Nearly 250 Japanese warplanes attack the northern Australian city of Darwin, killing 243 people.

On February 19, 1942, the northern Australian city of Darwin was the target of a massive aerial assault by the Imperial Japanese Navy, marking the first and largest foreign attack on Australian soil during World War II. Led by Commander Mitsuo Fuchida, the same officer who orchestrated the Pearl Harbor attack, a force of 188 Japanese aircraft, including bombers, dive-bombers, and fighters, launched a devastating two-wave strike. The assault aimed to cripple Allied defensive capabilities and disrupt supply lines to Southeast Asia. Despite warnings, Darwin was poorly defended, with only a handful of fighter aircraft and anti-aircraft guns. The attack sank eight ships, including the USS Peary, destroyed 23 Allied aircraft, and caused widespread destruction to military and civilian infrastructure. At least 235 people were killed, and hundreds were wounded. The bombing of Darwin exposed Australia’s vulnerability to Japanese aggression and led to a significant strengthening of its northern defenses, shaping the nation’s wartime response and strategic policies.