"Unlike cricket, which is a polite game, Australian Rules Football creates a desire on the part of the crowd to tear someone apart, usually the referee." This is only one of the entertaining and astute observations the U.S. military provided in the pocket guides distributed to the nearly one million American soldiers who landed on the shores of Australia between 1942 and 1945. Although the Land Down Under felt more familiar than many of their assignments abroad, American GIs still needed help navigating the distinctly ...
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"Unlike cricket, which is a polite game, Australian Rules Football creates a desire on the part of the crowd to tear someone apart, usually the referee." This is only one of the entertaining and astute observations the U.S. military provided in the pocket guides distributed to the nearly one million American soldiers who landed on the shores of Australia between 1942 and 1945. Although the Land Down Under felt more familiar than many of their assignments abroad, American GIs still needed help navigating the distinctly different Aussie culture, and coming to their rescue was Instruction for American Servicemen in Australia, 1942 . The newest entry in the Bodleian Library's bestselling series of vintage pocket guides, this pamphlet is filled with pithy notes on Australian customs, language, and other cultural facts the military deemed necessary for every American soldier. From the native wildlife--a land of "funny animals"--to the nation's colonial history to the general characteristics of Australians--"an outdoors sort of people, breezy and very democratic"-- Instructions for American Servicemen in Australia gives a concise yet amazingly informative overview of the island nation. Regarding Aussie slang, it notes that "the Australian has few equals in the world at swearing. . . . The commonest swear words are 'bastard' (pronounced 'barstud'), 'bugger, ' and 'bloody, ' and the Australians have a genius for using the latter nearly every other word." The pamphlet also contains a humorous explanation of the country's musical traditions--including an annotated text of "Waltzing Matilda"--as well as amusing passages on sports, politics, and the Aussies' attitudes toward Yanks and Brits. A fascinating look at a neglected Allied front in the Southern hemisphere, Instructions for American Servicemen in Australia, 1942 follows its successful predecessors as a captivating historical document of a pivotal era in history.
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Seller's Description:
New. 2006. Hardcover. 1 million American soldiers passed through Australia between 1942 and 1945 as part of America's strategy to defeat Japan. In the pithy prose of the soldier's pocketbook series, this guide captures the essence of Australians, their vocabulary; their attitude to the Yanks, the British, the War and the world with remarkable humour. Series: Instructions for Servicemen. Num Pages: 72 pages, 20 black & white illustrations. BIC Classification: 1KBB; 1MBF; 3JJH; HBJM; HBWQ; JWT. Category: (G) General (US: Trade). Dimension: 155 x 104 x 10. Weight in Grams: 100. Series: Instructions for Servicemen. 72 pages, 20 black & white illustrations. 1 million American soldiers passed through Australia between 1942 and 1945 as part of America's strategy to defeat Japan. In the pithy prose of the soldier's pocketbook series, this guide captures the essence of Australians, their vocabulary; their attitude to the Yanks, the British, the War and the world with remarkable humour. Cateogry: (G) General (US: Trade). BIC Classification: 1KBB; 1MBF; 3JJH; HBJM; HBWQ; JWT. Dimension: 121 x 148 x 10. Weight: 100......We ship daily from our Bookshop.
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PLEASE NOTE, WE DO NOT SHIP TO DENMARK. New Book. Shipped from UK in 4 to 14 days. Established seller since 2000. Please note we cannot offer an expedited shipping service from the UK.
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Seller's Description:
PLEASE NOTE, WE DO NOT SHIP TO DENMARK. New Book. Shipped from UK in 4 to 14 days. Established seller since 2000. Please note we cannot offer an expedited shipping service from the UK.
Choose your shipping method in Checkout. Costs may vary based on destination.
Seller's Description:
Very Good. 185124395X. "This guide captures the essence of Australians, their vocabulary; their attitude to the Yanks, the British, the War and the world with remarkable humour." 100gms weight; B&W Illustrations; 8vo 8"-9" tall; 56 pages.
