How and why WWII affected the Australian homefront
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WWII had a great impact on the Australian home front, even more so than WWI-even though more people were killed in WWI the war was right at Australia's doorstep, threatening the country and it's people. Australia was scared and frightened with no one to help them, even though Australia was doing as much as it could that still didn't cut it. People we dirty, tired and fearful because not enough war materials were being made and any day the Japanese could come and invade the country at it's most vulnerable moment- this did not change for many years.
Australia was affected in many ways, both small and big, but I believe that these situations developed the type of nation Australia would turn out to be in present society.
Strict rationing was introduced and it was widely supported as it meant that everyone got an equal share of essential goods whether they be rich or poor. Because of the war, imports were cut off to Australia, meaning that during the war we got a limited supply of essential (and non-essential) items that we could only get from overseas or items that Australia did not produce enough of. Even though there was not enough to go around, the Australians made do with what they had, the people understood the reason behind rationing and wanted to contribute to the war efforts in any way possible.
When the situation became even more perilous, the Commonwealth Government needed to adapt the law and make it into more of a communism than a democracy just for the time span of the war. People usually accepted the government powers dominating over their lives as the people wanted to contribute as much as they could to the war effort. This changed people's lives, for example, key munition workers were prohibited from changing professions and many others were encouraged to work where needed...