Did you know about the „battle” fought between Americans and Australians in Brisbane?

Large joint undertakings by multiple groups always carry the risk of internal conflict, and war is no exception. The Allied nations of World War II were one of the largest military alliances in history (and their successor, NATO, is the largest); a significant amount of friction between the members was inevitable. In some cases, such friction even led to blows and shots, as it did in Brisbane, Australia, on the nights of November 26 and 27 in 1942, almost exactly 82 years ago.

U.S. troops quickly showed up in Australia after America’s entry into the war, with up to one million U.S. military personnel in numerous cities and town, preparing for or refitting after combat operations in the Pacific, on R&R, or convalescing. Brisbane, specifically, hosted the headquarters of General Douglas MacArthur (Douglas MacArthur – Part I)(Part II), supreme commander of the South West Pacific Area. Brisbane had a regular population of 330,000, and found it difficult to cope with the added presence of up to 80,000 Americans, leading to tensions running high.

Many Aussies, especially soldiers, often resented the Americans. U.S. troops were paid a much higher salary and had nicer uniforms, which attracted young Australian ladies. They also had better rations (Feeding an Army), and had access to cheap alcohol, tobacco and luxuries (including silk stockings for the ladies) at the U.S. military PX-es (Post Exchanges), which Aussies were barred from. For the Australians, the same goods were either strictly rationed, inordinately expensive, or simply unavailable. Bars and hotels gave preferential treatment to the well-paying Americans. To make things worse, MacArthur habitually downplayed and even outright ignored significant Australian contributions to the war.

Large-scale violence was sparked off at 6:50 p.m. on November 26, 1942. Drunk American Private James R. Stein had just left the hotel where he was drinking and was chatting up three friendly Australian soldiers on the street when he was approached by (fellow U.S.) MP Private Anthony E. O’Sullivan, who demanded to see Stein’s leave pass. O’Sullivan got impatient while Stein was fishing the document out of his pockets; he grabbed the paper and arrested Stein. The three Aussies quickly came to Stein’s help and started swearing at the MP. O’Sullivan raised his baton as if he was about to strike, prompting the Ozzies to attack him in self-defense. More MPs and Australians (both soldiers and civilians) rushed to the scene to help out their side. The MPs quickly retreated to the nearby PX, dragging Stein with them. 100 Australian servicemen and civilians besieged the PX and the American Red Cross Club across the street intersection, throwing rocks and bottles and breaking windows.

Fights broke out throughout the city during the night. The police were too few to intervene, and the fire brigade refused to disperse the crowd with their hoses. Some 5,000 people were involved in the rioting one hour after it all started. 

MPs inside the PX armed themselves with shotguns and moved to the front. Several people in the crowd tried to relieve the Americans of their weapons. The ensuing scuffle ended with one gun discharged three times, killing Australian Gunner Edward S. Webster and wounding another seven Ozzies, two of them civilians. The besieging crowd eventually dispersed at 10 p.m. after destroying the ground floor of the PX.

Violence continued on the night of the 27th with several faceoffs between locals and Americans. According to some sources, several U.S. MPs were set upon and beaten. News of the two-night riot was suppressed by the censors. In America, this ugly episode of the war in almost completely unknown; in Australia, it’s still remembered as a memory of the unequal treatment the locals got during the war.