Right: Women employed to read the soldiers letter and blackout any 'sensitive' information as seen in the Left photograph
Forms of Censorship:
In Australia during Wold War Two various pieces of information were withheld from the public for it was considered to be 'sensitive information,'such information includes
Location / strategic censorship:
Information such as the names, units, location and the happenings of soldiers were censored from the public on the home front, this was because the government did not want the information falling into the hands of enemy. This was done by prohibiting the press from writing about such things and blacking out any sensitive information included in the letters of soldiers writing home.
Location / strategic censorship:
Information such as the names, units, location and the happenings of soldiers were censored from the public on the home front, this was because the government did not want the information falling into the hands of enemy. This was done by prohibiting the press from writing about such things and blacking out any sensitive information included in the letters of soldiers writing home.
Statistical censorship:
Such information involved the censorship of casualty and wounded numbers, the number of soldiers fighting overseas and the size and force of the Axis armies. This information was often prohibited or altered in the press so that the public wouldn't be scared of invasion or defeat. An example of this was a press report released in the Melbourne Argus, it stated:
"17 killed in raids on Darwin, 6 enemy planes shot down… In 2 air raids on Darwin yesterday it is believed that the total casualties were 17 killed and 24 wounded. Nine of the civilian fatalities were members of the Darwin Post Office staff, including the postmaster, his wife, and daughter. Latest information received at RAAF headquarters indicates that in yesterday's raids no vital damage was done to RAAF installations…"
In reality 243 were killed and about 350 wounded, such articles flooded the Australian press and the public began to neglect everything the papers wrote.
Such information involved the censorship of casualty and wounded numbers, the number of soldiers fighting overseas and the size and force of the Axis armies. This information was often prohibited or altered in the press so that the public wouldn't be scared of invasion or defeat. An example of this was a press report released in the Melbourne Argus, it stated:
"17 killed in raids on Darwin, 6 enemy planes shot down… In 2 air raids on Darwin yesterday it is believed that the total casualties were 17 killed and 24 wounded. Nine of the civilian fatalities were members of the Darwin Post Office staff, including the postmaster, his wife, and daughter. Latest information received at RAAF headquarters indicates that in yesterday's raids no vital damage was done to RAAF installations…"
In reality 243 were killed and about 350 wounded, such articles flooded the Australian press and the public began to neglect everything the papers wrote.
Exposure censorship:
By this I mean that the government wanted to expose the public to as little Axis influence as possible, they did this by changing the names of roads, towns and I believe by the internment of many of the German, Italian and Japanese people in Australia. In World War One many towns across Australia were change from German names due to the anti German sentiment, an example of this is the town near Hamilton we know as Tarrington was formerly known as Hochkirch prior to 1918. In WW2 an example of exposure censorship was in Melbourne when the government was contemplating changing Heidelberg Road to Churchill Parade.
By this I mean that the government wanted to expose the public to as little Axis influence as possible, they did this by changing the names of roads, towns and I believe by the internment of many of the German, Italian and Japanese people in Australia. In World War One many towns across Australia were change from German names due to the anti German sentiment, an example of this is the town near Hamilton we know as Tarrington was formerly known as Hochkirch prior to 1918. In WW2 an example of exposure censorship was in Melbourne when the government was contemplating changing Heidelberg Road to Churchill Parade.
Was Censorship Right?
Censorship is a very delicate topic, especially when it is imposed in a democratic nation such as Australia for it denies the civil rights of freedom of speech and press. I believe the Australian Government had the best of intentions during the war for it wanted to protect its people, however, in some instances it may have been a bit too overprotective. In my opinion it is acceptable to withhold strategic information from the public for it would them be easy spies to come by potentially game changing information, yet, I do not agree with the Government withhold various statistical information for only one thing can come from such lies, mistrust. As for exposure censorship, I do not believe this benefited or hurt the nation for many people including myself are impartial to the names of things for in reality its only a title, nothing more.