| Thanks. I’ve been reading about the Aussie contributions in WWII. One thing that is really moving is how they declared war on Japan the day after Pearl Harbor. I know other countries did too, but they were right in the meat grinder of the Japanese empire. I think most countries in that position would have kept a much lower profile at least until the situation was a bit more under control. They paid dearly for doing that drawing the wrath of Japan.
Another thing I found interesting is that the Aussies discovered the processes for large-scale production of penicillin and therefore were able to supply not only themselves but also the US and other Grand Alliance nations. Why this is so remarkable is that I read in a book on the eastern front by a German soldier, how so many German soldiers either died or had to amputate limbs from even simple infections so common in battles. The soldier was lamenting that they didn't have access to penicillin so even minor infections could be and often were, life-threatening and a major infection was usually a death sentence. Wonder how many lives were saved by that? |