'Man of the hour', 1943 - asset 3

Transcript of the commentary

Quickly, John Curtin built up our fighting forces, from a poorly armed 431,000, to 820,000 men, fully equipped with modern weapons. When Curtin assumed government, Australia lacked even one modern fighting plane or torpedo bomber. Without delay, he gave effect to the policy he had voiced for years and built up our air force into a mighty weapon of aggressive war. Then, realising that the mother country was herself fighting with her back to the wall, John Curtin called on the great United States to share with Australia the deadly battle for the south-west Pacific.

 © Copyright Curriculum Corporation and education.au limited, 2006, except where indicated under Acknowledgements | Conditions of use (This item contains non-TLF content.)
 © Reproduced courtesy of John Curtin Prime Ministerial Library