▁the ▁selection ▁of ▁Ly ons ' ▁successor ▁by ▁the ▁U AP . ▁ ▁M enz ies ▁Government ▁ ▁Robert ▁M enz ies ▁defeated ▁Hugh es ▁for ▁the ▁U AP ▁leadership ▁and ▁became ▁Prime ▁Minister ▁on ▁ 2 6 ▁April ▁ 1 9 3 9 . ▁Page ▁refused ▁to ▁serve ▁under ▁M enz ies , ▁leaving ▁the ▁U AP ▁with ▁a ▁minor ity ▁government . ▁ ▁In ▁addition ▁to ▁the ▁office ▁of ▁Prime ▁Minister , ▁M enz ies ▁served ▁as ▁Tre as urer . ▁The ▁First ▁M enz ies ▁Ministry ▁included ▁the ▁age ing ▁former ▁Prime ▁Minister ▁Billy ▁Hugh es ▁and ▁the ▁young ▁future ▁Prime ▁Minister ▁Harold ▁Hol t . ▁M enz ies ▁tried ▁and ▁failed ▁to ▁have ▁the ▁issue ▁of ▁national ▁ins urance ▁exam ined ▁by ▁a ▁committee ▁of ▁parliament ari ans . ▁Though ▁no ▁longer ▁in ▁formal ▁coal ition , ▁his ▁government ▁surv ived ▁because ▁the ▁Country ▁Party ▁preferred ▁a ▁U AP ▁government ▁to ▁that ▁of ▁a ▁Labor ▁government . ▁ ▁World ▁War ▁II ▁ ▁The ▁growing ▁threat ▁of ▁war ▁domin ated ▁politics ▁through ▁ 1 9 3 9 . ▁M enz ies ▁supported ▁British ▁policy ▁against ▁Hitler ' s ▁Germany ▁( neg oti ate ▁for ▁peace , ▁but ▁prepare ▁for ▁war ) ▁and   – ▁fear ing ▁Japanese ▁intent ions ▁in ▁the ▁Pacific   – ▁established ▁independent ▁emb ass ies ▁in ▁Tokyo ▁and ▁Washington ▁to ▁receive ▁independent ▁advice ▁about ▁develop ments . ▁M enz ies ▁announced ▁Australia ' s ▁entry ▁into ▁World ▁War ▁Two ▁on ▁ 3 ▁September ▁ 1 9