"Fake news that grew from a rejected defence strategy"

The mythical "Brisbane Line" grew from a defence strategy which was rejected by the Australian War Cabinet in February 1942.

Somehow politician Eddie Ward became aware of this rejected defence strategy. In October 1942 he claimed that the previous Government was prepared "to abandon an important part of northern Australia without firing a shot."

General Douglas MacArthur added to the fire by labelling the controversy the "Brisbane Line" in March 1943, exactly twelve months after his arrival in Australia. The media and Eddie Ward took advantage of this new attractive label given to the story and eventually Prime Minister John Curtin was forced to call a Royal Commission.

This book sets of the timeline for the controversy around the mythical "Brisbane Line" and provides documentary evidence of:-

• how the story developed
• and proves that the "Brisbane Line" did not exist