Trailblazing women went to work on farms across Australia as members of the Australian Women's Land Army, as so many men were away fighting in WWII.
The Land Girls, as they became known, filled the gaps and changed the way women were viewed.
During World War II hundreds of thousands of Aussie men and women went away to serve in Europe, North Africa, the Middle East and closer to home in the Pacific. We find out more about Australia's role in the war and the fighting that happened right on our doorstep.
In January 1940, the British government introduced food rationing. Basic foodstuffs such as sugar, meat and cheese were restricted and food was bought using ration books. What was it actually like for the people who lived through it?
Australian households changed a lot in the 1940s — mainly because of World War II. Young men were heading off to Europe to fight, while the women of the household moved into the workforce. Annabel Crabb steps back in time to explore the impact this had on families.
During the Second World War Australians at home did not suffer the miseries and privations that many civilian populations in other parts of the world had to endure, but the war did have a profound impact on the Australian home front.
When war broke out in September 1939 the Australian Government was much better prepared for it than in 1914. As in 1914 most Australians seemed to support the decision to be involved in the war. All major political parties, churches and newspapers supported involvement. The only groups not to support the decision were pacifists such as Jehovah's Witnesses, and hard core socialists who opposed involvement because the Soviet Union opposed it.
Unlike World War I, the Second World War was waged much closer to home.
This time, they were facing an enemy in their own Pacific neighbourhood, aiming to invade the mainland. Civilians had to prepare for the invasion, and they faced years of hardships and shortages.
Rationing regulations for food and clothing were gazetted on 14 May 1942. Rationing was introduced to manage shortages and control civilian consumption. It aimed to curb inflation, reduce total consumer spending, and limit impending shortages of essential goods. The broad reasoning behind the introduction of rationing was to ensure the equitable distribution of food and clothing. It was also hoped that a cut on consumer spending would lead to an increase in savings, which in turn could be invested in war loans.