FORTIES

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1939. By year's end, most of Europe ganged up on Hitler, and a phony war had millions of men idling in trenches eating their Christmas turkeys. Back home in Oz, the drunkometer was breathlessly awaited, pigeon pies were on the nose, our military canteens were sometimes wet and sometimes dry. Nasho via a lottery was back for young men, Sinatra led his bobby-soxers, while girls of all ages swooned for crooner Bing. Wirelesses were as big as wall TVs are now.

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1942. A Jap invasion was no longer on the cards. But Chifley still went on to ration butter, clothing, and meat. Domestic service was no longer tolerated. He allowed most workers a week's holiday a year. Blackout covers on all windows could be removed. Zoot suits were now for the wearing, fights in city pubs were popular if they involved USA servicemen. Fears of Japanese invasion had gone by the year's end.

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1945. The Japs and the Germans gave up. In Oz, every Jap was hated for the next twenty years at least. The distinction between Communism and Socialism was not all the clear. The Brits were starving, and our own Bundles for Britain helped a lot. Rubber tyres for cars and bikes will be on sale next year, rationing of silk stockings will be abolished. Could the world get any better?

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1948, the Labor government tried to convince voters that war-time restrictions should stay. The concept of free medicine was introduced, but doctors (still controlled from Britain) would not co-operate. Immigration Minister Calwell would generously allow five coloured immigrants from each Asian nation to settle here every year. Such a man of great feeling. Burials on Saturday were banned.

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The Brits had military disasters in Norway, Belgium and Tobruk. German subs sank British shipping, and the Frogs stopped fighting. The Hun Blitzed London. But, against all odds, the Poms survived. In Oz, the Menzies Government rationed food, clothing, petrol, butter, sugar, smokes and shirt tails. It introduced conscription for able-bodied men, internment for Italian men, and banned pink icing on cakes.

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1943. A Jap invasion was no longer on the cards. But Chifley still went on to ration butter, clothing, and meat. Domestic service was no longer tolerated. He allowed most workers a week's holiday a year. Blackout covers on all windows could be removed. Zoot suits were now for the wearing, fights in city pubs were popular if they involved USA servicemen. Fears of Japanese invasion had gone by the year's end, and millions of people were sleeping at night

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1946, the War was over, but not rationing. The Brits were starving, war brides were coming here from Britain. TB was on the increase, and a long-term polio epidemic was just starting. War-crimes trials were catching up with villains in Europe and here. So, we found out about Sandakan. Pit whistles reduced some of us to tears, while the Aussie author of We Were the Rats was fined 10 quid.

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1949. The Reds in China could rest from their Long March, and the Reds in Australia took a battering in the pits. The rabbits ruled the paddocks, and some Churches suffered from outbreaks of dirty dancing and housie. Immigration Minister Calwell crudely enforced the White Australia Policy, so that huge crowds on the beaches were nervous about getting a tan. There was plenty of petrol for motorists in NZ and Britain, but not here, so Bob Menzies cruised to another election win over Labor.

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In Europe, Hitler made his biggest mistake in the War when he invaded Russia. Churchill sent Australian troops to the slaughter in Greece and Crete. In the Pacific, America cut off her Japan's resources by blockades. In Oz, we were shocked when the Japs bombed Pearl Harbour in December. A Pacific War started, and Hitler made his second biggest blunder by siding with Japan. Australia was shocked to be under threat.

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1944. Hitler made his biggest mistake in the War when he invaded Russia. Churchill sent Australian troops to the slaughter in Greece and Crete. In the Pacific, America cut off Japan's resources by blockades in the Pacific and South east Asia. In Oz, we were shocked when the Japs bombed Pearl Harbour in December. The Pacific War started, and Hitler made his second biggest blunder by siding with Japan. Australia was shocked to be under threat.

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1947.Labor would not give motorists much petrol until 1950. The Poms were firing rockets over our Aboriginals. Six boys under 17 were gaoled for life, and 10 o'clock closing might stop the six o'clock swill. Indonesia, India and Israel wanted the colonials to go, and cricket was again thriving on on-field hatred of the Poms. Most of our foreign travel was still done by great big overseas liners.

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ABOUT THIS SERIES .... But after that, I realised that I knew very little about these parents of mine. They had been born about the start of the Twentieth Century, and they died in 1970 and 1980. For their last 50 years, I was old enough to speak with a bit of sense. I could have talked to them a lot about their lives. I could have found out about the times they lived in. But I did not. I know almost nothing about them really. Their courtship? Working in the pits? The Lock-out in the Depression? Losing their second child? Being dusted as a miner? The shootings at Rothbury? My uncles killed in the War? Love on the dole? There were hundreds, thousands of questions that I would now like to ask them. But, alas, I can't. It's too late. Thus, prompted by my guilt, I resolved to write these books. They describe happenings that affected people, real people. The whole series is, to coin a modern phrase, designed to push your buttons, to make you remember and wonder at things forgotten. The books might just let nostalgia see the light of day, so that oldies and youngies will talk about the past and re-discover a heritage otherwise forgotten. Hopefully, they will spark discussions between generations, and foster the asking and answering of questions that should not remain unanswered.

For more sales information, ring Jenny on 0438 732519. Or email jen@boombooks.biz