Daggy... no one would be more in rejoicing mode about some Aussie plan of self reliance and military readiness than me...
let me know what you come up with..I'm all ears mate.

Hey.. have to watch those Boomerangs..they tend to come back and hit you in the back of the head :)
cheers

dag, the problem of self reliance is easy: just needs a nation of people who want to be self reliant, and a government that is willing to let them.

hmm, maybe not so easy.

perhaps if we asked nicely, our american masters would station the 7th fleet in queensland. the bases do wonders for the local economy. and the common people will love them and welcome them.

we'd feel so much safer, wouldn't we?

I can’t comment on what type of preparedness Andrew Ross is claiming but it sure wasn’t technological. Australia sent its 4 AIF divisions overseas deficient in virtually every area. The rest of the military, including the militia were almost without modern arms of any kind. Tanks, planes, machine guns even trucks, you name it, we didn’t have it. So if you please, an example of these credible weapons would be welcome

If we were so organised why did Bob Menzies sell the Japanese the iron that was vital to their military ambitions? We were complacent in the extreme and what saved Australia was the American fleet and the valiant men of the Australian defence forces on the Kokoda track and at Milne Bay. The initial militia units sent to PNG had the WORST preparedness of any units in the army. They were sent there with almost no training and were used as labourers, digging fortifications and unloading ships. Their incredible feats can be attributed to an unshakeable sense of commitment to each other and to their country.

There is no traction to be had on this issue for the proponents of the overpopulation argument. Our level of preparedness had nothing to do with population and everything to do with defence spending. We thought that being a part of a global super power relieved us of any need to properly defend ourselves. The British encouraged us in this respect. When arms treaties limited the number of capital ships a country could command, Britain asked Australia to sail our biggest and best warship out of Sydney harbour and sink her.

The sole shining success of Australian weapons manufacture during ww2 was the Owen sub machine gun and that can be attributed to the genius and drive of Evelyn Owen.

Demos said “the Swiss take the democrat's view..” Demos, the Swiss took the fence sitters view and made billions from it. There is absolutely nothing noble about the Swiss participation in ww2. The Germans didn’t need to invade, the Swiss surrendered in advance and then helped enable the Nazis financially strip their conquered victims.

Demos also said “look at what's happening in iraq- a few thousand resistance fighters are tieing 150,000 soldiers, and 180,000 mercenaries, in knots” You must be joking, a few thousand. You have a credible source for this do you?

He also said “small professional army can not defend the nation, it's purpose is to enforce the government's will on enemies foreign and domestic” Good one Demos, the new Air warfare destroyers and the Abraham tanks, Over the horizon radar etc, they’re all about intimidating the public into toeing the line are they. The defence of Australia does not end at our shores. And as for the regular forces not being able to defend Australia, they are the equal or better of all our credible enemies and the region knows it.

Another quote “perhaps if we asked nicely, our american masters would station the 7th fleet in queensland. the bases do wonders for the local economy. and the common people will love them and welcome them. we'd feel so much safer, wouldn't we?” Demos should stick to his fanciful flights of utopian society and leave defence issues to the realists. The ‘common people’ he refers to are also the people he wants to give direct democracy to. The type of democracy which relies on the peoples' intelligence and motivation, something Demos clearly has little faith in.

Of course Australia was prepared before WW2. Well prepared.

I consider myself to be something of an historian on Australian military history.

Not the slightest significance can be given to the fact that in the early years of the war we took Trophy Weapons from Drill Halls and in some cases from Public Parks and refurbished and converted them for use by our forces.
Any one looking at a 'Gun, Machine, Maxim,(Ger.).303 Convd. Mk IV'
in a Military museum, should realise that these conversions were not done in desperation but were merely an interesting exercise showing what could be done in desperation if desperation ever became necessary.
The conversions were from German guns captured in France, they weren't doing any good in the halls and parks so why not put them to good use?

We were not short of rifles either and the calling in of Civilian arms was a security measure and not as is often stated as another desperate attempt to arm the Army.
True the Army did use the better Lee-Enfield target rifles from the Military Rifle Clubs as Snipers' Rifles until they managed to get really organised.

Sub Machine Guns were another matter entirely and it is understandable that every obstacle was placed in the way of Evelyn Owen and Lysaghts in manufacturing this weapon.
The very valid objections of the Military were that sub machine guns were gangsters' weapons and that if we did get any then they should be British.

In conclusion, as an Historian, I can only say that I am amazed that anyone could think that Australia was not prepared.

Australia cannot ever be self reliant for national defence. We have a vast coastline and a sparse population for a start!
The reality however is that no country can now be self reliant for their national defence...we all depend on someone.
Best form of self defence is properly targetted foreign aid. If people are happy living where they are then they have far less interest in invading others. Does not always work of course but it does go a long way towards helping.