Australians_Wartime_Leaders

Australians Wartime Leaders Australians Wartime Leaders: Robert Menzies: Robert Menzies was Australia’s longest serving Prime Minister and was elected in 1939, he headed the United Party until he resigned and started the Liberal Party. Robert Menzies committed Australia to war in Late 1939. After this speech Australians weren’t as encouraged to join the war effort because of their experience with WW1. Australia struggled to make the necessary 20,000 troops. Menzies didn’t introduce conscription because he believed that the many campaigns would help make the required amount of soldiers that he had promised to Britain. (10,000). this group of men were called the 6th Division. . The Menzies government were the first to introduce rationing which was used because of the shortages and lack of many needed raw materials. In 1939 the Menzies government also passed the National Security Act. This gave the government more power over the people allowing them to imprison the perceived internal “threats” such as German and Italian born citizens In 1947 Menzies opposed the banning of the communism party but 2 years later he had changed his mind. This is due to the widespread fear of communism in Australia. John Curtin: John Curtin was one of Australia’s Prime Ministers during both world wars. australia, curtin, menzies, john, war, government, because, troops, prime, party, introduced, act, 1939, winston, sent, robert, rationing, outside, one, needed, necessary, minister, make, just, japanese, items, introduce, home, during, due, division, communism, churchill, believed, australia’s