▁the ▁War ▁Cab inet   – ▁but ▁this ▁time ▁the ▁Labor ▁c au cus ▁refused ▁to ▁support ▁the ▁plan . ▁M enz ies ▁announced ▁to ▁his ▁Cab inet ▁that ▁he ▁thought ▁he ▁should ▁res ign ▁and ▁advise ▁the ▁Governor ▁General ▁to ▁inv ite ▁Curt in ▁to ▁form ▁Government . ▁The ▁Cab inet ▁instead ▁ins isted ▁he ▁approach ▁Curt in ▁again ▁to ▁form ▁a ▁war ▁cabinet . ▁Unable ▁to ▁secure ▁Curt in ' s ▁support , ▁and ▁with ▁an ▁un work able ▁parliament ary ▁majority , ▁M enz ies ▁faced ▁continu ing ▁problems ▁with ▁the ▁administration ▁of ▁the ▁war ▁effort ▁and ▁the ▁und erm ining ▁of ▁his ▁leadership ▁by ▁members ▁of ▁his ▁own ▁coal ition . ▁M enz ies ▁res igned ▁as ▁prime ▁minister ▁on ▁ 2 9 ▁August ▁ 1 9 4 1 , ▁but ▁initially ▁stayed ▁on ▁as ▁U AP ▁leader . ▁ ▁F ad den ▁Government ▁ ▁Following ▁M enz ies ' ▁res ignation , ▁a ▁joint ▁U AP – Country ▁Party ▁meeting ▁chose ▁F ad den ▁to ▁be ▁his ▁successor ▁as ▁prime ▁minister , ▁even ▁though ▁the ▁Country ▁Party ▁was ▁the ▁junior ▁partner ▁in ▁the ▁coal ition . ▁M enz ies ▁became ▁Minister ▁for ▁Def ence ▁Co - ord ination . ▁ ▁Australia ▁marked ▁two ▁years ▁of ▁war ▁on ▁ 7 ▁September ▁ 1 9 4 1 ▁with ▁a ▁day ▁of ▁prayer , ▁on ▁which ▁Prime ▁Minister ▁F ad den ▁broadcast ▁to ▁the ▁nation ▁an ▁ex h ort ation ▁to ▁be ▁un ited ▁in ▁the ▁‘ sup reme ▁task ▁of