1. society
2. unrest and war

5
Australia and
World War II
INQUIRY QUE S T ION S
Why was Australia involved in
World War II?
What were some of the
experiences of Australians as
a result of their involvement in
the war?
What was the impact of the war
on the Australian home front?
How did Australia’s
relationship with Britain and
the United States change during
World War II?
The Great War of 1914–18
was called the ‘war to end all
wars’. The extent of killing
and destruction led people
to hope that there would
be no such war again. Yet
only 20 years later, in 1939,
another world war broke out.
As well as being fought in
Europe, the regions of Africa,
Asia and the Pacific were also
at war.
By the time World War II
ended in 1945, it had cost the
lives of 19 million soldiers
and 37 million civilians
worldwide, and 6 million Jews
had been exterminated by
the Nazis.
A photograph from December 1939 showing
women and children farewelling an Australian
troop ship carrying the Advance Party of the
6th Division AIF to service overseas
AWM 000304/01
5.1 Europe’s path to war
During the 1930s two major problems faced the world:
sõ the economic crisis that swept the world after the Wall Street Crash (see chapter 4)
sõ the attempts by Germany, Italy and Japan (which became known as the Axis powers)
to expand their territory.
Rise of fascism
reparations: money
which has to be paid as
compensation for doing
something wrong
SOURCE 5.1
Some of the ways
hyperinflation affected
ordinary Germans
After World War I (1914–18), Germany had to accept the blame for starting the war.
Some parts of Germany were given to other countries, and Germany had to pay Britain
and France reparations. The amount of money Germany was required to pay caused
economic difficulties. During the 1920s in Germany, prices rose at a very fast rate (known
as hyperinflation) and the Germans’ standard of living fell. Money became worthless.
An item that cost 70 German marks to buy in 1921 required 4200 million marks to buy in
1923 and people’s savings were quickly used up buying basic items of food.
As soon as I received my salary I rushed out to buy the daily necessities. My daily salary, as
editor of the periodical Soziale Praxis, was just enough to buy one loaf of bread and a small
piece of cheese and some oatmeal . . .
An acquaintance of mine, a clergyman, came to Berlin from a suburb with his monthly
salary to buy a pair of shoes for his baby; [by the time he arrived at the shop] he could buy
only a cup of coffee.
Dr Frieda Wunderlich, quoted in Bry, Wages in Germany 1871–1945, Princeton, 1960.
SOURCE QUESTIONS
1 Identify the effects of hyperinflation that are described in source 5.1.
2 If you were living in Berlin during this time, would it be better to be paid daily, weekly, fortnightly
or monthly? Explain your answer.
3 Suggest ways in which people living in Germany in 1923 might have been able to obtain basic
everyday food items.
fascism: a political ideology
that individuals should
serve the state, which
should be governed by a
strong leader who embodies
the national will
communism: a political
system where the
government controls the
nation’s wealth and where
private ownership is
very limited
In Italy from 1919, a political movement known as fascism grew under the leadership
of Benito Mussolini. It subsequently spread to Germany, Portugal and Spain. Fascism
was characterised by:
sõ control by one man who was supported by most people
sõ the use of force to overcome any opposition
sõ a belief in the superiority of one’s own nation
sõ opposition to communism
sõ a desire to expand territory.
In the early 1920s, Adolf Hitler made his first attempt to gain power in Germany. When
he was unsuccessful, he turned to fascist methods to encourage people to support him.
Between 1930 and 1932 unemployment in Germany rose from 3 million to more
than 6 million and those who had jobs worked for low wages. Hitler promised a better,
stronger and more prosperous Germany. Most Germans remembered what had
happened in the 1920s and Hitler gave people a sense of hope and pride in their country.
Hitler became popular because he:
sõ said he would create more jobs and make people better off financially
sõ said he would restore Germany’s greatness
sõ promised to reunite all German-speaking people into one country
sõ blamed the Jews and communists for all Germany’s problems
sõ was a skilful public speaker
sõ organised large rallies to promote his ideas
sõ used violence against those who opposed him.
In 1933, Hitler became Germany’s leader and his Nazi party (National Socialist) took
over control of Germany.
CHAPTER 5
| Australia and World War II
163
2
SOURCE 5.2 A modern artist’s
impression of the groups who showed
their support for Hitler at Nazi Party rallies
3
5
1
4
1 Hitler saw himself
as a symbol of
Germany. He tried at all
times to appear casual
yet powerful — both
as a statesman and a
leader.
2 Propaganda
posters contained
the ‘simple imagery’
that Hitler craved. He
understood the power
of simple images and
ideas.
SOURCE 5.3
An extract from
Hitler’s first speech
to his generals,
3 February 1933
3 Hitler blamed
Jews for many
of the problems
facing Germany
after the war, and
incited violence
against them.
4 By the mid 1930s, six out
of every ten young German
people had joined Hitler
Youth. They were deluged
with Nazi Party ideology,
particularly anti-Semitism
(anti-Jewish views).
5 Hitler promised to take care of the
workers and farmers, and to return the
middle class to good fortune and peace. It
seemed to them that Hitler, more than any
other politician, had the ability to erase the
damage done by the war and its aftermath.
The crowds saluted him as a sign of respect.
How should political power be used when it has been gained? . . . Perhaps fighting for new
export possibilities — and probably better — the conquest of new living space in the east and
its ruthless Germanization . . .
SOURCE QUESTIONS
1 How does Hitler believe that Germany should extend its territory?
2 Why would this method appeal to the German generals?
3 The source is based on notes made by one of the generals during the speech. How reliable do
you think the notes are as a source of information about Hitler’s aims?
Appeasement
appeasement: the name
given to the policy that
Britain and France pursued
towards Germany from the
mid-1930s until 1939; their
intention was to give in to
some of Hitler’s demands in
the hope of avoiding war
Treaty of Versailles: the
peace treaty that ended
World War I and forced
Germany to accept the
blame for starting the war
164
Retroactive 2
In the years leading up to the outbreak of World War II, Britain and France followed
a policy of appeasement towards Hitler. This meant that they usually gave in to his
demands in the hope that war could be avoided. Neither Britain nor France was
prepared for a war in the 1930s, mainly because of the economic crisis in each country.
However, a more important reason for appeasement was that people still believed that
World War I had been the war to end all wars and they didn’t want to fight again. Most
believed that Germany was poorly treated at the Treaty of Versailles. Some believed
that there was even some justification for what Hitler was doing. Others believed that
because Hitler was opposed to communism he should be supported and trusted.
When Italy invaded Abyssinia, Britain and France showed a lack of strong action
against Mussolini. However, it was Germany’s involvement in the Spanish Civil War that
showed that Germany, led by Adolf Hitler, was the greatest threat to European peace.
In 1936, General Franco, a Spanish fascist, led a military revolt against
Spain’s republican government. In this civil war, over half a million people
died. Both Hitler and Mussolini supplied Franco with troops, bombers and transport aircraft. In all,
50 000 Italian and 10 000 German troops went to Spain. Hitler used the war to train his men, and
the Luftwaffe (German airforce) pilots perfected their dive-bombing technique.
SOURCE 5.4
‘The Awful Warning’,
a cartoonist’s view of
Britain and France’s
response to Italy’s
invasion of Abyssinia in
1935 (from Punch, 1935)
SOURCE QUESTIONS
1 Identify the country each figure in
source 5.4 represents.
2 In your own words, explain the
© Punch Limited
point the cartoonist is making.
3 How reliable are cartoons as
evidence of what people thought
was happening and what was really
happening?
THE AWFUL WARNING
FRANCE & ENGLAND
(together?)
SOURCE 5.5
A photograph
of a woman in
Czechoslovakia
reacting to the
German occupation
of her country
‘WE DON’T WANT YOU TO FIGHT.
BUT BY JINGO, IF YOU DO,
WE SHALL PROBABLY ISSUE A JOINT MEMORANDUM
SUGGESTING A MILD DISAPPROVAL OF YOU.’
The appeasement policy resulted
in Germany gaining control of first
Austria and then, at the Munich
Conference, Czechoslovakia,
with the support of Great Britain
and France. Hitler’s claim for
lebensraum (living space) for all
German-speaking people meant
that his next goal was to take part
of Poland. This time Great Britain
guaranteed Polish autonomy
(the right to govern itself), in the
belief that Hitler’s ambitions had
been satisfied after the Munich
Conference. On 1 September
1939, Germany invaded Poland.
Britain and France declared war
on Germany and World War II had
begun. Britain and France now
realised that Hitler wanted only one
thing — complete control of Europe.
SOURCE QUESTIONS
1 Describe how you think this
woman is feeling about the German
occupation of her country.
2 Photographs are usually
considered accurate evidence for
what has happened in the past.
What questions would you need to
ask before accepting this source
as reliable?
CHAPTER 5
| Australia and World War II
165
SOURCE 5.6
A map of Europe, North
Africa and the Middle
East in the 1930s
SWEDEN
NORTH
E S TO N I A
SEA
UNITED DENMARK
KINGDOM
0
1000 km
500
L AT V I A
L I T H UA N I A
East Prussia
NETHERLANDS
BELGIUM GERMANY
N
U N I O N O F S OV I E T
SOCIALIST REPUBLICS
POLAND
LUX.
FRANCE
S PA I N
ROMANIA
I TA LY Y U G O S L AV I A
BULGARIA
N
PORTUGAL
IA
SP
CA E A
S
C Z E C H O S L OVA K I A
AUSTRIA
H U N G A RY
SWITZERLAND
BLACK SEA
IRAN
ALBANIA
GREECE
ALGERIA
M
MOROCCO
ED
German conquests 17 March
T U N1938
ISIA
to September 1939
Sicily
IT
ER
RA
SYRIA
Crete
NE
AN
I R AQ
Damascus
SEA
Italian conquests October 1935
to April 1939
Soviet advance into Poland
September 1939
TURKEY
Tobruk
L I B YA
To Abyssinia
(Ethiopia)
PA L E S T I N E
Suez
Canal
EGYPT
T R A N S J O R DA N
S AU D I A R A B I A
Australia becomes involved
SOURCE 5.7
Part of Prime Minister
Menzies’ announcement
of Australia’s entry into
World War II
Shortly after Britain declared war on Germany on 3 September 1939, the Australian
Prime Minister, Robert Menzies, announced that Australia was also at war. He did so in a
radio broadcast and didn’t ask the Australian Parliament first.
There were many Australians who believed that the war did not concern Australia and
that we shouldn’t become involved. In 1938 the Australian Labor Party had even decided
to oppose Australian involvement in any overseas conflicts. The reasons for this were
varied. Some believed that Britain was no longer the mother country, partly because of
the way Britain treated Australia during the Great Depression (see chapter 4). Others
didn’t want Australians to be involved in conditions that the soldiers had endured in
World War I. However, Prime Minister Menzies was pro-British and most Australians
supported him in his belief that Australia should support Britain.
Fellow Australians. It is my melancholy duty to inform you
officially that, in consequence of the persistence by Germany
in her invasion of Poland, Great Britain has declared war upon
her, and that, as a result, Australia is also at war . . .
It may be taken that Hitler’s ambition is not to unite all the
German people under one rule, but to bring under that rule
as many countries as can be subdued by force. If this is to go
on, there can be no security in Europe and no peace for the
world.
A halt has been called. Force has had to be resorted to, to
check force. The right of independent people to live their own
lives, honest dealing, the peaceful settlement of differences,
the honoring of international obligations — all these things
are at stake.
There was never any doubt as to where Great Britain stood in regard to them. There can be
no doubt that where Great Britain stands, there stands the people of the entire British world.
Advertiser, Adelaide, 4 September 1939.
166
Retroactive 2
SOURCE QUESTIONS
1 Identify the three most
important reasons
Menzies gives for
Australia’s entry
into the war against
Germany.
2 What does source 5.7
reveal about Australia’s
relations with Britain
in 1939?
SOURCE 5.8
An Australian newspaper
account of the start of
war in Europe
NAZIS START WAR
BRITAIN, FRANCE
MOBILISE:
POLES SEEK AID
Australian Associated Press
LONDON, Friday.–Britain and France
to-day ordered a general mobilisation
following the German invasion of Poland.
The King signed an order for a general call-up
after the Privy Council had met this morning for
12 minutes.
$3ROLVKRIÀFLDOVRXUFHLQIRUPHG8QLWHG
Press that Poland has invoked the military
alliance with Britain and has asked her aid.
The French Premier conferred with the
First
French war leaders. Subsequently Cabinet
GHFLGHGWRSXWPHQLQWKHÀHOG
German troops, converging on three
fronts, have crossed all Polish frontiers.
Polish sources say that the Polish Army is
falling back slowly on previously-prepared
SRVLWLRQVLQ8SSHU6LOHVLD
The Polish Embassy reports that many
lives, including women and children, were
lost in air raids on Warsaw. The British
Embassy at Warsaw, however, reports that
there had been no bombings there today.
Other Crisis News on Inside Pages
King George VI
News of Fighting
THE CABLE MESSAGE which announced the beginning of hostilities
between Germany and Poland. It came from an American source.
SOURCE QUESTIONS
1 Which country is blamed for starting World War II in source 5.8?
2 Who is the person shown on the front page of the newspaper and which country did he rule?
3 How does this source support the view that Australia had a close relationship with Britain when
the war started?
ACTIVITIES
Outline means give a brief
description or summary
of the main features
of something.
CHECK YOUR UNDERSTANDING
1 Using the text, identify the European countries that had fascist governments in 1939.
2 Outline how Hitler became Germany’s leader.
3 Explain why Britain and France followed a policy of appeasement towards Germany.
4 Identify reasons that the Spanish Civil War was important for the fascists.
5 Explain why Germany’s invasion of Poland started World War II.
6 Identify reasons for Australia’s involvement in the war.
CHAPTER 5
| Australia and World War II
167
5.2 Japan — a new enemy
colonies: countries which
are part of an empire but
lack independence
SOURCE 5.9
Extracts from Japanese
documents indicating
how Japan saw its role in
East Asia after 1938
In the Asia–Pacific region Japan was an independent, nationalistic and militarily
powerful country in comparison to most other Asian countries. These other countries
were either colonies of European powers or closely allied to them. However, Japan
had few natural resources of its own and relied on imports of oil and raw materials,
mainly from China and the United States, for its industry.
Although Japan had supported Britain in World War I, the 1922 Washington
Conference had limited Japan’s territorial gains after the war and reduced Japan’s
influence in China. The Japanese began to resent the European powers’ interference
in its attempts to become a major industrial world power. During the 1930s the
Japanese government introduced a new policy designed to create a ‘new order’ in Asia
and began to expand its empire southwards.
Statement of the Japanese government, 3 November 1938:
What Japan seeks is the establishment of a new order which will ensure the permanent stability
of East Asia. In this lies the ultimate purpose of our present military campaign . . . Its object is
to ensure international justice, to protect the joint defence against Communism, and to create a
new culture and realize a close economic cohesion throughout East Asia . . .
Japanese government document outlining limits of the New Order, 4 September 1940:
Japan’s sphere of living for the construction of a greater East Asia New Order will comprise:
the former German islands under mandate, French Indochina and Pacific islands, Thailand,
British Malaya, British Borneo, Dutch East Indies, Burma, Australia, New Zealand, India etc.
with Japan, Manchuria and China as the backbone.
The Japanese response to the United States immediately before Pearl Harbor:
Obviously it is the intention of the American Government to conspire with Great Britain . . .
to obstruct Japan’s efforts towards the establishment of peace through the creation of a new
order in East Asia . . .
Extracts cited in Sarah Harris, The Second World War, Dryad Press, London, 1989, pp. 47, 49 and 52.
SOURCE QUESTIONS
1 According to source 5.9, what was the purpose of Japan’s ‘new order’?
2 Identify the European countries that had colonies in the Asia–Pacific region
3 What evidence does source 5.9 provide to support the view that Japan was a threat to Australia
in the 1930s?
They’re coming south
sanctions: penalties or
bans imposed on a country
to try to make it change its
behaviour or policy
168
Retroactive 2
For most of the 1920s China was involved in a civil war but, as the Nationalist
government became stronger, Japan became concerned about its access to China’s
resources and decided to take control of the country. In 1931, Japanese troops
deliberately blew up part of an important railway line in Manchuria and blamed the
Chinese. As a result Manchuria was invaded and occupied by the Japanese.
The next step was the invasion of China. In 1937, Japan captured the important
Chinese city of Nanking and massacred over 42 000 Chinese civilians in cruel and
barbaric ways. Although Great Britain, France and the United States criticised the
Japanese actions, they provided only limited support for the Chinese and Japan
continued its conquest of China.
In 1940, after the outbreak of war in Europe, the United States finally imposed
sanctions on Japan in an attempt to force the Japanese to withdraw from China.
All exports of iron, steel and fuel to Japan were banned. Many historians consider
these sanctions to be the direct cause of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor a year
later.