3 6 . ▁He ▁dis associ ated ▁himself ▁from ▁Ear le ▁Page ' s ▁attacks ▁on ▁M enz ies ▁and ▁became ▁leader ▁of ▁the ▁Country ▁Party , ▁following ▁the ▁res ignation ▁of ▁Page ▁in ▁ 1 9 3 9 . ▁Int ended ▁as ▁a ▁stop - g ap , ▁he ▁was ▁elected ▁Deput y ▁Le ader ▁and ▁appointed ▁acting - le ader ▁because ▁Arch ie ▁Camer on ▁and ▁John ▁Mc E wen ▁had ▁tied ▁in ▁a ▁vote ▁for ▁the ▁leadership . ▁When ▁M enz ies ▁formed ▁a ▁Co al ition ▁with ▁the ▁Country ▁Party ▁in ▁March ▁ 1 9 4 0 , ▁F ad den ▁became ▁Minister ▁Ass isting ▁the ▁Tre as urer ▁and ▁Minister ▁of ▁Supp ly ▁and ▁Development . ▁Later ▁he ▁was ▁appointed ▁Minister ▁for ▁Air ▁and ▁Civil ▁A viation . ▁Following ▁the ▁ 1 9 4 0 ▁E lection , ▁F ad den ▁became ▁Tre as urer , ▁In ▁March ▁ 1 9 4 1 , ▁the ▁Country ▁Party ▁finally ▁confirmed ▁him ▁as ▁their ▁leader . ▁ ▁War ▁ ▁On ▁ 3 ▁September ▁ 1 9 3 9 , ▁Prime ▁Minister ▁M enz ies ▁announced ▁Australia ' s ▁declaration ▁of ▁war ▁on ▁Naz i ▁Germany . ▁Australia ▁had ▁entered ▁World ▁War ▁II , ▁following ▁the ▁Naz i ▁invasion ▁of ▁Poland . ▁The ▁Labor ▁Party ▁decl ined ▁to ▁enter ▁a ▁war ▁cabinet ▁led ▁by ▁M enz ies , ▁though ▁Curt in ▁offered ▁co - operation   – ▁though ▁not ▁to ▁the ▁extent ▁of ▁supporting ▁cons cription ▁for ▁over se as ▁service