Australia and Lend-Lease

[Lang]

Mike

I believe that particular cancellation was the result of the war nearing an end and an operational decision that no more were needed, not a part of the after-conflict tidy up.

Far from the Americans being generous or the Australians honoring their LL orders, I have read that the Americans REQUIRED the contracts to be completed post-war to avoid American industry having the rug pulled out from under them as they transferred to peacetime production. The wording in the treaty also seems to indicate the outstanding orders were binding.

There are many records of brand new equipment rolling off the line to be instantly scrapped or added to the vast American foreign aid of the period (not because they were generous but to keep their industries going in the change-over period)

The treaty is very clear that American goods owned by Australia may never be sold in USA solely to protect their industry and vice-versa.

Of course there would have been many orders between Australia and American manufacturers not part of Lend Lease on a commercial basis, and in-house trading such as between GM USA/Canada and GMH, that well could have been cancelled.

Lang