Home Fronts at War. Robert Lewis Tim Gurry. The Australian Experience of War in World War 1, World War 2, and the Vietnam War. Evidence and Activities

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1 Home Fronts at War The Australian Experience of War in World War 1, World War 2, and the Vietnam War Evidence and Activities Robert Lewis Tim Gurry ANZAC Day Commemoration Committee of Queensland

2 Home Fronts at War The Australian Experience of War in World War 1, World War 2, and the Vietnam War Evidence and Activities Robert Lewis Tim Gurry ISBN X 2001 ANZAC Day Commemoration Committee of Queensland PO Box 391 Aspley Qld 4034 Phone and Fax (07) Website and Ryebuck Media Pty Ltd 31 Station Street Malvern Victoria 3144 Phone (03) Fax (03) Website Designed by Polar Design Pty Ltd, Melbourne Printed by Impact Printing Pty Ltd, Melbourne All efforts have been made to find copyright ownership of materials used in this publication. Any contraventions are accidental and will be redressed. For any copyright matters please contact Ryebuck Media Pty Ltd.

3 Contents To the teacher 3 Introductory activity 1 Evidence of war in the community 6 Introductory activity 2 Change and continuity 8 World War 1 An overview of the war Investigation 1 Establishing the values of a society 11 Investigation 2 Propaganda, patriotism, dissent and disbelief 14 Investigation 3 Women s role and status 17 Investigation 4 Government and economy 21 Investigation 5 Conscription 23 Investigation 6 National identity 26 Investigation 7 Legacies of the war 30 World War 2 An overview of the war Investigation 1 Establishing the values of a society 36 Investigation 2 Propaganda, patriotism, dissent and disloyalty 38 Investigation 3 Everyday life 44 Investigation 4 Women and war 48 Investigation 5 Government and economy 54 Investigation 6 Conscription 56 Investigation 7 Indigenous Australians 59 Investigation 8 National identity 61 Investigation 9 Legacies of the war 63 Vietnam War Forming hypotheses Investigation 1 War and memory 69 Investigation 2 Why was Australia involved 72 Investigation 3 Did Australians support the war? 77 Investigation 4 Did Australians support conscription? 79 Investigation 5 Who protested during the war? 81 Investigation 6 What were the legacies of the war? 84 2

4 To the teacher This is the third volume in a set which helps students explore the experiences of Australians in wars during the twentieth century, through evidence and special classroom activities. War has been one of the most significant forces shaping Australian identity in the twentieth century. The involvement of servicemen and servicewomen in combat has been explored in two books in this series: The ANZAC Experience, looking at the Australian soldiers experience of World War 1, and War and Identity, covering experiences from World War 2 to Peacekeeping in the 21st century. But war also involves those who do not fight. Their role, and the impact of the combat situation on them, is also an important part of the shaping of identity. Home Fronts at War has been developed for the ANZAC Day Commemoration Committee of Queensland to help students investigate and appreciate the involvement and impacts of war on civilian Australians in its three greatest wars: World War 1, World War 2 and Vietnam. It has been developed for practical classroom use, and has been developed with an awareness of the realities of the history classroom in mind. The sets of activities have been constructed particularly around the requirements of the Queensland Studies of Society and and History syllabi, but teachers will recognise where the book fits their own particular curriculum (see the curriculum guide on page 4). They will be able to identify the student outcomes which are a major focus of all the activities, and will be readily able to adapt the materials in the book for use in their own classrooms. All three volomes in the series have been sent free of charge to Queenland secondary schools. Copies are available for purchase from the ANZAC Day Commemoration Committee of Queensland or Ryebuck Media. See the appropriate website for ordering details. Critical social inquiry One of the main areas of focus of any modern curriculum document is the area of critical social inquiry. This book enables students to analyse and evaluate the ideas and values they are investigating. But it does so by trying to provide a sound basis in factual knowledge, and an awareness of the values and attitudes of the men and women who inhabited that place and time. Inquiry basically means finding out by working out. So an inquiry approach would involve these processes: Stages of Inquiry Identifying an issue or problem for investigation What is the problem? Defining the issue What do we need to know about it? Coming up with hypotheses What do we think we will find? Gathering information What can we find out about it? Where? Analysing and critically evaluating information What does this information mean? Can we rely on it? Is it accurate? Does it tell us the full story? Coming to conclusions What can we conclude from it? Testing conclusions Do we still come to the same conclusions from any other evidence we find? Communicating findings Telling others about our findings Participating in further activites Knowing where to go and who to speak to for information The materials in this book are specifically designed to support and develop this inquiry, or investigative approach. Curriculum guidelines and student outcomes Some key learning outcomes in the Queensland SOSE 1-10 and History syllabi are: 3

5 Syllabus QLD Level 6 SOSE HISTORY Outcomes Students: Evaluate evidence from the past to demonstrate how such accounts reflect the culture in which they were constructed Collaboratively identify the values underlying contributions by diverse individuals and groups in Australian or Asian environments Produce a corroborated argument concerning causes of a change or continuity in environments, media or gender roles Develop criteria-based judgements about the ethical behaviour of people in the past Share with students in other settings issues associated with the relative pace of change in their local environment Evaluate evidence of the ways in which their personal histories and the histories of others have been constructed Produce or perform an account that links their own histories with those of others Evaluate the effectiveness of progressive actions from the past to recommend particular actions for the future Make judgements based on records and peer-generated criteria to evaluate achievement of personal goals in a project Apply their knowledge and understanding of the past to reveal the assumptions and beliefs underlying a contemporary policy such as immigration Establish dialogue with students in other settings concerning the relative pace of change in their local environment and investigate possible causes Identify and articulate various social groups perspectives on the key values, critically analysing how key values of Australian society have endured and changed over time Evaluate the effectiveness of progressive actions from the past to recommend particular actions for the future Make judgements based on records and peer-generated criteria to evaluate achievement of personal goals in a project about change The key SOSE/HSIE Key Learning Area curriculum documents in other States and Territories where these ideas and outcomes can be located are: Document Key Learning Area Strand Level ACT Curriculum Frameworks Studies of Society and Time, Continuity and Change High School Band (7 10) NSW Human Society and its History History Stage 5 NT Learning Area Statement Social Education Time, Continuity and Change Level 7-8 and Outcomes Profile for Studies of Society and SA Curriculum Standards Studies of Society and Time, Continuity and Change Standard 5 and Accountability Framework Tas Curriculum and Studies of Society and Time, Continuity and Change Level 7-8 Standards Framework Vic Curriculum & Standards Studies of Society and History Level 6 Framework 2000 Economy and Society WA Outcomes and Standards Society and Time, Continuity and Change Level 6 8 Framework 4

6 Using the resource in the classroom Suggested questions and activities which are generally appropriate for years 9 10 have been included in the booklet, but teachers may choose to ignore or modify these to suit their own needs. The materials can be used from years 8 to 12, depending on the way in which the teacher chooses to present them. The materials are designed as self-contained worksheet exercises, and can be used singly, or in any combination, or as a whole unit, again depending on each teacher s own needs. The main aim of the book is to provide practical classroom exercises and materials which will develop students know-ledge and understanding of, and skill in being able to investigate and report on, the themes set out below. Key Themes Grid WW1 WW2 VIETNAM Establishing the X X X values of the society Patriotism, propaganda X X X and dissent Women s role X X and status Everyday life X National identity X X X Government X X Economy X X Conscription X X X Indigenous people X X People and memory X X Legacies X X X The ANZAC Day Commemoration Committee web site The investigations in this book are supplemented and enriched by materials on the ANZAC Day Commemoration Committee of Queensland web site Complementary exercises on this web site associated with home fronts include: Advice on interviewing people about their Home Front experience Home Front online World War 1 Home Front online World War 2 Home Front online Vietnam War Some myths and misunderstandings about the Vietnam War Other useful web sites Australian War Memorial Department of Veterans Affairs Vietnam Veterans Association of Australia Civics and citizenship education We believe that citizenship involves a knowledge and understanding of significant aspects of our national heritage. At the end of the process of investigating the Australians experience of wars, we want students to know what happened, to understand why it happened, and to choose for themselves on the basis of this informed platform where the legacy of the past fits their society today. We believe that the Australian war experience is an important part of Australia s history and culture, that it is worthy of continued commemoration and celebration, but in an informed and understanding way. We hope that this book will help to achieve that outcome among modern students throughout Australia. 5