[Editor: This article, regarding a speech made by John Curtin on Tuesday 26 January (Australia Day) 1943, during the Second World War (1939-1945), was published in The Argus (Melbourne, Vic.), 27 January 1943. A link to a related article in the same issue of The Argus has been included in the Editor’s notes.]
Danger of too late and too little
PM’s plea to USA on Pacific War
Canberra, Tues: in a strong plea for greater Allied support in the SW Pacific area, Mr Curtin, Prime Minister, said in his Australia Day broadcast to USA and Australia last night that greater air and naval strength in that theatre would have an immediate and significant impact on Japanese plans.
He warned free men everywhere of the Japanese menace in the Pacific because of “too late, too little” on the part of nations opposed to Japan. Time was now fighting on Japan’s side and against USA; too much was not good enough when it was too late. The SW Pacific area was too crucial to be left to a force of caretakers.
Mr Curtin paid a glowing tribute to Australian soldiers, sailors, and airmen for their deeds in all parts of the world, and said that the quality of the Australian people was unmatched. It was necessary to show that we were far from being helpless, inefficient moaners. Mr Curtin said significantly that President Roosevelt and Mr Churchill both knew the Australian point of view, which was no insular submission.
“My words are directed to the people of Australia and also to the people of USA,” Mr Curtin said. “Australia is the oldest continent with the youngest civilisation in the world. It is a land under the grim shadow of war.
“This Australia is the bulwark of civilisation south of the Equator. It is the rampart of freedom against barbarism in a part of the world in which the whole of the world has a vital stake. Australia has been a constant contributor always to the very maximum of its resources to the cause of liberty in the far-flung fighting fronts of the world. With the single exception of the Atlantic Ocean every major sea and ocean in the world is the graveyard of an Australian warship lost in the present war, and Australian ships have served and will continue to serve in the Atlantic.”
The broadcast was made over a network of Australian national and commercial stations and over a US network. The broadcast was also made available to the BBC. The combined British, American, and Australian network establishes a record for radio coverage by an Australian Prime Minister.
Australia’s Fighting Record: Page 3.
Source:
The Argus (Melbourne, Vic.), 27 January 1943, p. 1
Editor’s notes:
This article refers to another article, published in the same issue of The Argus, where it says “Australia’s Fighting Record: Page 3”. That related article has been included on this site.
See: USA told of our fighting record: PM says Australia has paid the price The Argus (Melbourne, Vic.), 27 January 1943, p. 3
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