The Australian Army News of Sunday, August 26, 1945, was all agog with word the arrival of Allied forces in Japan had been delayed by a typhoon raging in Tokyo Bay.

The Americans, British and Australians were getting their ducks in a row ahead of the formal Japanese surrender which took place aboard the USS Missouri on September 2.

Included in the report, almost as an afterthought, was the following paragraph:

"From Chungking comes the announcement that 6000 French troops are standing by to enter French Indo China (aka Vietnam).

"General de Gaulle in Washington said he hoped for the early restoration of French sovereignty in French Indo China which would be given a new status as soon as possible."

Alas, as Robbie Burns so poignantly observed, "the best laid schemes o' mice an' men gang aft agley, an' lea'e us nought but grief an' pain."

Agreement could not be reached over what the `new status' should be and within a short time the born-again imperialists were getting a fearful drubbing from their former subjects.

Then, when the French eventually thought better of the whole idea, packed up their baguettes and went home, the American's decided to intervene in what became the 10,000 day (27 year) war.

The history gods have a very dark sense of humour and, as had so often been the case, the cessation of one conflict simply laid the groundwork for a score of others.

Meanwhile back in Tokyo a flotilla of Australian ships under the command of Commodore John Collins and including HMAS Shropshire, HMAS Hobart, HMAS Bataan and HMAS Warramunga joined HMAS Ballarat, HMAS Cessnock and HMAS Ipswich on August 31.

General Sir Thomas Blamey signed the instrument of surrender on Australia's behalf on September 2 before departing for Morotai where he accepted the surrender of the Japanese Second Army on September 9.

As was his wont, he pulled no punches.

"I do not recognise you as an honourable and gallant foe," he said, citing treacherous attacks and countless atrocities committed against civilians and prisoners of war.

"I will enforce most rigorously all orders issued to you, so let there be no delay or hesitation in their fulfilment at your peril."