This book explores how Australia managed the prisoner of war issue throughout the Second World War and the immediate post-war period. It examines how the Australian government responded to the captivity of thousands of Australians in Italy and the detention of an even greater number of Italians in Australia. The war, it finds, created a series of diplomatic and political challenges for belligerent governments, including Australia. The author contends that Australia's response was guided not only by other pragmatic considerations such as reciprocity, the practicalities of war and, importantly, national interest. The Australian government was not the only one to manage its prisoner of war policy in this way. By exploring the Australian government's relationship with Britain as part of the British Empire, this book clarifies under what circumstances and to what extent Australia sought to assert a level of independence in pursuing its national interest, even when that approach did not align with British policy.

Explores the Australian government's response to the issue of prisoners of war in an international context Sheds light on the experience of Australian prisoners of war in Europe, moving away from the traditional focus on Japan Examines changing Anglo-Australian relations and efforts to establish an independent Australian foreign policy

Autorentext

Lee Rippon is an early career historian and academic tutor at Flinders University in Adelaide, Australia. Her research focuses on Australia's military and political contribution to the empire during the Second World War.

Inhalt

Chapter 1. Introduction: Prisoner of War Diplomacy.- Chapter 2. Prisoners of War in Law, War and Foreign Policy.- Chapter 3. 'Going in the Bag'.- Chapter 4. Australia, Britain and Empire Prisoner of War Policy in International Politics, 1939-1942.- Chapter 5. Detention.- Chapter 6. Punishing the Prisoners: Reprisals, Manipulation, Manacles, and Maltreatment.- Chapter 7. Employing the Enemy: Prisoner of War Labour.- Chapter 8. Wartime Exchange and Repatriation.- Chapter 9. The Beginning of the End: Armistice to Peace.- Chapter 10. Conclusion.