Changes

Curtin led the transition from Australia as part of the British Empire to an independent nation more dependent upon the United States for its security and economy. Even before Singapore fell to the Japanese in 1942, Curtin declared that Australia "looks to America free of any pangs as to our traditional links or kinship with the United Kingdom."  With the loss of Australian forces in Singapore, the threat of a Japanese invasion in 1942 convinced Australia to link up with the U.S. and to pull its troops out of the British forces in Egypt.

Curtin led the transition from Australia as part of the British Empire to an independent nation more dependent upon the United States for its security and economy. Even before Singapore fell to the Japanese in 1942, Curtin declared that Australia "looks to America free of any pangs as to our traditional links or kinship with the United Kingdom."  With the loss of Australian forces in Singapore, the threat of a Japanese invasion in 1942 convinced Australia to link up with the U.S. and to pull its troops out of the British forces in Egypt.

==Career==

==Career==

Curtin was born to a working class family in Creswick, Victoria. He attended state schools and entered the field of labor journalism, becoming known as a leftist socialist and critic of the labor movement. From 1911 to 1915 he was secretary of the Timber Workers' Union of Victoria, basedin Melbourne; he moved to Perth to edit the ''Westralian Worker'' from 1917 to 1928.  

Curtin was born to a devout Catholic irish working class family in Creswick, Victoria. He attended state schools and entered the field of labor journalism, becoming known as a leftist socialist and critic of the labor movement. From 1911 to 1915 he was secretary of the Timber Workers' Union of Victoria, basedin Melbourne; he moved to Perth to edit the ''Westralian Worker'' from 1917 to 1928.  

During World War I he was antimilitarist and opposed conscription vigorously. As a writer on economic problems, Curtin desired to give to Australian socialism a theoretical as well as a political basis, stressing the positive rather than the negative aspects of the movement. His public services before he became the acknowledged leader of the Labour Party included acting as Australian delegate to the International Labour Conference in 1924, as a member of the Commission on Family Allowances in 1927-1928, and as state advocate for West Australia to the Commonwealth Grants Commission from 1933 to 1935. He was a member of the Commonwealth House of Representatives from 1928 to 1931 and again from 1934 until his death.

During World War I he was antimilitarist and opposed conscription vigorously. As a writer on economic problems, Curtin desired to give to Australian socialism a theoretical as well as a political basis, stressing the positive rather than the negative aspects of the movement. His public services before he became the acknowledged leader of the Labour Party included acting as Australian delegate to the International Labour Conference in 1924, as a member of the Commission on Family Allowances in 1927-1928, and as state advocate for West Australia to the Commonwealth Grants Commission from 1933 to 1935. He was a member of the Commonwealth House of Representatives from 1928 to 1931 and again from 1934 until his death.  Repeatedly he faced bouts of alcohlism, deprsssion and loneliness, but he overcame the alcoholism by the late 1930s.

Curtin became the leader of the Labor Party in 1935 replacing J. A. Scullin; he was successful in settling dissension within the party.<ref> Australian spelling is "labour" except for the name of the party which is the "Labor Party."</ref> and proved his skill as one of the ablest debaters in the House.

Curtin became the leader of the Labor Party in 1935 replacing J. A. Scullin; he was successful in settling dissension within the party.<ref> Australian spelling is "labour" except for the name of the party which is the "Labor Party."</ref> and proved his skill as one of the ablest debaters in the House.

The Curtin government and the subsequent [[Ben Chifley]] Labor government sought to manage the economy and encourage industry and full employment without resorting to nationalization, socialism or the welfare state.

The Curtin government and the subsequent [[Ben Chifley]] Labor government sought to manage the economy and encourage industry and full employment without resorting to nationalization, socialism or the welfare state.

 

==Further reading==

==Further reading==

* Barclay, G. St. J. "Australia Looks to America: The Wartime Relationship, 1939-1942," ''Pacific Historical Review,'' Vol. 46, No. 2 (May, 1977), pp. 251-271 [http://www.jstor.org/stable/3637934 in JSTOR]

* Barclay, G. St. J. "Australia Looks to America: The Wartime Relationship, 1939-1942," ''Pacific Historical Review,'' Vol. 46, No. 2 (May, 1977), pp. 251-271 [http://www.jstor.org/stable/3637934 in JSTOR]

* McKernan, Michael. ''The Strength of a Nation: Six Years of Australians Fighting for the Nation and Defending the Homefront in WWII''(2006) [http://www.questia.com/read/113738054?title=The%20Strength%20of%20a%20Nation%3a%20%20Six%20Years%20of%20Australians%20Fighting%20for%20the%20Nation%20and%20Defending%20the%20Homefront%20in%20WWII onine edition]

* McKernan, Michael. ''The Strength of a Nation: Six Years of Australians Fighting for the Nation and Defending the Homefront in WWII''(2006) [http://www.questia.com/read/113738054?title=The%20Strength%20of%20a%20Nation%3a%20%20Six%20Years%20of%20Australians%20Fighting%20for%20the%20Nation%20and%20Defending%20the%20Homefront%20in%20WWII onine edition]

* Ross, Lloyd.''John Curtin: A Biography'' (1983)

* Ross, Lloyd.''John Curtin: A Biography'' (1983)

== External links==

== External links==