Leading Aircraftsman K Parker, RAAF,
an ex-prisoner of war of the Japanese
greeting his mother and sister at
Mascot Airport in Sydney after
his return from Singapore.

[AWM 115908]

'Fellow citizens, the war is over' – with those simple words Prime Minister Ben Chifley began his broadcast to the Australian people on 15 August 1945. Listen to his words in this section which covers the last moments of World War II for Australia.

Bibliography

Robyn Arvier, Don't worry about me: wartime letters of the 8th Division AIF, Launceston, 2004.

Stephen Garton, The cost of war: Australians return, Melbourne, 1996.

Clem Lloyd & Jacqui Rees, The Last Shilling: a history of Repatriation in Australia, Melbourne, 1994.

Peter Londey, Other people's wars: a history of Australian peacekeeping, Crows Nest, 2003.

Michael McKernan, This war never ends: the pain of separation and return, St Lucia, 2001.

Keiko Tamura, Michi's Memories: the story of a Japanese war bride, Canberra, 2001.

Mavis Thorpe Clarke, No mean Destiny: The Story of the War Widow’s Guild of Australia 1945-1985, South Yarra, 1986.

Operation CLICK: Anzac to Kokoda

is a classroom resource which draws on and encourages the use of the following Veterans' Affairs websites:
• Australia’s War 1939–1945 – www.ww2australia.gov.au
• Visit Gallipoli – www.anzacsite.gov.au

You may download Work sheets - provided in PDF file format.

The resource book and CD-ROM package contains lessons that can be used in many contexts in History and Studies of Society and Environment (SOSE) classrooms. They were written by experienced history teachers with three aims in mind:

• to provide both beginning and experienced teachers with lessons using the two websites as core resources
• to invite teachers to explore more effective ways of encouraging their students to incorporate ICT skills into their classroom learning activities
• to provide exciting and original lessons that will encourage young Australians to learn more about Australia’s wartime heritage through the stories and images provided on the two websites.