Curtin, John Joseph Ambrose (1885–1945)

Australian Labor politician, prime minister and minister of defence 1941–45. He was elected leader of the Labor Party in 1935. As prime minister, he organized the mobilization of Australia's resources to meet the danger of Japanese invasion during World War II. He died in office before the end of the war.

During the war he clashed with UK prime minister Winston Churchill over the latter's view that Australia was dispensable, withdrawing Australian troops from the Middle East in 1942 to help defend against the Japanese threat at home. At the same time, he reassessed the need for US support and invited General Douglas MacArthur to establish his headquarters in Australia.

The son of Irish Catholic immigrants, he left school in Melbourne at the age of 13. He was largely self-educated and was an active socialist and union organizer from an early age. He was elected to the federal parliament at trhe fourth attempt in 1928, lost his seat in 1931, but re-entered the house in 1934.