Australia is at War

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‘Australia is at War’ is a primary source from the year 1939 and is a speech by renowned Prime Minister Robert Gordon Menzies (1894 – 1978). This speech was delivered at the beginning of World War II declaring Australia’s participation and assistance to its “Mother Land”, Great Britain. World War II was developed and initiated by the infamous Adolf Hitler, a notorious German leader and the head of the Nazis. German’s invasion of Poland initiated Great Britain’s move towards force rather than their original approach of negotiations and peace, as stated in Prime Minister Menzies’ speech, “they [Great Britain] have kept the door of negotiations open; they have given no cause for provocation.” So the purpose of this source, Menzies speech, which was broadcasted on national radio, was to inform Australia of the drastic measures that were to be taken against Germany in the defence for their Mother Land. As Australia had only pronounced federation a mere thirty-eight years earlier, Great Britain was still referred to as the “Mother Land”, as it was still greatly depended upon it, concluding that when Great Britain had declared war upon Germany, as a result, Australia too was also at war. From Australia’s contribution to Great Britain began the rise of varies army reinforcement groups such as AIF (the Australian Imperial Force), RAAF (Royal Australian Air Force), RAN (Royal Australian Navy) and many more.

Prime Minister Menzies announced this speech to the whole of Australia on a radio broadcast to enlighten the nation of the beginning of World War II, Australia’s involvement and the circumstances surrounding this catastrophe that affected the whole of the world. Robert Menzies was born on 20th of December 1894 in Victoria, Australia a...

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...peech ‘Australia is at War’ spoken by Prime Minister Robert Menzies at the outbreak of World War II in 1939 is a trustworthy and accurate primary source. The national announcement broadcasted by Menzies himself was addressing Australia of their forces uniting and aiding Great Britain in their war against Hitler and Germany. Justifiable historians and authors such as Joan Beaumont, Allen Martin and Christopher Waters’ work corroborates with the contents and purpose of Robert Menzies speech to display its accurateness and reliability.

Works Cited

Beaumont, Joan. Australia's War 1939-45. Sydney: Southwood Press, 1996.

Martin, Allen William. Robert Menzies: A Life. Melbourne: Melbourne University Press, 1993.

Waters, Christopher. "The Menzies Government and the Grand Alliance During 1939." Australian Journal of Polotocs and History 56.4 (2012): 560-573.

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