 Nyorai kupfuurira kweiyi ndima - Kubva muma1920, kuronga kwokudzivirira kweAustralia kwakatungamirirwa neanonzi zano reSingapore. Urongwa uhwu hwaibatanidza kuvakwa nokudzivirirwa kwenzvimbo huru yehondo muSingapore kubva kwaizobva ngarava huru yeBritain kupindura kupandukira kweJapan munharaunda yacho. Nokuda kwechinangwa ichi, chikamu chikuru chemauto eAustralia muAsia chakanangidzirwa muMalaya mukati ma1940 na1941, sezvo tyisidziro yakabva kuJapan yakawedzera. Pakatanga hondo mauto eAustralia muMalaya aiumbwa ne8t Division pasi pe23rd Brigade pasi pekutungamira kwaMajor General Gordon Bennett, mauto mana eRAAF uye ngarava dzehondo sere. RAAF yakava sangano rokutanga kuona chiito muPacific apo ndege dzeAustralia dzakanga dzichitevera ngoro yeJapan yekupinda muMalaya dzakapfurwa musi wa6 December 1941. Zvikamu zveAustralia zvakatora chikamu mukuedza kweCommonwealth kusabudirira kukunda kuburitsa kweJapan, nendege dzeRAAF dzichirwisa mabhiriji uye dzichiperekedza ngarava yehondo yeBritain uye ngarava yehondo panguva yavo yakundikanakurwisa ngarava dzehondo dzeJapan. 