Preview

World War 2 made a significant impact on Australia and its people

Good Essays
Open Document
Open Document
833 Words
Grammar
Grammar
Plagiarism
Plagiarism
Writing
Writing
Score
Score
World War 2 made a significant impact on Australia and its people
World War 2 made a significant impact on Australia and its people. It opened the eyes of society and made Australian people realise where they fit into the global view of the world. Although much of the history of WW2 revolved around politics, diplomats, military and naval battles, it touched all Australian lives. Some of the important issues in World war Two were the woman 's contribution in the war, government changes to the economy and the foreign policy in the war. These are the topics this essay will be discussing.

When war was declared in 1939, Australia realised she was at war too since Great Britain had declared war on Germany. Four months later the first convoy set off with 20 000 army volunteers. As the war progressed it was evident that more and more men were needed for combat overseas and the male jobs back home needed to be taken over. There was a serious need to bring women into the labour force, the government encouraged women to take over the male jobs. Some people could not come to terms with this. Women from all over Australia took over agriculture/farming jobs, became mechanics and entered factories by the thousands. In July 1942 the women 's land army was created. Over 3000 women joined the land army and worked on farms grazing cattle, harvesting crops and doing the normal farming jobs. Before WW2 society thought that a woman could never be capable of doing a man 's job, but world war2 started to change the views of society. Although women were engaged in exactly the same jobs as men, they were still paid almost half of what men got and it was not until the 1970 's that women 's contribution in WW2 was even recognised. When WW2 ended women were expected to return to their daily duties of being mothers and good wives. Some women were happy to go back to living the way they did before but on the other hand some women realised that they ere capable of performing these jobs and wanted to stay, of course that was not allowed. Women played a

You May Also Find These Documents Helpful

  • Powerful Essays

    Australian women during World War One had an incredibly important role to play when it came to the supporting roles that arose during the war. Although women were still discouraged from working in roles that were typically seen as ‘male’ roles they still contributed to the war in many ways by joining groups such as the ‘…Australian Red Cross, the Country Women's Association, the Women's Christian Temperance Union, the Australian Women's National League, the Voluntary Aid Detachment, the Australian Comforts Fund and the Cheer-Up Society.’ (AusGov 2015) Which were all very important groups supporting both efforts at home and the overseas territories Australian forces were fighting in during the War. Women who accompanied the men to the fronts of war as nurses helped to bolster the health of the Australian armies and its allies exponentially as without them many of the men that fell as casualties would not have recovered from their ailments and returned home to their families and would have instead become another dead soldier among the millions that perished during those wartime years. As well as their roles as nurses, women also helped to create more clothing for both soldiers and civilians alike, helped to produce food and fundraise, as well as continue to care for and look after the children within the country. This importance that women held throughout the war helped to unify the women of Australia and also helped to increase awareness of their capability both to themselves, as well as to the men of Australia, helping to improve women’s rights and broaden the range and types of jobs that it was now possible for them to attain in the future. This shows even in today’s society as now…

    • 1481 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Good Essays

    By early 1916, recruiting in Australia had raised sufficient troops to replace the ANZAC losses. The Australian Imperial Force in Egypt was expanded to four divisions before being transferred to the Western Front, with a fifth division raised in Australia.…

    • 636 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    This is the second post promised analysing why Australia entered the Vietnam War. American readers should be warned that because it looks primarily at the domestic political scene in Australia at the time, it does as a consequence refer to characters and events which most of you will not be aware of. However, I have included a short preface, attempting to identify most of the major players and the themes which ran behind the scenes in Australian society.…

    • 7337 Words
    • 30 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    The Second World War greatly impacted the lives and everyday roles of Australian women from 1939 onwards. Women’s roles changed greatly and this had an impact on how society saw women in the workforce. During the war, women were encouraged to get a job as this was considered joining in on the war effort. Women were able to fill positions they had not been allowed to apply for, as they were previously thought to be male jobs. During the war, there was a major increase the amount of women in the workforce and armed forces. World War Two marked a significant change in the way women were seen in the workforce and completely changed the social and gender structure of the labour force.…

    • 262 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Good Essays

    At the outbreak of the Second World War, Australia as a nation was still very closely tied to the British. Therefore when war was finally declared after a period of appeasement, Australia’s Prime Minister Robert Menzies of the United Australia Party, made his famous Melancholy Duty speech, committing Australia to the war effort. However as the war waged on, and when Winston Churchill’s promised support was most needed, they weren’t there. It was America that showed up to help save our proud nation, leading to disillusionment in Britain’s supposed benevolent power and a turn to the USA for help.…

    • 713 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Many of the Australian social groups significantly contributed to the war effort from 1939-1945. The contributions came from many of the groups, however the following four groups equally provided the most assistance to the victory. The first input came from the Australian government, through conscription. Moreover, male soldiers who fought in the war and those who stayed at home due to disability or other impediments also contributed to the effort. Finally, women who worked as nurses caring for the wounded and those who stayed home were vital to the triumph in the war.…

    • 1139 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Australian women entered the workforce in unprecedented numbers as men left their occupations to serve in the war, and many new defined ‘masculine’ occupations suddenly became open to women. Women were recruited into jobs, including: manufacturing weapons and ammunition, building trucks, tanks and airplanes and operating tractors and other large engines (Roles for women in WWII, 2014). Women also stepped up into agricultural jobs; with many women volunteering for a force called the Australian Women’s Land Army that was established in 1942, that proved to be very useful in the war effort and essential in keeping up the food supply in Australia. The aim of this body was to replace male farm workers involved in military work, with female workers, most of whom were unskilled in farm work. Each branch of the armed services also formed their own auxiliary corps for women.…

    • 1056 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Due to involvement in World War 2, 1942-1943 were times of considerable social changes in Australia. With the men all off fighting in the war, women's roles changed to fill the places left by men. Wartime controls as well as the American Forces arriving in Australia and the introduction of the National Security Act by the Menzies Government also had an impact on life in Australian society.…

    • 1005 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Australia After Ww2

    • 647 Words
    • 3 Pages

    After WW2, Australia felt that the population was too small to defend itself in case of another event. It also felt that Australia needed an economic boost and an increase in the population was the way to do so. In a speech to parliament in 1944, Immigration Minister Arthur Calwell expresses the need for migrants; “…Only by filling this land can we establish a title to hold it” (House of Representatives, Debates, 1944, vol. HR177, p.935). The Chifley Labor government’s aim in the late 1940s was to attract British migrants to Australia with free passage or “assisted migration”. So the government used advertisements to go after the British in the 1950’s by using positive images such as “sunshine and smiles” to attract more citizens. The idea of owning your own home and living in a laid-back, liberal community appealed to some and so the government assisted the migrants in coming to Australia by providing them with accommodation, work and support. Yet the propaganda of “sunshine, salesmen and subsidies...” did not attract the numbers of British migrants needed to achieve the goals set, and so the Australian government broadened its migration policy to other areas of Europe.…

    • 647 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    The Fall of Singapore

    • 1207 Words
    • 4 Pages

    World War II is widely regarded as the largest global conflict ever, with more than 100 million people being directly involved and with an estimated number of fatalities between 50 and 85 million. The Second World War not only tested the military power of many countries, but more importantly the relationships and cooperation between these nations. For Australia, a relatively new country, this was only their third military engagement and a chance to prove their loyalty to Britain and the Empire. However, for Australia, war brought the distinct possibility of breaking such formalities between countries, and in the Pacific no battle would test Australia’s relationship with Britain more than Singapore. The Allied defeat at Singapore in 1942 changed the relations between Australia and Britain to a substantial extent, in an era when Britain’s imperialistic rule of Australia was still present. The repercussions of the result of this battle signified an historic change in Australia’s relationship with Britain due to Australia’s decision to ally itself with the United States (US). The resulting decline of British influence in Australia was an outcome, as well as Australia’s loss of trust and loyalty in Britain.…

    • 1207 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Women in Role Ww 2

    • 1219 Words
    • 5 Pages

    Life for women during WW2 was bittersweet. Their loved ones were at war, yet they discovered they were able to hold down men's job. This changed their outlook on life and also made themselves and other people realise that they could confidently take on the roles of men; that their part was not just in the home. This change in attitude was brought on in the war and after it they didn't want to go back to being housekeepers after working for so long.The types of work that women did during the war included factory jobs - maintenance work and ship building, in the armed forces - clerical work and transport, nursing and work on the land. Before the war the only jobs women had were teaching and nursing which were both very sheltered. The factory jobs etc made them stronger and more assertive, and after all this experience they did not…

    • 1219 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    The Impact of the Vietnam War On Vietnam Veterans and their Families And the Impact of the Australian Culture…

    • 687 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    The women were encouraged to take many parts in the war effort from joining the Army or Navy to taking the men’s old jobs. They did the same work (maybe sometimes more) as the men for less pay than the men used to get. The women also had to deal with feeding their families on rations as food was limited. They had to make very little last a long time which was difficult when they were working very hard as…

    • 631 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Women in the 1920's

    • 495 Words
    • 2 Pages

    Before World War II no one believed women had a place in the military, yet women overcame this and helped the United States reach victory. Women felt they needed and wanted to get involved in the war instead of sitting at home, taking care of the children, cooking dinner, and cleaning the house. Women joined military support organizations like the WACs, the WAVES and the WASPs. These kinds of organizations contributed immensely toward the United States war effort. Women felt that if men could serve in the war, they could, too. Women relieved men of certain jobs so the men could go fight in the war. Women worked hard and took the men’s places, but they could not fight or get close to battle. Women’s roles in the war changed society, and lasted long after the United States declared victory.…

    • 495 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Best Essays

    Bibliography: Greenwood G & Grimshaw C. (eds) ‘Documents on Australian International Affairs, 1901-1918’ in HIST 329:Australia and the World: An International History, Resource Book 2008, Armidale, University of New England, 2008, pp 11-27.…

    • 3387 Words
    • 14 Pages
    Best Essays

Related Topics