In February 1942 the northwest found itself literally on the front-line of the war with Japan, while the town of Broome became strategically significant in regard to the aerial evacuation of Java. The peak of events was the devastating 3 March air attack. Aside from this, however, the bigger picture across the northwest, as well as the later attacks on Broome, have received little attention since the publication of the Official History of the Second World War by the Australian government.