▁def ences ▁and ▁sit ▁with ▁W inst on ▁Church ill ' s ▁British ▁War ▁Cab inet . ▁In ▁M enz ies ' ▁absence , ▁Curt in ▁co - oper ated ▁with ▁Deput y ▁Prime ▁Minister ▁Arthur ▁F ad den ▁in ▁prepar ing ▁Australia ▁for ▁the ▁expected ▁Pacific ▁War . ▁After ▁four ▁months , ▁M enz ies ▁returned ▁to ▁Australia ▁to ▁face ▁a ▁lack ▁of ▁enthus ias m ▁for ▁his ▁global ▁travel s ▁and ▁a ▁war - time ▁minor ity ▁government ▁full ▁of ▁intr igue ▁and ▁under ▁ever ▁increasing ▁stra in . ▁With ▁the ▁threat ▁of ▁Japan ▁im min ent ▁and ▁with ▁the ▁Australian ▁army ▁suffering ▁badly ▁in ▁the ▁Greek ▁and ▁Cre te ▁campaign s , ▁M enz ies ▁re - appro ached ▁the ▁Labor ▁Party ▁to ▁form ▁a ▁War ▁Cab inet . ▁M enz ies ▁had ▁planned ▁a ▁further ▁trip ▁to ▁Britain ▁to ▁influence ▁the ▁conduct ▁of ▁the ▁Al lied ▁campaign . ▁Unable ▁to ▁secure ▁Curt in ' s ▁support , ▁and ▁with ▁an ▁un work able ▁parliament ary ▁majority , ▁M enz ies ▁res igned ▁as ▁Prime ▁Minister . ▁ ▁The ▁U AP - Country ▁Party ▁Co al ition ▁would ▁hold ▁office ▁for ▁another ▁month ▁with ▁F ad den ▁as ▁prime ▁minister . ▁ ▁Term ▁in ▁office ▁ ▁M enz ies ▁res igned ▁on ▁ 2 8 ▁August ▁ 1 9 4 1 ▁and ▁a ▁joint ▁United ▁Australia ▁Party – Country ▁Party ▁meeting ▁chose ▁Arthur ▁F ad den , ▁leader ▁of ▁the ▁Country ▁Party , ▁to ▁be ▁his ▁successor ▁as ▁Prime ▁Minister