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Digital Classroom

Explore Australia's history at the National Library's Digital Classroom, aligned with the Australian Curriculum. With over 10 million items, we support diverse learning styles, fostering inquiry-based learning for students to analyse sources and draw conclusions about the Australian story.
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Australian Prime Minister Robert Menzies sits at a desk holding several pieces of paper. He is looking melancholic and stares off camera to the left. He is a middle-aged white man with blonde hair swept to one side. He wears a dark suit and tie with a dark tie. There is a black Bakelite telephone on the table in front of him

The Rt. Hon. RG Menzies PM of Australia broadcasting to the nation the news of the outbreak of war, 1939, nla.gov.au/nla.obj-136636422

Internment, World War 2 (1939-45)

Module

This resource is aligned with the Australian Curriculum: History for Year 10 students. It engages students with a rich selection of sources and challenges them to draw their own conclusions about World War 2. Using the lens of internment, this resource looks at home front human stories, impacts of war and genocide, migration and multiculturalism.

Humanities
Year 10
Military history
British Prime Minister Winston Churchill is seated at a table wearing glasses. He is signing a document. Standing behind him and leaning over his shoulder is Australian Prime Minister Robert Menzies. Both men are wear dark suits with white shirts. Menzies is wearing a dark tie, Churchill a bow tie.

Portrait of Prime Ministers R.G. Menzies and Winston Churchill at Downing Street, London, 1941, nla.gov.au/nla.obj-137388175

War in Europe again - 'My melancholy duty'

Topic

At 9.15 pm on Sunday 3 September 1939, Australia’s Prime Minister, Robert Menzies (1894-1978), gave a radio address, announcing that Australia was at war with Germany.

Humanities
Year 10
Military history
Map of the world during World War II showing Japanese and German influence and occupation, international boundaries, transportation, oil fields etc. Scattered around the map are depictions of war technology including battleships, aircraft and artillery. Some countries have depictions of animals or 'things' relevant to the country eg. in the middle of Australia is a kangaroo, emu, a platypus and sheep. Inset at bottom left and right are close ups of the Mediterranean and Solomon Islands respectively.

Japanese map of World War ll, 1942, nla.gov.au/nla.obj-234704475

Enemy aliens and war with Japan

Topic

As the outbreak of war was announced, police forces around Australia moved swiftly to ensure there were no concerns about security at home.

Humanities
Year 10
Military history
Charcoal on paper sketch of the head and shoulders of a young man. He has hair neatly swept back. He is wearing an collared white shirt with the collar open. He is in profile staring off to the right.

Theodor Engel, Study of a Dunera boy at Tatura, Victoria, 1943, nla.gov.au/nla.obj-152997802

Dunera

Topic

In the years leading to the outbreak of World War II, Hitler and his government’s anti-Semitism became increasingly violent.

Humanities
Year 10
Military history
A black and white photograph of the main garrison gates of the former Cowra Prisoner of War camp. The gates now sit in a grassy park surrounded by trees and bushes.

Brendon Kelson, Garrison Gates Memorial (former entrance to POW camp), Binni Creek Road, Cowra, 1996, nla.gov.au/nla.obj-143115748

Cowra

Topic

Opened in 1941, the Cowra camp was used as a site to house the growing number of Prisoners of War (POWs) from the Mediterranean theatre of war, mainly Italian and German troops.

Humanities
Year 10
Military history

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