Page 63 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Australia

THE HIST OR Y OF A USTR ALIA  61

link up with the Russians. This was the
first battle in which Australian soldiers
fought as a national force and,
although a failure, they gained a rep­
utation for bravery and endurance. It
is an event that many believe deter­
mined the Australian character and
saw the real birth of Australia.

Between the Wars
During the 1920s, Australia,
boosted by the arrival of some
300,000 immigrants, entered a Celebrating the opening of Sydney Harbour Bridge
period of major development. In
1920 Qantas (Queensland and Northern city parks; swagmen (workers with their
Territory Aerial Service Ltd) was formed, possessions on their backs) appeared as men
which was to become the national airline, left cities in search of work in the country.
and made its first international flight in Prices began to increase again by 1933 and
1934. Building of the Sydney Harbour manufacturing revived. From 1934 to 1937
Bridge began in 1923 (see pp84–5). the economy improved and unemployment
Australia’s population reached 6 million in fell. The following year, however, Australia
1925, but this new optimism was not to last. again faced the prospect of war.
In 1929 Australia, along with much of the
world, went into economic decline. Prices of World War II
wool and wheat, major export earners, fell Though World War II was initially a European
dramatically. By 1931, a third of the country war, Australians again fought in defence of
was unemployed. People slept in tents in freedom and the “mother land”. However,
when Japan entered the war, Australians felt
for the first time that their national security
was at risk. In 1942 Darwin, Broome and
Townsville were bombed by the Japanese,
the first act of war on Australian soil.
The same year two Japanese midget
submarines entered Sydney Harbour.
Britain asked for more Australian troops
but for the first time they were refused: the
men were needed in the Pacific. This was a
major shift in Australian foreign policy away
Swagmen during the Great Depression from Britain and towards the USA.

1933 Western Australia
1923 1932 Sydney produces a referendum 1939–45 Australia takes
Vegemite first Harbour Bridge in favour of secession part in World War II
produced opens from Britain, but 1941 Australian War Memorial
parliament rejects it
Jar of Vegemite opens in Canberra
1925 1930 1935 1940 1945
1927 First federal 1929 The Great Depression 1948 Holden is
parliament held hits Australia, bringing First Australian car the first
in Canberra in temporary great hardship car produced
Parliament House 1928 Royal Flying that is entirely
Doctor service starts made in Australia