Despite levels of volunteers for the armed services, the impact and force of the Second World War forced the Curtin government to introduce limited conscription for overseas service. Labor was traditionally strongly opposed to the idea of conscription. Curtin, himself, was previously jailed for his anti-conscription protests. There was a long standing agreement where the volunteers of the Australian Imperial Force served overseas whilst the volunteers of the Militia were restricted to Australia. The pressures of Japanese aggression and conflict were situated outside of Australia, such as New Guinea.
This Bill allowed a substantial increase in Australian soldiers in parts of Borneo, the Solomon Islands, New Guinea and the Dutch East Indies. This Bill created a strong change in domestic policy. Even to the party members and the Australian public that opposed the Bill, realised that the impact of World War Two required conscription for Australia’s protection and survival as a nation.
The Second World War’s social impact on Australia was not initially evident. With the outbreak of the war, the attitude amongst Australian’s had not altered dramatically – business trade continued as usual, people were very much focused on their recreational activities on a Saturday afternoon, going to the cinema was considered a weekly activity and dances were a social highlight. It had been noted that Australians “were dancing their way to victory.” Even with the threat of Japanese invasion the reality was that, geographically, Australia was thousands of miles away from the physicality of the war, which can work to justify the Australian attitude towards the war. However, when London was bombed in 1940, the reality of civilian air attack was evident and Australians began to come to the frightening realisation of war. Australia’s attitude to war changed and they supported London by pouring money into funds, sending more troops abroad and sending food and supplies to London.
It was considered that if the “home front was fighting as well as the battle front…side by side we will win this war.” In order to support the war effort, dramatic changes were made to Australians everyday life. The war influenced the growth in Commonwealth power. The Curtin government used this power to alter their domestic policies to control the lives and activities of everyday Australians to organise the nation for a total war effort. Through the recognition of Japanese aggression, the Curtin government used its wartime power to control economic activity. The war years saw the introduction of austerity – going without, wasting nothing and living simply. These measures required by austerity were introduced by the Curtin Government in 1942 and had great impact on the social and economical lives of Australians.
Regulations were placed on many daily activities, with alcohol consumption restricted in the theory that too much drinking decreased the country’s effectiveness. Gambling, women wearing makeup and silk stockings were banned, and there were even strong regulations on Christmas decorations and Christmas gifts. The idea of luxury was not apparent in the austerity years – however all people had to make a sacrifice, and were encouraged to invest money in war loans and those who refused were often ridiculed. Many of these measures were not popular – as people resented the restriction of their normal freedoms. This self sacrifice allowed concentration of effort in essential war-related industries.
As part of the austerity measures, the Manpower Directorate was set up in January 1942. The Manpower Directorate helped, to a large extent, to stimulate economic activity. It controlled all matters relating to manpower resources and had the authority to direct labour wherever it was required. The industry jobs that were related to supporting the war were considered essential jobs. The people in the essential jobs manufactured items that related to the war, such as; weapons, medical supplies and machine tools. Those who worked in non-essential industries, such as luxury items, were forced to leave and move to the manufacturing of essential items. The manufacturing of non-essential goods was banned, including; toys, bath-heaters, swimsuits and various confectionaries. This concentration on industries directly related to the war, allowed Australia to amplify the war effort on the home front. Through this policy, the secondary industry was stimulated. With Australia’s isolation and difficulty in obtaining international goods in the war; a greater number of goods had to be manufactured, causing Australia to become self-sufficient.
The Manpower directorate had a strong impact on wage earners. The government’s determination to support the war effort saw an increase in employment opportunities for many Australians which provided increased wages. Within this economic change employment and wages were not only increased as the Curtin government furthered its Commonwealth powers to introduce price controls and heavier taxes. The Uniform Tax Scheme implemented tight controls on prices, wages and taxes. Thus, with this government policy, the increased wage was not as idyllic as once perceived. These controls on wages and prices were announced by Curtin on 11 February 1942 as an act to ensure that there was an equality of sacrifice that was not evident in World War One.
The role of women also affected the economic activity of Australia. The government encouraged women to enter the workforce – due to the absence of men and the inability for many industries to perpetuate. The introduction of women into the workforce was one of the greatest social changes influenced by the impact of the war. The idea of married mothers in the workforce was opposed by many people with the idea that the care of children would be negatively affected. The government introduced a new policy granting childcare facilities for women and working hours that would provide sufficient time in the home. Women moved into agricultural industries, secondary industries and occupations previously reserved for men, such as bank tellers. By the end of the war, one in three women under the age of 65 years of age, were in the workforce. The impact of the war saw the beginning of a large influx of women into the workforce. This was a great influence upon the Australian economy, as the economy was maintained in the war years. Despite society’s recognition and level of approval made by women in entering the workforce, they still generally only earned 57 per cent of the average male wage. However, despite the amazing efforts contributed by women for the war effort, the women were blamed for many of the social complications influenced by the war. Social effects during the war included, neglected children, juvenile crime and increasing divorce rate.
With the manufacturing of war materials – many resources and services were diverted from their usual purposes. With this diversion, there was a lack of general food and commodities in the Australian community. The impact of the war forced the introduction of rationing, another government domestic policy used to control economic activity.
There was a strong restriction of commodities during the years of austerity. There were many restrictions upon clothing – such as belts could be no wider than 2 inches, and wide sleeves were banned to save cloth. Clothing became plain and simplified during the war, with ‘Victory Garments’ manufactured for both men and women. These garments used less material and machines to produced, thus created a level of ‘victory’ by creating a saving that would contribute positively to the war effort. People, who previously produced clothes, were now working in factories manufacturing war goods. Thus, there was a lack of people to manufacture clothing. The introduction of rationing was another measure employed to ensure an equality of sacrifice. The social feeling amongst Australians towards rationing was strong. Many Australians felt that they lived an extremely difficult life in this time. An ex- Prisoner of War noted that his local butcher said to him on arrival, “Jeez, mate. We had it tough. They even rationed tea!” The social impact of rationing influenced by World War Two created social discomfort and general hardship.
The impact of the Second World War is evident in the introduction of strict regulations, however daily life was considered extremely tough despite these regulations. There were many tactics and preparations employed to defer Japanese hostility and prevent total war – where civilians are also attacked. Work began on public and private air-raid shelters and trenches were dug in public parks and backyards. There were regular air raid practices “On the sounding of the air-raid warning you must immediately take cover”. Schools were regularly interrupted for air raid practices. Strict blackout restrictions were placed on communities near the coast. Australian homes and cities were to be blacked-out at nighttime to prevent any Japanese aircraft being able to see, and eventually bomb, any communities or houses. Schools near the coast were moved inland. In Australian cites, shop windows were removed to reduce the damage of an attack and flags were banned from government buildings – to reduce the chance of being bombed in an air attack.
The impact of the Second World War saw a change in social attitude. Many men and women volunteered for services that were vital for Australia’s protection in the event of total war. The influence of the war created a general knowledge that Australia’s existence as a nation was at stake. The National Emergency Services had over 300,000 male and female volunteers. These people were trained in various fields – fire fighting, first aid and air craft spotting. A Volunteer Defence Corps was established in May 1941 and was part of the Australian Military Forces. 80,000 people volunteered for these Corps and they were trained in various army activities.
The role of women in society was impacted and influenced strongly by World War Two. Women worked in many areas supporting the war effort. For the women who did not enlist or volunteer for any services and remained at home, their domestic job was altered by the years of austerity. It was these women who helped to maintain the austerity – by altering the food requirements and creating substitutes for things like soft drinks and ice-cream. The women also employed techniques to prolong the durability of clothing to take pressure off of clothing manufacturers. However, despite the need for women in the home, there was a greater desire amongst women to serve in the armed forces. There was an initial reluctance to women in the armed forces, but after Menzies’ visit to Britain in 1940, he saw the contribution women were making to the war effort and supported the introduction of women into the forces.
1941 brought about a social change in Australia, influenced by the Second World War, as women were able to join the armed forces. Throughout the duration of the war 66, 500 women served in the armed forces. Three vital women’s organisations were established; the Women’s Auxiliary Australia Air Force, the Australian Women’s Army Service, and the Women’s Royal Australian Naval Service. The duties that these organisations carried out were essential to the war effort, on the fighting front and the home front. They worked in clerical areas, transport and mechanical repairs and signals and communications. These organisations were bound to Australian soil and were not allowed to work overseas – only female nurses permitted to do work internationally.
Many women also volunteered themselves to unpaid work with the Australian Red Cross. The women provided items for the soldiers through charity and they volunteered for jobs to prevent and protect Australia from attack. Many women worked as air-raid wardens, in the area of first-aid and provided hospitality for Australian and American servicemen. The evidence between the Australian men and women volunteering for various organisations helps to show the supportive morale of Australian’s on the home front, influenced by the impact of the war.
During the years of the war effort, the government increased their power over censorship. Censorship was used for a number of reasons, including withholding military information that could be of use to the enemy. Censorship was enforced on press, radio and film, to perpetuate public morale and support for the war. The morale of the Australian people was low in 1942 and the constant information of raids and attacks reduced this morale even lower. In order to avoid this, the information about the war was altered when told to the Australian people. For example, when Darwin was bombed official reports were capable to undermine public morale. The official reports were tainted with and the public received reports of fewer casualties, minimal damage and low level of panic from Japanese raid.
This type of censorship was resented by press and the public – as they could not trust the information supplied by the government. Military news that was extremely detrimental to the Australian forces, in many cases, would not be reported at all. The use of censorship extended to soldiers letters and posters warning against the dangers of gossip. It also worked to produce a particular image of the enemy – with regular images of Japanese extreme brutality used to portray their, supposed, racial inferiority. Even the government policy of censorship was not appreciated by a majority of Australians. On a social level censorship helped to maintain the war effort. The people were not exposed to particular events in the war, until many years after the war was over – when it became public knowledge.
The panic and frantic emotions that were evident throughout Australian society were evident until the clear idea of victory by the Allied forces and the danger of invasion was gone. In 1943 and 1944 people began to resist and resent government control on daily lives for the war effort. Curtin’s death in 1945, just one and a half months before the end of the war paved the way for postwar-reconstruction under Prime Minster Joseph Benedict Chifley.
The First World War brought the idea of nationalism to Australia; however it was the impact of the Second World War that tested Australia’s strength as a nation. Over 540,000 Australians served in the Second World War, with approximately 33,826 died in battle or from war wounds. However, it is the disruption and major changes to Australian society and the economical and political arenas that give an insight to the extent of the impact of the Second World War upon Australia. Women gained more distinctive positions in society, through venturing into employment. Through the introduction of women, the economy’s activity was maintained during the war and various social services were introduced. The unity of Australians on the home front allowed Australia to achieve a maximum war effort. The impact of the war challenged the illusion of unlimited protection from Britain. This change in vision created a strong relationship with America. Through the impact of the war, Australia was forced to confront reality and make the political, social and economical decisions that influence the nation she is today.
Bibliography
Text Books
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Bereson, Itiel - Decades of Change – Australia in the 1940s,
Binara Publishing, 2000
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Darlington, Robert - Lands of Hopes and Illusions
Pearson Education Australia, 1997
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Lock, Graeme – A Revision Guide for T.E.E. History
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Clark, Manning & Hooper, Meredith – History of Australia
Scholastic Australia Pty Ltd, 1995
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Mason, KJ – Experience of a Nationhood
McGraw-Hill Australia Pty Ltd, 2002
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Dennis, Lionel – Australia Since 1890
Pearson Education Australia, 2004
Websites
Researched: - Australia and World War Two
- John Curtin (source of picture one)
- http://worldatwar.net/timeline/australia/18-48.html
Videos
- WORLD WAR TWO: THE HOME FRONT
- WORLD WAR TWO: AT WAR
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AUSTRALIANS AT WAR – Episode 3
- Episode 4
