| 1931 |
Japan began to take control of Manchuria. |
| 1937 |
Japan invaded China – Japanese war in the Pacific began. |
| 1939 |
WW II began. Britain and Australia at war with Germany and her allies. |
| 1941 |
7 December – Japan attacked the US naval base at Pearl Harbour without warning.
8 December – US and Australia declared war on Japan. POW camp at Cowra constructed. |
| 1942 |
February – Darwin bombed by Japanese planes, other Australian cities were soon hit.
May – mini-subs attacked Sydney Harbour, and later Newcastle. |
| 1943 |
Escape of Japanese POW from Featherstone prisoner camp, New Zealand. |
| 1944 |
First serious rumours of a Japanese breakout.
4 August – Japanese POW commandant told that some prisoners would be sent to Hay.
5 August – Mass breakout.
15 August – Last prisoner rounded up. |
| 1945 |
August – Atomic bomb dropped on Japan. War ends. Last Japanese POW sent home in 1946. |
