key topics

• Treaty of Versailles


  • Imposed heavy reparations on Germany ($33 billion)
  • Germany lost territory and had military restrictions imposed
  • The War Guilt Clause blamed Germany for WWI, causing national humiliation
• The Treaty of Versailles created conditions of economic hardship and national humiliation in Germany, leading to widespread discontent and the rise of extremist political movements
• Reasons for Hitler's Rise to Power

  • Economic Instability: Great Depression (1929) led to massive unemployment and economic despair
  • Political Instability: Weimar Republic seen as weak and unable to solve Germany's problems
  • Propaganda and Charisma: Hitler's oratory skills and propaganda campaign appealed to national pride and economic recovery
  • Fear of Communism: The rise of communism scared the middle and upper classes, who turned to Hitler for stability
  • Use of Violence: The SA (Stormtroopers) intimidated opponents and created chaos that the Nazis could promise to end
• Hitler's promises to restore Germany's economy, military, and national pride resonated with many Germans, leading to his appointment as Chancellor in 1933
• Japanese Nationalism and Expansion

  • Japan lacked natural resources and sought to secure them through expansion
  • Belief in Japanese superiority and destiny to lead Asia
  • The Japanese military had significant control over government policies
• Expansionist policies led to conflicts with Western powers, particularly the United States
• Japan attacked the US Pacific Fleet at Pearl Harbour, Hawaii


  December 7, 1941
• The attack led to the United States' entry into World War II, marking the beginning of the Pacific War
• British forces in Singapore surrendered to Japan

  February 15, 1942
• Singapore Strategy


  • British defence strategy relying on naval supremacy and the fortress of Singapore to protect its Asian territories
  • Inadequate land defences and underestimation of Japanese capabilities led to the swift fall of Singapore
• The fall of Singapore highlighted the need for Australia to develop its own defence capabilities and re-evaluate its reliance on British protection
• Australia's Changing Foreign Policy

  • The fall of Singapore and Japanese threats highlighted the need for new alliances
  • Perceived inadequacy of British support
  • Formation of the ANZUS Treaty (1951) solidified US-Australia military cooperation
  • Marked a pivot from reliance on Britain to a strategic partnership with the United States
• Why Australia Needed Migrants After WWII

  • Rebuild the economy and infrastructure
  • Increase population for defence purposes ("Populate or Perish")
  • Labour shortages in various industries
• Populate or Perish


  A policy emphasising the need for a larger population to ensure Australia's security and economic prosperity
• 10 Pound Poms


  British citizens were encouraged to migrate to Australia with subsidised passage
• Assisted Migration


  Financial and logistical support for immigrants from Europe and other regions
• Experiences of Migrants


  • Discrimination: Many migrants faced xenophobia and racism from the local population
  • Assimilation: Government policies aimed to integrate migrants into Australian society, often at the expense of their cultural identities
• Adolf Hitler


  Leader of Nazi Germany, instigator of World War II, and orchestrator of the Holocaust
• Winston Churchill


  Prime Minister of the United Kingdom during most of World War II
• Robert Menzies


  Prime Minister of Australia before and after WWII (1939-1941, 1949-1966)
• John Curtin


  Prime Minister of Australia during much of WWII (1941-1945)
• Emperor Hirohito


  Emperor of Japan during World War II
• Hideki Tojo


  Prime Minister of Japan during much of WWII
• Franklin D. Roosevelt


  President of the United States during most of WWII
• Harry Truman


  President of the United States after FDR, from 1945-1953
• Charles Perkins


  Aboriginal activist and leader of the Freedom Ride in Australia
• Eddie Mabo


  Indigenous Australian activist
• Vincent Lingiari


  Gurindji elder and leader of the Wave Hill Walk off
• Day of Mourning (1938)


  • Protest by Indigenous Australians on Australia Day, calling for civil rights and equality
• Freedom Ride (1965)


  • A bus tour led by Charles Perkins to expose racism and poor living conditions in rural NSW
• 1967 Referendum


  • Over 90% of Australians voted to amend the constitution to include Aboriginal people in the census and allow federal laws for Indigenous Australians
• Wave Hill Walk off

  • Protest by Gurindji workers for better wages and land rights
• Native Title (Mabo Decision, 1992)


  • High Court decision recognizing Indigenous land rights
• Stolen Generation


  • Refers to Aboriginal children forcibly removed from their families by Australian government policies
• The Apology (2008)


  • Formal apology by Prime Minister Kevin Rudd to the Stolen Generations
• Uluru Statement from the Heart (2017)

  • A call for constitutional recognition and the establishment of a First Nations Voice to Parliament