Quote:
Originally Posted by maple_leaf_eh
He called the Australian forces Eurocentric, which even in 2006 or 07 when the piece was published, must have been an uncomfortable statement. The origins evidently were the Army was expected to reinforce the Empire, not necessarily look after itself.
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That is probably a very correct statement for not only the Australian Army in 1939-40, but also the Department of Defence, and the Government as a whole. The population and the economy were committed to "do our bit" to support the British Empire.
However, attitudes changed markedly in 1942, and by the 1943-45 period that this thesis covers the view had turned 180 degrees to one of "forget the British Empire" and look wholly to the South West Pacific Area and the defence of Australia, even though by that time the specific threat to Australia had receeded. From 1943 on, the Australian Army was not part of the Empire War Effort, although the RAAF and RAN continued to be a major contribution.