Scorched Earth

by Rosen, Sue;

  Horses, and saddles and harness.

  Waggons, drays, sulkies, buggies.

  Boots, sandshoes, blankets and sheets, cotton and woollen goods, and clothing and leather.

  Motor tools and accessories.

  Batteries.

  Tents.

  Foodstuffs.

  Spirits, liquors, beers, are of special importance. Cattle, sheep, pigs, poultry.

  Grain and seed.

  Haystacks, ensilage, growing crops.

  Pastoral and farming machinery, implements and equipment.

  First aid and medical supplies and soap.

  The ordinary citizen may be called upon to destroy for his country’s sake rather than yield them to the enemy, possessions which to him were treasured.

  This sacrifice will be demanded of him as a civil soldier lest the enemy acquire these things to use them against us for our own destruction.

  But only at the last moment when enemy pressure is such that we may be forced to leave a sector of our country in occupation, and open to rapine and pillage.

  In any case the enemy will never give up what has come into his hands, for he will finally destroy when we force his withdrawal, or as with the bronze doors from the banks of Singapore, remove them to Japan, or as with the machinery at Hongkong, ship them to Manchukuo,2 or as with the rubber in Malaya, start shipment with his first toehold.

  Over the potential battlefields, the civil utilities, properties, stores and materials to be denied to the enemy, are vast and widespread.

  The Fighting Forces and their Engineer and Salvage Troops will be busy enough in front line duties.

  We do not know where the enemy will choose to strike, or what point he will reach.

  Plain citizens must, therefore, lend a hand - everywhere!

  The Citizen’s Role:

  In traditional warfare the citizen was a neutral, non-combatant.

  The populace pursued its peacetime avocations - whilst uniformed armies fought according to rules and textbooks. The Mayor, in his robes of office, handed over to the conqueror the keys of the city.

  In Total War -

  ø/ The enemy uses disguise, fifth columnism,3 paratrooping, infiltration, treachery.

  ø/ The citizenry is bombed, machine gunned, air-raided, incendiarised, terrorised -

  ø/ And is stampeded against its own defending forces in order to screen the enemy advance, to obstruct the defending army, to produce panic, demoralisation, defeatism.

  ø/ The population in occupied territories is reduced to unfed slavery; its women are raped, its children wantonly killed or maimed -

  ø/ The enemy strips the country of valuable materials, plant, machinery; and transfers them for his own enrichment.

  ø/ Leaving, a Scorched Earth behind him, in which civilians fend for themselves in the ruins, and are left to implore their country’s allies, as in Greece, for “wheat or coffins”.

  This is Modern War - as taught and practised by Germany and Japan.

  The Australian answer to Total War must be, as in Russia and China, total citizen collaboration with the armed forces.

  The citizen may be still non-combatant - because he hasn’t a rifle - but he is not neutral.

  Every Australian is required to collaborate in Scorched Earth operations.

  If he doesn’t, the fighting forces will have to do this additional job for him, when they might be better occupied killing Japanese.

  Scorched Earth Organisation is the job of the Civil Arm.

  But the civil soldier will wait for the military order or until the enemy is in sight - before he does the job and makes his getaway.

  When the Australian knows his action station, no Japanese can shift him from it till he is finished.

  Whether he wears the uniform or not makes no difference to his Australian spirit.

  Our most tragic shortage is the shortage of time, however.

  Every citizen must get busy now.

  That is his first war duty -

  Instantly to organise for Scorched Earth operations and to successfully implement them at last moments.

  Scorched Earth Support Squads as Citizen Aids:

  Last moment citizen actions near the front line are liable to accidents, confusion, and misfiring.

  Therefore special Scorched Earth Support Squads will be organised in each centre.

  The jobs of Support Squads will be:

  (i) In the first place to help citizens in prompt and careful planning of their arrangements to ensure last moment denial of their possessions to the enemy.

  (ii) In the last place, to reinforce and support citizens in last moment demolitions and to see that no plan misfires.

  Any member of a Support Squad, or of the Military, or of the Police Forces is authorised to enforce instructions and to complete them at owner’s cost, if not completed in an effective or timely way.

  Co-operation, however, is what is called for from every Australian.

  Citizens should welcome and work with the Support Squads against the Japanese - and be more ruthless than the enemy.

  Our combined job is to beat him at Total War - and live to build again.

  War Damage and Scorched Earth Insurance:

  The British Colonial Code provides, in respect of compensation for war damages:

  “Where damage is done in the course of military operations, or on orders of our own Forces, the answer to any enquiries must be that the question of compensation cannot be decided until after the completion of the war.”

  Australia has enacted the War Damage Insurance Act which covers loss through Scorched Earth operations.

  Every citizen may and should insure his possessions against war damage and scorched earth operations under this War Damages Insurance Act.

  This Act pools and shares the civil losses of war; if not availed of, the neglecting citizen must carry his own loss himself.

  NATIONAL SECURITY (Scorched Earth) Regulations - Military Powers:

  “Scorched earth” is a military operation under military control. The plain citizen, whether in his home or in his job, is required immediately to make ready for instant demolition at military signal and command, all things which are to be denied to the enemy.

  Every citizen will be held responsible, in respect of the things in his possession or control, for denying them to the enemy, at all hazard to himself.

  This is a citizen’s action station and battle order.

  National Security Regulations have been approved - called Scorched Earth Regulations - which give all necessary powers to the Army, and which require the civilian to carry out the war duties sketched above.

  Dispersal and Disposal First:

  After military operations are deemed by the Army to have commenced:

  (i) The civilian population must “stay put” - so as not to impede the operations of its own fighting forces by enemy-created stampedes, and refugee road congestions.

  (ii) No civilian evacuation of any kind, from either town or country, can then be permitted - except under direct military orders and control.

  (iii) The military may permit late evacuation from country sectors via non-military roads, of essential motor vehicles transferring essential wartime materials - or carrying only women, girls, boys under 16, or aged infirm males, with priority to relatives of citizens engaged near the front line in the more hazardous citizen collaboration duties.

  (iv) Otherwise able-bodied males stay on the job, carrying on in Labor Corps, Scorched Earth and other approved citizen collaboration actions.

  There is no sense in leaving for last moment destruction anything that can be prior dispersed or disposed of.

  After military action begins, dispersal is too late; and the resulting salvage too little!

  What can be done should be done beforehand.

  That means NOW!

  It is again the citizen’s job.

  ø/ Civil development must be suspended until we win - to build a New Age!

  ø/ Warlike an
d wartime essential production must be accelerated though battles rage - and be continued to the last moment.

  ø/ Hoarding must cease; supplies must be kept low by dispersal of concentrations.

  ø/ There must be similar dispersal of young stock, cattle, sheep &c. - seed, valuable plant, machinery, essential vehicles, spare parts, materials and supplies generally.

  ø/ Tools, food and supply caches should be located and established in the bush.

  ø/ Rather than keep them in disuse until they have finally to be destroyed, the citizen should hand over to the Military authorities at once, things which the Army urgently needs, e.g.:

  Survey and scientific instruments, binoculars and cameras.

  Maps.

  Battery radio sets.

  Rope.

  Firearms and ammunition.

  Explosives.

  Tyres.

  Trucks, cars, cycles, bicycles, tractors.

  Tools.

  Tents.

  ø/ Civilians and civil industry should plan for final last-moment local dispersal, or disposal or salvage of irreplaceable things by:

  (i) Prior location of hiding places, or digging of holes or trenches, in which quickly moveable things - e.g. tools, foodstuffs - can be hurriedly buried or hidden beyond reach of the enemy at last moment.

  (ii) Prior sorting out of things into items (i) for transfer to the Army; (ii) for hurried hiding or burying; (iii) for dispersal among the people likely to be left under Japanese occupation; (iv) to be denied to the invader by last-moment destruction.

  The citizen must work out as applicable to his own case and his own possessions, the most effective means of putting out of reach or out of action what he might otherwise have to yield to the enemy in a military emergency.

  DESTRUCTION - Simple, Silent, Selective, Swift!

  The Scorched Earth war-job must not be imagined to be a riotous, excited, noisy, loose, destruction of everything in sight.

  Nor have we to encourage the enemy and depress our own fighting men, by noisily beating for a week beforehand, the drums of retreat; and publishing smoke and flame and detonations in our rear, in unworthy anticipation of enemy victory.

  Scorched Earth is a disciplined, selective, aggressive operation; depending upon thorough preparation beforehand; for unmiserly consummation against the enemy at the final military moment!

  It needs to be carried through as simply, as silently, as secretly, as swiftly as possible!

  It needs to be complete enough to utterly deny our resources to the enemy.

  If we do have to use fire and explosives, we should try to involve the enemy in both!

  But do not start off with the preconceived notion that large quantities of explosives, fuses, detonators, primer cord and so on are necessary to destroy the articles and stocks in our ordinary possession.

  Only large plants, bridges, and undertakings in the installation and public utility class call for such methods. And even many of these can be rendered immediately useless by their expert staffs who know the vital and irreplaceable parts, and how to smash them with an axe or sledge hammer, or otherwise.

  Nor is fire the universal destructant.

  Many things will not burn. And even in the cases of those which will burn, the fires ignited may go out before the destruction is complete.

  So if you burn - smash before you burn; and be sure to smash the vital, irreplaceable parts.

  But you may also hide, bury, submerge, wet, scatter, contaminate, or take bush!

  There is an appropriate best method for every type of installation and material. The experts of the industry are the best advisers on this, and they have been consulted before drafting the recommended method of destruction for each item of the Scorched Earth Category.

  Have everything ready - everywhere!

  Let everyone help!

  War is Hell!

  But we are in it!

  Collaborate with the A.M.F.

  THE SCORCHED EARTH CODE ITSELF:

  This Scorched Earth Code has been prepared by the State War Effort Co-Ordination Committee, as a directional guide to citizens, to industries and services, in the:

  (i) Framing of Action details for their local unit operations.

  (ii) Immediate completion of prior arrangements for swift and timely consummation at military signal - or on the too close approach of the enemy.

  The Code has two sections:

  1. General - Citizen Code (for citizens primarily).

  2. Specialised - Industrial and Services’ Code.

  The first section deals with things in the possession or use of the ordinary citizen-at-home, or widespread over the civil structure, so that the private citizen as such is primarily responsible for them.

  The second deals with special businesses, trades, industries and administrations, for which the organisations are managerially responsible. It consists of separates for each, and has no further place in this publication.

  (Note: (i) Every user-in-possession will be responsible to the Scorched Earth National Security Regulations, at all hazards to himself, for the denial to the enemy of what he is using or what he possesses.

  Such denial shall take the form, either of:

  (a) Destruction beyond hope of repair.

  (b) Hiding, burying, submerging, prior dispersal or disposal - beyond possible discovery by the enemy: salvaging - e.g. tyres, batteries, and irreplaceable parts if possible - and so on:

  and will be implemented at military signal or on too close approach of the enemy and prior to abandonment).

  (Note (ii) Every employer, manager, or supervisor, will be equally responsible;

  (a) For the fulfilment of denial by his employees or subordinates.

  (b) For prior drafting of Action details for his unit organisation.

  (c) For prior preparation, arrangement, and staff exercises, to assure effective last-moment fulfilment).

  After outlining the basic aims of the Code, the subcommittee—sounding very much like Swain in his initial trumpet call (Chapter 1)—explained what it meant for ordinary citizens. Noting the many items in ordinary homes and garages that were of potential value to an invasion force, it urged people to act immediately. If they could not hide or disperse them, they should make plans for destroying them at short notice.

  All forms of private transport, from rowboats to cars, bicycles and horse-drawn wagons should be assessed. Those that were not essential—or which could not be used because of petrol rationing—should be sent inland, buried, sunk or smashed. Boats and motor vehicles were so important that they had their own section of the Code (reproduced in Chapters 6 and 8).

  If an invasion took place and evacuation became necessary, householders were to destroy or dump all food, and take special care to leave no alcohol behind. In preparation for evacuation, they were to set aside a week’s rations, providing for each adult: ‘¼ lb tea; ½ lb sugar; 1 lb slab of chocolate; 1 tin of condensed milk; 3 x 8 oz tins beef; 2 lbs rice; Bovril’.

  Houses and furniture could remain intact, but cooking utensils, light bulbs, refrigerator and vacuum cleaner motors, radio valves and telephones were on the destruction list. Clothing (including tennis shoes, ‘the Jap’s favourite’), blankets, maps and binoculars were also to be burned, smashed or buried—as were any tools not wanted by the Army. Guttering and water tanks were to be punctured, and horses and livestock not already requisitioned by the Army or moved inland were to be slaughtered.

  Workers were urged to take the initiative and assume ‘personal responsibility’ for finding the most efficient and cost-effective ways ‘to deny to the Japanese invader what he depends upon for our conquest!’

  GENERAL CITIZEN CODE

  1. BOATS AND WATERCRAFT.

  Military reason: The Japanese are born watermen and boatmen; and in their warfare have sweepingly requisitioned craft for coastwise penetrations and river outflankings and infiltrations. A waiting boat is an invasion hazard!

  Watercraft consist of:
<
br />   (i) Pleasure and non-essential craft.

  (ii) Economic or commercial craft.

  The first are being towed for the Navy to concentrated moorings where the Army will take over responsibility, remove engines and salvage vital parts: the State War Effort Co-ordination Committee Scorched Earth auxiliaries are handling the job for both Arms, and will be responsible for maintenance, guard, and emergency demolition.

  The second group as yet remain available for either commercial or enemy use!

  In Malaya, fish are a staple article of native diet, and fishing an essential industry of first importance.

  Yet the A.I.F., after first bitter experience of Japanese requisitioning, had no further compunction in destroying the fishing boats and the Malayan fishing industry!

  As a first provision for Total War in Australia, we may have to dispense with seafoods, to deny both them and watercraft to an enemy to whom both are vital.

  We can eat mutton: the Japanese dislike it!

  Until all boats are removed from our coastal, and estuarine waters, every citizen owner or user in effect points a loaded gun against us.

  Be watchful of that “gun”!

  Do not leave a boat unguarded, without removing petrol, rudder, rowlocks, oars, and vital parts.

  Moor it in hiding.

  Pass it over to the Scorched Earth crows before compulsion becomes urgent. Or beach it on the spring tide and dismantle it and camouflage it.

  Do not leave port without advising the Fisheries Inspector, or the Police, of your course or return.

  Be watchful for the enemy! Scuttle your boat to deny it to him.

  2. MOTOR AND OTHER VEHICLES.

  (Including trailers, bicycles, tractors, wagons, drays, sulkies, buggies, horses &c.)

  Military reason: The Japanese did not bring many motor vehicles to Malaya - they depended on local requisitioning - and succeeded! The Australians learned to smash Malayan bicycles viciously - they had cost them dear! Deny the enemy your vehicles, and you clip his advance!

  Apart from the military reason, invasion would dislocate our railways which are already overloaded. Our entire motor fleet would be badly needed for our own use.