During World War II an estimated one million American service men and women were stationed in Australia or passed through on their way to combat zones. It was an invasion for which few if any Australians were prepared, welcomed by some and decried by others. This book tells the story of that allied invasion, from perspectives that combine to throw new light on that dramatic period in Australian history. For instance, the Japanese raid on Darwin in 1942 is told from the perspective of the American fliers based there. Another chapter pays overdue homage to the American submariners.
Elsewhere, the book discusses the popular reception of the Americans and the adoption of cultural values they brought with them. While some of these were widely accepted, as were the touring stars and entertainers, at other times camaraderies gave way to rivalry and resentment, culminating in the notorious Battle of Brisbane.
Above all, this is the story form the perspective of the ordinary Australian and the ordinary American. While the commanders and the politicians and the campaigns are also discussed, 'They Passed This Way' is overwhelmingly an account from the grassroots level.
