For the people of Melbourne, the years of World War II were a time of social dislocation and increased government interference in all aspects of their daily lives. This study examines the experiences of families living at a time when food and clothing were rationed and adequate housing was hard to come by. It is the story of their work, leisure and relationships, and of their fear of a Japanese invasion. As women left their homes to replace men in factories and offices, their traditional role as mothers and wives was challenged. The presence of thousands of American soldiers raised questions about Australian nationalism and identity. And the "carnival spirit" of many of those left at home focused attention on the moral issues of drunkenness, gambling and sexuality.
This case history of Melbourne draws on the memories of men and women who lived through those turbulent years, and illustrates life in wartime Australian cities in a period when society was responding to the tensions between a restrictive government urging austerity measures and new opportunities for social and sexual freedoms.
