What effect did WW2 have on Australian Identity?

Question

Help greatly appreciated. Thanks.

Answer 1

Beginning as a bit of a re-run of WW1, Australia entered the war with the UK and sent troops to Europe as they had previously. Australian troops fought with distinction in North Africa, but were defeated despite fighting well in Greece and Crete... the Germans were very skilled and a formidable enemy.

However, Japanese aggression became more obvious and threatening in 1940-41. Australia was fearful of the 'yellow peril', as a small and weak 'European' country. Churchill was determined to use Australian (as well as other Commonwealth) troops to serve his ends- the preservation of Britain. In mid-1941 the Australian government demanded the British take the 9th Australian Division out of Tobruk- the unit had to be kept 'in being' and could not be allowed to be captured, in case it was needed to fight Japan.

The Japanese attack in December 1941 was not a surprise, except in its exact timing. With France and Holland, who owned Indochina (Vietnam) and Dutch East Indies (Indonesia), captured, the anti-Japanese position in Asia looked bad. The Japanese captured Malaya and Singapore quickly, in large part because Churchill weakened them to provided troops, planes, naval units and skilled leaders for elsewhere (even sending tanks to Russia rather than Singapore). Singapore was regarded as very strong (though forget the myths about 'impenetrable' and 'the guns pointing out to sea'- these were just stories for the public and senior commanders had other problems.

So Australia's identity, previously entirely 'British', was threatened because Britain was in no position to help Australia, and in fact Churchill tried very hard to undermine Australia to help Britain. This resulted in a very sudden and complete embrace of the United States, as the only country that could save Australia from Japan- whom European Australia would have feared with great terror even if they didn't happen to actually be a barbaric, rapacious and thoroughly evil people at this time (due to the hijack of their government by military psychopaths and a gutless, nasty little 'emperor').

After ww1 Australia saw itself as having done excellent service to the British empire- it showed itself to be loyal and selfless. After WW2, Australia had saved itself without British help, but this was only possible thanks to America. We became America's satellite/ally, while our relationship with Britain became historic/cultural, but less political and military.

Answer 2

Interesting question.

In WW II Australia realised that Britain could not be trusted to defend it, and looked to USA as its powerful ally. In that sense the war marked the movement away from looking to Britain for cultural influences and replacing Britain with USA. It was the de facto end of the Empire for Australians.

Answer 3

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