Politics of war. David Day. 2003.

In Politics of War David Day returns to the first two books of his that captured the attention of the critics - Great Betrayal and Reluctant Nation. Published together for the first time and completely revised and updated for this edition, Day tells in engrossing detail the story of Australia’s experience in the Second World War. 

When the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor in December 1941 and captured the British naval base at Singapore two months later. Australia’s worst fears were realised. It was facing the threat of invasion and Britain’s navy was nowhere in sight. At the most crucial time in Australia’s history, British Prime Minister Winston Churchill tried to prevent American forces being sent to the Pacific, and even attempted to delay the repatriation of Australian troops needed for defence. For several months, Britain deliberately left Australia at the mercy of Japan, using it to divert and delay the Japanese thrust westwards to India.