Curtin's legacy and Australia at war

A new history of Australia at war and the legacy of Prime Minister John Curtin is being written by Bob Wurth, author of four previous books on the Asia-Pacific region.

The book will be published in 2013 by Pan Macmillan Australia.

Research into the wartime legacy of Prime Minister John Curtin last year took Wurth to Canberra, Tokyo, London and Cambridge, thanks to a fellowship from the Australian Prime Ministers Centre, part of the Museum of Australian Democracy.

In Tokyo, Bob Wurth undertook research, aided by translator Kyal Hill, at the National Institute for Defence Studies, the National Diet Library, the Diplomatic Record Office, the Japanese Overseas Migration Museum and additionally spoke with Japanese historical experts on Australian participation in the Pacific war.

In London, Wurth undertook more extensive study at the National Archives, the Imperial War Museum, the British Library, and at the Liddell Hart Centre for Military Archives, King’s College. In Cambridge he stayed at Churchill College, where he undertook research at the Churchill Centre.

Bob Wurth has also enjoyed working closely with the John Curtin Prime Ministerial Library where he was the Library's 2009 visiting scholar at Curtin University, Perth.

Much has been written about Curtin, Churchill and the war, but it is surprising what else can be revealed about the relationship and the war with Japan, Wurth says.

[Pictures above from the John Curtin Prime Ministerial Library: Curtin with Churchill, and Curtin in his study in The Lodge, Canberra.]

Wurth's previous books on the Second World War include 1942, Australia's greatest peril (Pan Macmillan 2008) and Saving Australia, Curtin's secret peace with Japan (Lothian, 2006).

Book Reviews

1942 was printed twice. David Day wrote:

"In his immensely readable and historically rigorous book, Bob Wurth brings those far-off days to life in dramatic fashion, providing a new and important perspective to the ongoing debate. It is a story that all Australians should read."

Here are some reviews about the book Saving Australia:

Australian Book Review: "...richly textured book..."

Sydney Morning Herald: "...an extraordinary book..."

West Australian: "...important contribution to the history of our darkest hours..."

The Bulletin: "...reshape the way historians view the war."

Canberra Times: "Intriguing, thoroughly researched, easy to read."

The Age: "...study of a country at war..."

ABC Online (Articulate): "...fascinating and poignant..."

Courier Mail: "...Wurth succeeds."

Herald Sun: “… the meticulous research of Brisbane-based writer Bob Wurth has unearthed in fascinating detail…”