 Kuedza kweJapan kuchengetedza New Guinea kwaisanganisira kurwisa kwenguva refu kwezvikepe zvepasi pemvura zvinorwisa nzira dzokukurukurirana dzeAllied pakati peUnited States neAustralia neAustralia neNew Guinea. Idzi dzakanga dzisiri denho dzokutanga dzomugungwa dzeAxis paAustralia; mukati ma 1940 na 1941, ngarava shanu dzokurwa dzeGermany dzomumvura dzakashanda mumvura dzeAustralia panguva dzakasiyana-siyana. Kurwisa kweGermany kwakanga kusina kubudirira mukukanganisa ngarava dzevatengesi veAustralia, kunyange zvazvo Sydney yakanyura nekurasikirwa nevashandi vake vose vevarume 645 munaNovember 1941, muhondo neGermany cruiser yekubatsira Kormoran, pamhenderekedzo yeWestern Australia. 