John Curtin, Leading Australia in the Pacific War 1941

1914, in Europe, Africa and the Middle-East, there was a great conflict that was believed to end all wars. This was not the case. In Germany, September 1939, Adolf Hitler invaded Poland initiating World War 2 in Europe. Wars spread throughout the world. In the Pacific the War was from 1941-1945. Australia, America and Britain all fought together against the Japanese. During the War, Australia was going through very difficult times, people were confused and did not know what to do, until the Australian Prime Minister made huge and great decisions that helped Australia get through the War in the Pacific. The Australian Prime Minister at the time was John Curtin. John Curtin’s decisions were excellent and efficient during the Pacific World War. Curtin made decisions about Foreign Policies, Australian defenses and society.

One decision that made a huge impact on Australia was the foreign policies. This helped Australia greatly when they were at their most valuable moment. John Curtin spoke in parliament house stating“Without any inhibitions of any kind, I make it quite clear that Australia looks to America, free of any pangs as to our traditional links or kinship with the United Kingdom. We know the problems that the United Kingdom faces…but we know too, that Australia can go and Britain can still hold on.” (Trevanion, E. 2011) The choice to turn to neighboring countries was an excellent decision made by John Curtin. Curtin sent word out to America that Australia needed to be defended because of the startlingly low number of military protecting his home turf. He also made a decision to bring back his troops from the Middle East. His decision to bring back the Australian soldiers to their homeland made UK and Australia go into a conflicting argument. “As the victorious Japanese forces moved southwards, Curtins disputes with Churchill intensified; there were heated exchanges when Churchill sought to divert the Australian divisions returning from the Middle East to Burma.” (Australian War Memorial, 2013).

Winston Churchill, the Prime Minister of Britain, insisted that the Australian military should be sent to Burma because of the thought he had of the Japanese invading and bombing Burma and India. Having the Japanese Bombing Burma and India would aid Germany in their forces and make the War cause more havoc throughout the world. Churchill tried to assure that Britain would come and assist Australia if they get an attack from Japan. Curtin refused his offer, knowing that he couldn’t depend on the British army. “Curtin insisted on their return to Australia. After the fall of Singapore he warned that the battle for Australia was beginning.

The Japanese bombed Darwin just four days later.” (Australian War Memorial, 2013). The decision that John Curtin made to bring back the Australian soldiers had an exceptional outcome, making Australia stronger, before the Japanese bombed the Capital city of Australia’s Northern Territory, Darwin, in 1942. The decision to divert the Australian military and ignore Winston Churchill’s proposals and also looking to the USA for defence in Australia was one of the greatest and outstanding decisions John Curtin made while being the Prime Minster. His Decision were very efficient and excellent during the Pacific World War.