For many years after the bombings most of Australia had not heard accurate figures about how much damage was done in Darwin, the government kept information a secret from the public to save widespread panic.
Reports'Japs Drop Bombs on Darwin'
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The PressOne of the first reports of the bombing of Darwin came from The Barrier
Miner, on the afternoon of the 19th of February 1942, in an article titled; ‘Japs Drop Bombs on Darwin’, the article reported on the first words of the bombing. In a report, ‘Darwin Heavily Bombed in Two Raids’ released the 20th of February 1942 by The Argus, tells the public about the reports given by Prime Minister, John Curtain, however the article does not give many details of the bombing, "Damage to property has been considerable, but reports so far to hand do not give precise particulars as to loss of life." No reports from newspapers until many years later include the full details of the bombings because the information was not given out for the public to know. The GovernmentThe government did not announce the figures of the bombings in an attempt to prevent panic throughout the nation. A close eye was kept as to what was said in the media and made sure not to let ‘rumours’ spread.
In a confidential report the Prime Minister writes about reports and press which had been released by the press, causing un needed anxiety among evacuees, the report also says that reports of the nature must not be published unless authorised. |