Australia, prisoner of war policy and the shackling crisis 1942-1943.

The shackling crisis is the most well-known incident of political reprisal involving prisoners of war during the Second World War. Although the event that would eventually include Australian prisoners of war (POWs) has been mentioned in existing literature, the Australian government’s response to this incident has not been thoroughly examined. This article aims to fill that gap by exploring the Australian government’s reaction to the reprisals associated with the shackling crisis. It will argue that the approach taken by the Australian government reflects its broader response to the war, especially as its focus shifted to the conflict in the Pacific.