Australia's changing relations with Britain and the USA during WWII explain how and why Australia's relationship with Britain and the USA changed during WWII
British Prime Minister: Winston Churchill
Australian Prime Minister: John Curtin
Supreme Commander of Allied Forces in the Pacific: General Douglas MacArthur John Curtin (December 1941):
"We look for a solid and impregnable barrier of the Democracies against the three Axis powers, and we refuse to accept the dictum that the Pacific struggle must be treated as a subordinate segment of the general conflict. By that it is not meant that any one of the other theatres of war is of less importance than the Pacific, but that Australia asks for a concerted plan evoking the greatest strength at the Democracies' disposal, determined upon hurling Japan back. The Australian Government, therefore regards the Pacific struggle as primarily one in which the United States and Australia must have the fullest say in the direction of the Democracies' fighting plan. Without any inhibitions of any kind, I make it clear that Australia looks to America, free of any pangs as to our traditional links or kinship with the United Kingdom. We know the problems that the United Kingdom faces. We know the dangers of dispersal of strength, but we know too,that Australia can go and Britain can still hold on. We are, therefore, determined that Australia shall not go, and we shall exert all our energies towards the shaping of a plan, with the United States as its keystone, which will give to our country some confidence of being able to hold out until the tide of battle swings against the enemy."
St Ursula's College Kingsgrove
Year 9 Australian History
Topic 4 Australia and World War II
Australia's involvement in WWII
explain the reasons for Australia's involvement in WWII
identify the places where Australians fought in WWII
the experiences of Australians serving in WWII, with particular emphasis on ONE of the following:
- Kokoda or another New Guinea campaign
- prisoners of war
- a campaign in another theatre of war
- Australian nurses serving in the war
describe the experiences of Australians serving in WWII, with emphasis on the chosen studythe impact of the war on Australian civilians with a particular emphasis on ONE of the following:
- the bombing of Darwin
- the Japanese submarine attack on Sydney
- the internment of .enemy aliens.
- a significant local event or issue
explain the impact of the war on Australian civilians with a particular emphasis on the chosen event or issuewartime government controls including
- conscription
- manpower controls
- rationing
- censorship
describe the controls on civilian life imposed by the wartime governmentoutline the arguments for and against such controls in wartime
the changing roles of Australian women in WWII
describe the changing roles of women during WWII
Australia's changing relations with Britain and the USA during WWII
explain how and why Australia's relationship with Britain and the USA changed during WWII
British Prime Minister: Winston Churchill
Australian Prime Minister: John Curtin
Supreme Commander of Allied Forces in the Pacific: General Douglas MacArthur
John Curtin (December 1941):
"We look for a solid and impregnable barrier of the Democracies against the three Axis powers, and we refuse to accept the dictum that the Pacific struggle must be treated as a subordinate segment of the general conflict. By that it is not meant that any one of the other theatres of war is of less importance than the Pacific, but that Australia asks for a concerted plan evoking the greatest strength at the Democracies' disposal, determined upon hurling Japan back. The Australian Government, therefore regards the Pacific struggle as primarily one in which the United States and Australia must have the fullest say in the direction of the Democracies' fighting plan. Without any inhibitions of any kind, I make it clear that Australia looks to America, free of any pangs as to our traditional links or kinship with the United Kingdom. We know the problems that the United Kingdom faces. We know the dangers of dispersal of strength, but we know too,that Australia can go and Britain can still hold on. We are, therefore, determined that Australia shall not go, and we shall exert all our energies towards the shaping of a plan, with the United States as its keystone, which will give to our country some confidence of being able to hold out until the tide of battle swings against the enemy."