Sir Earle Page's British War Cabinet Diary, 1941–1942: Volume 61

This edition presents an almost daily wartime account of Sir Earle Page's eight-month mission to London between 1941 and 1942.

This account of Sir Earle Page's eight-month mission to London provides insights into Anglo-Australian wartime relations during a crucial phase of the Second World War. The defence of Malaya/Singapore and the stunning collapse of British prestige at the hands of the Japanese serves as a backcloth to Page's mission and its significance.This account of Sir Earle Page's eight-month mission to London provides insights into Anglo-Australian, Anglo-Dominion and United States–Australian wartime relations during a crucial phase of the Second World War. It offers an understanding into the man himself: his thoughts about Australia during the war; his hopes for its future after the war; and the relations Page had with leading political figures, military officials, and policy-makers of the day. The diary revolves around interrelated themes: the battles to represent Australia in the British War Cabinet and to secure a larger share of lucrative wartime food contracts; and the future of Anglo-Australian relations in the Pacific as the United States asserted its dominance over its British ally. The ill-fated defence of Malaya/Singapore and the collapse of British prestige at the hands of the Japanese between December 1941 and May 1942 serves as a backcloth to Page's mission and its significance.