3 9 ▁as ▁a ▁consequence ▁of ▁Naz i ▁Germany ' s ▁invasion ▁of ▁Poland . ▁Australia ▁was ▁ill - prep ared ▁for ▁war . ▁A ▁National ▁Security ▁Act ▁was ▁passed , ▁the ▁rec ruit ment ▁of ▁a ▁volunte er ▁military ▁force ▁for ▁service ▁at ▁home ▁and ▁abroad ▁was ▁announced , ▁the ▁ 2 nd ▁Australian ▁Imperial ▁Force , ▁and ▁a ▁citiz en ▁milit ia ▁was ▁organ ised ▁for ▁local ▁defence . ▁ ▁Tr ouble d ▁by ▁Britain ' s ▁failure ▁to ▁increase ▁def ences ▁at ▁Singapore , ▁M enz ies ▁was ▁c aut ious ▁in ▁comm itting ▁troops ▁to ▁Europe , ▁never theless ▁in ▁ 1 9 4 0 – 4 1 , ▁Australian ▁forces ▁played ▁prominent ▁roles ▁in ▁the ▁fighting ▁in ▁the ▁Mediter rane an ▁theatre . ▁ ▁A ▁special ▁War ▁Cab inet ▁was ▁created ; – ▁initially ▁composed ▁of ▁M enz ies ▁and ▁five ▁senior ▁minister s ▁( R G ▁Case y , ▁G A ▁Street , ▁Senator ▁Mc Le ay , ▁H S ▁Gul let ▁and ▁World ▁War ▁I ▁Prime ▁Minister ▁Billy ▁Hugh es ). ▁In ▁January ▁ 1 9 4 0 , ▁M enz ies ▁dispatch ed ▁potential ▁leadership ▁rival ▁Richard ▁Case y ▁to ▁Washington ▁as ▁Australia ' s ▁first ▁" Min ister ▁to ▁the ▁United ▁States ". ▁In ▁a ▁consequ ent ▁by - e lection , ▁the ▁U AP ▁suffered ▁a ▁heavy ▁defeat ▁and ▁M enz ies ▁re - enter ed ▁coal ition ▁negoti ations ▁with ▁the ▁Country ▁Party . ▁In ▁March ▁ 1 9 4 0 ,