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Australia Invaded?

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refined silver

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This is a bit from left field, but suppose US economic meltdown really takes hold, - subprime meltdown, financial system meltdown, US dollar meltdown meaning that given its massive deficits, as the world refuses to lend to the US lead to its interest rates skyrocketing and its currency going down the girgler. The end result being the US is left as a second-rate power.

Given that Australia's military security has largely depended on our US (and to a much much lesser extent British) military alliances, what are our risks in a few years time if the world economic order undergoes sismic shifts?

Without the US, are Australia's land and resources in danger from more populous neighbours in a few years?

This is an article from today's Australian with Australia's former top ranked soldier in Iraq Major-General Jim Molan saying that apart from special forces, the ADF is not equipped to fight wars.

http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,24062263-7583,00.html
 

I would agree that Australia is not equipped to fight a war by itself,... Our forces are just to small to create any sizable invasion force,

Australia's Niche' has always been assessing the situation and creating a bolt on asset to link with a larger force. this is how we fight.

If Australia was invaded and no outside assistance came, It would probally end in a long guerilla war. We couldn't defeat them in one cold swoop,.... but the same is said for them,.... with Australias large distances between targets it would be perfect to fight a guerilla war,.... any invading army would find it hard logistically and meet constant ambushes, harrassing snipers, road side bombs and boobie traps and hit and run raids

If The size and might of the army had anything to do with the military outcome then Iraq and Afganistan would be peaceful Americanized places by now,

It would be cheaper and easier for them to buy the resources on the open market.
 

I agree, to take over Australia would be extremely difficult and leave a long guerilla war.

I think I remember reading something from 10-15 years ago, about some supposed secret line including the bottom populous SE corner of Australia, that would be retreated behind and defended in a situation of overwhelming numbers or force.

Or, how feasible would it be for an invader to lop off an area in the north somewhere and then defend that territory?
 

I think you may be refering to what was called "The Brisbane Line".

During WW2 there was a plan that if the Japs conducted a land invasion on the north our forces would conduct a fighting retreat and basically leave scorched earth,

Every buliding north of brisbane was to be burned, crops and cattle destroyed, bridges, airfeilds and dams bombed, water supplies poisened etc.etc.etc.


I suppose they may be able to take a section of the north and defend it,.... But what for.

leaving an industrialized part of australia intact would still lead to constant harassment of the occupied zone.

I really can't see a reason any country would want to invade Australia, The age of empire is over.
 
Tysonboss1 said:
The age of empire is over.
Click to expand...
Nice Post. I guess I'd agree. I'd say it costs too much money, and human rights stuff is the cause?
Don't ever want to think about Australia being invaded.
 
Pat said:
Nice Post. I guess I'd agree. I'd say it costs too much money, and human rights stuff is the cause?
Don't ever want to think about Australia being invaded.
Click to expand...

I agree, war never makes sense economically. Not a nice thought, but given a US meltdown, suddenly wondered about its possible effect on ANZUS alliance.

Thanks for the info on brisbane line Tysonboss
 

Too true. I lived north of the line and at school we were drilled in what we had to do if the dreaded siren went off. A lot of families had cars packed and fuelled up ready to go at a moments notice. Most of the cattle were moved in big mobs as far south as possible. Big concentrations of the army were dug in around Harvey Bay and along the coast south. Houses had blackout curtains and cars out at night had blackout light covers so that it was almost impossible for them to see where they were going. If you didn't know the way around it was easy to get lost because most road signs had been removed or turned around the wrong way. ( to confuse the enemy.) Everyone expected an invasion. It was not if but when and from which direction.

A lot of the locals had hideouts prepared in the scrub with supplies of tinned food etc and were going to stay regardless. Those with their cars packed often received an envelope with a white feather enclosed in the mail and the kids got a fair bit of hassling at school.

Luckily the plans were never put to the test. What it did was put Queenslanders at odds with the southern states and would be one of the reasons for the rivalry which still shows at "state of origin" football matches.
 
Tysonboss1 said:
with Australias large distances between targets it would be perfect to fight a guerilla war,.... any invading army would find it hard logistically and meet constant ambushes, harrassing snipers, road side bombs and boobie traps and hit and run raids
Click to expand...

Count me in.
 
The 'Brisbane Line' furore was more of a political stunt by Eddie Ward than a reality. Wikipedia and others have articles on it.

At most , it would have been contingency planning by the General Staff, probably in anticipation of a direction by the War Cabinet.

It is the role of the General Staff to plan for contingencies. These may or may not reflect reality (even today!)

It is interesting that comments see a response centred on guerrilla wafare. The Japanese General Staff was aware of this possibility when they did their Appreciation for the invasion of Australia.

They were concerned that they would be facing an armed civilian population. While only one factor, it may have influenced their decision not to invade.

We are, of course, no longer a people with access to or familiarity with weapons. This is called progress...
 
Pronto said:
We are, of course, no longer a people with access to or familiarity with weapons. This is called progress...
Click to expand...

There are alot of reservists and ex-soldiers out there, Now I in no way believe that Australia will be invaded,... But should it happen I think the weapons stock pile around Australia would quickly be distributed and groups of willing men recruited.... Current enlisted men would probally take control of groups of 7 to 10 civillians.... forces may be crude but with good leadership and tactal planning may be quite effective
 
refined silver said:
what are our risks in a few years time if the world economic order undergoes seismic shifts?
Click to expand...

The popular view is this will happen anyway...without any US currency etc meltdown.

China is the new America...at some point in the not to distant future China will be the
only single country super power, hopefully by then China will be some sort of democracy
and will have no interest in invading what they already own half of...its bad for business.
 
Although the US is going through a bit of an idiocratic stage, and appears to be handing China world domination on a platter, I wouldn't underestimate the Yanks..... yet.

If the world has a decent depression, it will be the Yanks who are most likely to innovate their way out of it; it is in their culture (albeit in suspended animation) to be that way.

Lets just hope they haven't dumbed themselves down too much by the time they will need to put their noses to the grindstone.

Just my opinion.
 
people go to war mostly for resources they dont have or lack off... no one goes to war for empire building..

US invades IRAQ because of oil, not because they are nice people and want to free the Iraqi.

If they are nice why not go into North Korea?... ah wait a minute there is nothing there

the roman invades mostly for farming lands and treasures because romans cant farm for **** and feed their people
 
ROE said:
people go to war mostly for resources they dont have or lack off... no one goes to war for empire building..

US invades IRAQ because of oil, not because they are nice people and want to free the Iraqi.
Click to expand...

If the USA only cared about oil, they would have just given Iraq investment capital and helped them develop the oil fields to bring the oil to market... that would have been cheaper than the war.

However they did not want such royalties to flow to sadam,... so they invaded.

If they only invaded for profit,... then what are they getting from afganistan
 
Code: 
the weapons stock pile around Australia would quickly be distributed

What stockpiles?
 
Pronto said:
Code: 
the weapons stock pile around Australia would quickly be distributed

What stockpiles?
Click to expand...

There is plenty of weapons, ammo and armour stocks in australia,..

Are you a military man,... if so you should know about these warehouses,..

I am not about to give you a street address,...
 
Tysonboss1 said:
There is plenty of weapons, ammo and armour stocks in australia,..

Are you a military man,... if so you should know about these warehouses,..

I am not about to give you a street address,...
Click to expand...

they do mail order at all?
 

Right I'm starting to arm up, gonna retro fit my Beemers with gattling cannons and fine tune my drifitng skills to take out platoons, they can call me "mad YOUNG max" he he he

On a serious note there are a few strong points in Australia which will never be taken (kinda like in Asterix how the Gauls held a certain part of Germania from the Romans)

A strong point that comes to mind is Bankstown in Sydney, I pity the invading army that goes in there unprepared, ela re!

Also I feel that since we have already engaged in certain warfare on Cronulla beach, beach landing there by an invading army would be met with brutal resistance and a stubbie or 2!


So_Cynical said:
China is the new America...at some point in the not to distant future China will be the only single country super power,
Click to expand...

Don't rule out India mate, they are growing very quickly and along with Pakistan and Bangaldesh they would form quite a potnet force, thats if they could stop killing each other
 
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