Shorter Notices
Pacific Partner. By George H. Johnston. (Gollancz. 7s. 6d.)
Tim book by a well-known Australian war correspondent gives a lively and well-informed account of the activity of the " Pacific Partner " of the Allies in the war against the Axis. It tells of the remarkable war effort made from the very beginning by Australia— which, when the war broke' out, had the largest fleet of any of the British Dominions—and of the almost Churchillian advent of that great Labour Prime Minister, John Curtin, whose Government came into power on October 7th, 1941. The account of Curtin's influence, and of the deeds of the Australian soldiers in North Africa, Greece, New Guinea and elsewhere, is admirably done, with adequate detailed description, and tells a story which should be familiar everywhere in Great Britain and the Dominions. Much of Aus- tralia's war effort and the heroic deeds of her soldiers, sailors and airmen is well known, but many readers will be quite unfamiliar with the facts of the American impact on Australia, which roughly coincided with their similar pre-D-day inrush into Britain. Mr. Johnston tells of this strange experience with good sense. It is clear that the impact was not only friendly, but productive of fruitful experience for both sides. The chief criticism to be made is that his book is too obviously directed towards the American public, and is therefore totally devoid of any criticism, and flattering to a degree that will be nauseating to both patriotic Americans and Australians, who would prefer a more honest and critical approach.
Contrary to the common idea, there are large numbers of adult Americans and Australians who can take criticism, and who would prefer that their countries were treated on a level with Russia and other European countries—not for ever written down to, as wonderful juveniles who will burst into tears or into fits of temper the moment they are not petted and fussed over.
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