20 cents 2005 - End of World War II
By CAA | Thursday, 21 December 2023
This coin was issued to commemorate the 60th anniversary of the end of World War II.
The reverse design was inspired by a photograph in the Australian War Memorial collection of a soldier returning home to his family.
Australia in Europe
On September 1, 1939, Germany invaded Poland after having staged several false flag border incidents as a pretext to initiate the invasion. The first German attack of the war came against the Polish defenses at Westerplatte. The United Kingdom responded with an ultimatum for Germany to cease military operations, and on September 3, after the ultimatum was ignored, Britain and France declared war on Germany, followed by Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, and Canada.
During the first years of World War II, Australia's military strategy was closely aligned with that of the United Kingdom. In line with this, most Australian military units deployed overseas in 1940 and 1941 were sent to the Mediterranean and Middle East where they formed a key part of the Commonwealth forces in the area.
Australians participated in the defence of Britain throughout the war. More than 100 Australian airmen fought with the RAF during the Battle of Britain in 1940, including over 30 fighter pilots, but hundreds of Australians participated in the liberation of Western Europe during 1944 and 1945. Ten RAAF squadrons, hundreds of Australians in RAF units and about 500 Australian sailors serving with the Royal Navy formed part of the force assembled for the landing in Normandy.
Australia in the Pacific
In 1941, Japan planned to seize European colonies in Asia to create a large defensive perimeter stretching into the Central Pacific. The Japanese would then be free to exploit the resources of Southeast Asia while exhausting the over-stretched Allies by fighting a defensive war. Japan attacked British and American holdings with near-simultaneous offensives against Southeast Asia and the Central Pacific. These included an attack on the American fleets at Pearl Harbor and the Philippines, as well as invasions of Guam, Wake Island, Malaya, Thailand, and Hong Kong. These attacks led the United States, United Kingdom, China, Australia, and several other states to formally declare war on Japan.
In 1942, Japanese forces also achieved naval victories in the South China Sea, Java Sea, and Indian Ocean, and bombed the Allied naval base at Darwin, Australia. Later that year, Japan initiated operations to capture Port Moresby by amphibious assault and thus sever communications and supply lines between the United States and Australia. The troops in New Guinea were ordered to withdraw from the Port Moresby area to the northern part of the island, where they faced Australian and United States troops in the Battle of Buna–Gona.
In 1945, Australian troops landed in Borneo, overrunning the oilfields there. British, American, and Chinese forces defeated the Japanese in northern Burma. Planning for operations against Japan ceased in August 1945, when Japan surrendered following the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki.
Australian deaths during WW II is estimated at 40,400
End of World War II commemorative coins
This 2005 20-cents coin was also issued in the annual mint set, the koala baby set and was part of the wedding set. In proof, it was issued in the annual proof set, but also in the silver and gold sets.
In 2005, the Royal Australian Mint also issued a commemorative circulating 1 dollar coin inspired by the Dancing Man and a commemorative circulating 50 cents coin.
Features
- Mintage: 32,057,000
- Composition: 75% copper and 25% nickel
- Diameter: 28.52 mm
- Weight: 11.31 g
- Obverse: Ian Rank Broadley
- Edge: Milled
20 cents 2005 - Price Guide and Values
