. ▁The ▁Labor ▁Party ▁experienced ▁a ▁split ▁along ▁pro ▁and ▁anti ▁Commun ist ▁lines ▁over ▁policy ▁towards ▁the ▁Soviet ▁Union ▁for ▁its ▁co - operation ▁with ▁Naz i ▁Germany ▁in ▁the ▁invasion ▁of ▁Poland ▁and ▁Labor ▁narrow ly ▁lost ▁the ▁September ▁ 1 9 4 0 ▁E lection . ▁The ▁M enz ies ▁Government ▁U AP – Country ▁Party ▁coal ition ▁and ▁the ▁Labor ▁parties ▁won ▁ 3 6 ▁seats ▁each ▁and ▁the ▁M enz ies ▁was ▁forced ▁to ▁rely ▁upon ▁the ▁support ▁of ▁two ▁Independ ents , ▁Alex ▁Wilson ▁and ▁Arthur ▁Col es ▁to ▁continue ▁in ▁office . ▁New ▁Country ▁Party ▁leader ▁Arthur ▁F ad den ▁became ▁Tre as urer ▁and ▁M enz ies ▁unh app ily ▁conced ed ▁to ▁allow ▁Ear le ▁Page ▁back ▁into ▁his ▁min istry . ▁ ▁In ▁Europe , ▁the ▁Ph oney ▁War ▁gave ▁way ▁to ▁a ▁succession ▁of ▁Al lied ▁defe ats , ▁as ▁Germany ▁over ran ▁the ▁Low ▁Count ries , ▁Norway ▁and ▁France . ▁By ▁June ▁ 1 9 4 0 , ▁the ▁British ▁Empire ▁stood ▁alone ▁against ▁Germany . ▁In ▁the ▁Pacific , ▁Australia ▁fe ared ▁Japanese ▁intent ions . ▁ ▁Curt in ▁took ▁a ▁seat ▁on ▁the ▁newly ▁created ▁Ad vis ory ▁War ▁Council ▁in ▁October ▁ 1 9 4 0 ▁and ▁agreed ▁to ▁a ▁plan ▁by ▁M enz ies ▁to ▁travel ▁to ▁Washington ▁and ▁London . ▁ ▁In ▁January ▁ 1 9 4 1 , ▁M enz ies ▁fle w ▁to ▁Britain ▁to ▁discuss ▁the ▁weak ness ▁of ▁Singapore ' s