Cohesion and division in Australia during World War 2 Essay

Unlike the First World fightfare which stimulated large social divisions within party everywhere conflicting issues, Australias involve workforcet in the Second World fight served to create a sense of gluiness rather than division. in that respect was a sense of guinea pig symmetry to provide back for Britain at the beginning of the contend and as the threat of a Nipponese invasion plus, so did this sense of superstar. but as the war progressed, Australia became more nonsymbiotic from Britain and was prepared to act in its ware got interests to protect Australia. The general sense of cohesion was challenged by dissentious elements such as the treatment of aliens, growing in federal situation and the presence of the United States and Americans in Australia. However the inspiring leadership of derriere Curtin, world perception towards the war and the influence of authorities propaganda created stronger cohesion and unity despite the divisive factors. Australias initial involvement in the war was referable to a sense of loyalty to Great Britain as a member of the British Empire.Therefore when Great Britain declared war upon Ger numerous on September 1st 1939, so too would Australia two days later. bread and butter Britain in the war was viewed as Australias melancholy affair and although it helped Australias deliverance and provided jobs for more as well as uniting many patriots including former and current soldiers, it also caused divisions in domain opinion in regards to the war, especially those concerning gulp and resister to the war. These members of night club believed that the war was constitutionally wrong. numerous of these divisive opinions were only present during the phoney war period when Australia was not directly jeopardise by the war. However the fall and occupation of capital of capital of Singapore by the Japanese in 1942 as well as the bankruptcy of the Singapore Strategy, coupled with the bombing of Darwin des troyed any meaning(a) opposition towards the war and was a major turning point for Australia.The fall of Singapore and the threat of the Japanese invasion showed Australia the reality of the war and silenced many of the voices which previously spoke out against it voices which now recognised the necessity of draught and the war motion in order to defend Australia. Prior to the war, thither was a constant debate and split opinions over the issue of conscription in the government. The new threat of theJapanese enabled deception Curtin to convince the diverse government parties, along with the majority of Australias population to accept check conscription with an ease that would have been impossible during the First World War in order to defend Australia against the direct threat of the Yellow let out. Curtins moderation and leadership served to unite Australians in a trend which previous governments had failed in this time of crisis It is now hammer and fight as we have never worked and fought before.- flush toilet Curtin 1942.The threat of the Japanese also helped Australia fetch how isolated it was in the pacific region and the marginal extent of Britains capacity to defend it given their preoccupation with the war in Europe. Curtin therefore decided that Australia wanted to place its own safety and defence first, position Curtin at loggerheads with Churchill. Churchill wanted Australian soldiers to continue fighting in the war but Curtin insisted on their return to Australia, succeeding after much immunity from Churchill. Australia took one step further and accepted the Statute of Westminster Adoption dissemble in 1942 which enabled them to adopt their own foreign policy. Australia would then rely intemperately on America instead of Britain because of how more readily equipped they were to plentifulness with the development tensions in the pacific region, resulting in a strained kindred between Great Britain and Australia. However this new al liance with America would cause strains and divisions in Australian indian lodge as the American presence increase in Australia.Australias new dependence on America resulted in a large influx of American soldiers to Australia and objet dart Australian society was initially accepting and welcoming of their unorthodox culture, behaviours and morals, this quickly turned to discourtesy and created an unsavoury relationship between Australians and Americans whom they saw as being a bad influence on the women and youth of Australia. Australians regarded Americans as being, overpaid, oversexed and over-here. However, while this had the possibility to cause influential divides in society, Australians realised the necessity for the American presence in their country and the security they had provided, overruling any irritation matte towards them. The Australian war effort in the pacific regions had also served to adjoin and fuel the Anzac legend creating a national sense of pridefulnes s and unity during the war.Australias involvement in the Second World War indeed served to create a more independent Australia, in charge of its ownpolicies and decisions in foreign affairs, creating cohesion within society. Along with the American presence, Australias treatment of aliens also had the potential to cause considerable divisions. When war broke out, many foreigners, mostly Germans, and other dangerous persons were made to prove their individuation and placed under strict rules which they had to adhere to in order to make up in Australia. However it was not the government, but the Australian opinion towards foreigners which threatened social divide. Come 1939 and the War, Australia still had a strong racist lead and there was widespread unease and hostility towards many foreigners. The groups most render to this racism were German Jews, others escaping the Nazi regime and Asian immigrants. Australians did not assertion them and questioned their motives.Distinctio ns were eventually made between refugee aliens and enemy foreigners but their reaction to the reach of foreigners in their country threatened the cohesion and peace in society by creating a divide between immigrants and Australians. Australias involvement in the war also affected the economy domestically with the need for ration being introduced, as well as an increased female work force. As the war progressed, the governments control on the activity of Australians increased as the demands for the war increased. Queues began to form for commodities and shortages began to develop. The amount of fuel to be consumed by the public and business were also stringently controlled and the rationing of household commodities would begin in 1942. However Curtin and his government believed that the effects of the rationing would only serve to increase the resolve and discipline of Australians during this period of conflict, uniting them to work in concert as a nation to overcome these difficult ies, deepening the cohesion within society and encouraging a more thorough commitment to the war effort.The slap-up challenge today is to each individual not to the other gallant to forget self and order his or her life for the welfare of the nation. John Curtin However there were some divisive elements to the rationing as forbidding market goods such as liquor and other luxury goods flourished. a couple of(prenominal) Australians did not frequent the black market and to the trade union movement this fuelled their belief that sacrifices were not being made equally. Despite this, there was an boilers suit sense of unity through the rationing as Australians banded together to overcome the tumultuous times. The increased female work force was due tothe ever growing amount of men being drafted into the military, creating vacant positions in various industries, with thousands working in factories making munitions. Others joined the Womens reduce Army which aided in overcoming se rious labour shortages around the nation. These women compete an important role in agriculture and other industries, allowing many men to be available for active service.The presence of the women at work showed a strong team-spirit in Australia to work together to support the nation creating a strong sense of cohesion. There was also possible division over the issue of the national government being granted more former to control the affairs of the nation. The demands of the war would affect every sector of the economy and it became necessary for the government to take more control with the most significant change being the taxes. In order to fund the war, the Federal government had to impose various taxes which would have been unheard of during times of peace. The number of tax haveers increased considerably from 800 000 to two million, which meant people with extremely low incomes were required to pay taxes.However the surprising part of this change was the lack of opposition to it. chthonian the National Security Act of 1939, the government was allowed to pass regulations without the government which allowed them to have significant control over Australian industry and the activities of Australians during the war. In practice circumstances there would be great resentment and resistance to the Federal governments increase in power but because of the war, Australians understood the unavoidable need for such a step to be taken. There was a growing public sense of the Federal governments importance and in this way it created an expanding sense of national identity with the Federal parliament become an important symbol of national unity. Therefore any divisions caused by the increase in power were merely superficial and insignificant when compared to the cohesion created because of it. governing body propaganda also played a vital role in creating cohesion within Australias society during the war. Groups which opposed the war effort were censor such as Co mmunists and Jehovah Witnesses in order to convince the public of the necessity for war.The internment of people of certain nationalities also helped to quash anti-war views. There were also many anti-Japanese and anti-German campaigns and posters. Such censorship and propaganda served to unite the public to support the governments war effort, exploiting the patriotic nature of Australians andsense of duty in order to garner support. Finally, Australias overall sense of unity and cohesion can be credited to the immense work of John Curtin during his tenure as Prime Minister of Australia during the Second World War. His determination and inspirational leadership were the driving factors behind Australias war effort and the transition made from being Britains subordinate to becoming an independent nation.His changes in foreign policy and decision to bring the troops dental plate united Australians and provided them with a new sense of identity and pride and he quickly gained support from a united nation. Australias involvement in the Second World War was a journey filled with many potentially divisive elements. However they were lastly outweighed by the more sticking ones. Australia was united through a sense of patriotism and national pride to support the war that was unseen during the First World War. The fear of the Japanese invasion created a more independent nation with a stronger outside(a) presence. The war also sparked the beginning for an influx of refugees into Australia, transforming it into a more multicultural nation. Australias involvement in the Second World War ultimately resulted in unifying Australians with a new and dynamic national identity.