Japs read that we had put on a a full military burial for the crew of one of the subs.

They were so impressed that such respect had been shown for their fallen warriors that their treatment of the POWs improved significantly, from psychopathically sadistic to merely inhumanely barbaric. Well, for a week or two, at least.
posted by UbuRoivas at 5:54 PM on May 23, 2007

three Japanese midget submarines crept [...] past an anti-submarine net

Actually, one of the subs was caught in the net & the crew blew it (and themselves) up. This is quite understandable. It was either that, or brave the wobbegongs.
posted by UbuRoivas at 6:14 PM on May 23, 2007