On this day 83-years-ago, Darwin came under attack in the single largest foreign strike on Australian soil - mounted by Japenese forces who rained bombs on the city. 252 people died in the strikes that changed the Northern Territory forever.
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00:00A heart-stopping display, giving a glimpse of Darwin in 1942, remembering the day Japanese
00:12forces bombed the city in the Second World War.
00:16More than 250 people lost their lives, hundreds more were injured.
00:22This was the day that the war came to Australia.
00:27In the sweltering Top End heat, the crowd fell silent, honouring those who died and
00:33the bravery of those whose lives were forever impacted by the attacks, including Indigenous
00:39Territorians.
00:40By sharing these stories and acknowledging the contributions of the Aboriginal people,
00:45we honour their legacy and ensuring that their sacrifice are never forgotten.
00:50The commemoration's message of sacrifice and hardship, bringing home the grim reality for
00:55young men at the time.
00:57Kind of strange, like all those people that fought for us were really young.
01:00They're like, some of them were 17 years old.
01:03The emotional event, drawing relatives of those who survived the assault.
01:09It's a must for an Australian who cares about our history, about our, just the flow of events
01:18you know, that make us who we are.
01:21As crowds gathered here at the Cenotaph, a key theme of the speeches at this year's bombing
01:25of Darwin anniversary, focused on Australia's increasingly important alliance with Japan.
01:32After 83 years, the two countries have evolved from sworn enemies to critical partners in
01:37the Asia-Pacific, with plans for Japanese troops to begin regular deployments here in
01:42Darwin alongside Australian and US forces.
01:46We've gone from being under attack, defending our nation, to welcoming them into our homes
01:51to participate and exercise with us.
01:53Reflecting on Darwin's history of war, as Australia navigates an uncertain future.