Holly Williams reports on how U.S. Marines are training alongside their Australian and Japanese allies in an exercise that's part of the U.S. military's expansion in Asia, an effort to prevent war by deterring China from military aggression.

Shoalwater Bay

U.S. Marines, alongside Australian and Japanese troops, took part in a major training exercise in Shoalwater Bay, Australia. The drill involved over 2,000 personnel and simulated combat scenarios, including raids and coordinated maneuvers across a vast area.

The exercise is part of the U.S. military's broader strategy to expand its presence in Asia and reinforce alliances. Commanders emphasized the importance of building strong relationships among allied forces, particularly amid concerns about regional security and the potential for conflict involving China. The U.S. military presence in Australia is currently at its highest level since 1945.

U.S. Marines train with Australian and Japanese troops

We flew across the Australian outback with a platoon of U.S. Marines in a pair of Ospreys. We landed in enemy territory and the Marines fought their way forward through the forest to stage a raid. This is just an exercise, more than 500 U.S. Marines training alongside their Australian and Japanese allies, over 2,000 troops in total across an area bigger than Maryland. A group of Australians role play the enemy combatants. This exercise is part of the U.S. military's expansion in Asia, an effort to prevent war by deterring China from military aggression. The Australian commander here is Brigadier Ben McLennan. Every time you commit to an exercise like this, it is a rehearsal and you treat it as if it's your last opportunity to do so before war arrives. What kind of a war? A rehearsal for a war, the likes of which we haven't seen since the second world war. China's President Xi Jinping is thought to have ordered his military to be ready to invade the island of Taiwan by 2027 if necessary, raising fears of a conflict that could draw in the U.S. Australia is around 2,500 miles south of China, a so-called unsinkable aircraft carrier. The U.S. military presence here is now at its biggest since 1945. Major Nick Faust, the Marine commander, told us his men are building personal connections with America's allied forces. Forging those relationships is crucial. If it ever came to war, they'd be just vital. Whether it is war, or whether it is a crisis or contingency, we're just building relationships. The U.S. Marines were victorious in this exercise. America's alliances in this region have perhaps never been more important.

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