This book tells the story of the now forgotten Australian waterfront and coal strikes in World War II that so damaged the Australian war effort and the Curtin Government's ineffectual responses to them. These strikes were a disaster for Australian and highly embarassing for the Curtin Government. Unsuccessfully battling unions and workers nearly bought a sympathic Labor Government to its knees and even brought fourth an offer by Prime Minister Curtin to resign if this would bring an end to strikes. How could this happen in wartime?