Fighting to the Finish: Australia in 1945 – Strategy, Victory and Legacy

MHHV is excited to announce that tickets are now on sale for our next conference – Fighting to the Finish: Australia in 1945 – Strategy, Victory and Legacy – which will be held on 11th October 2025 in Melbourne.

Join an esteemed group of presenters who will be exploring the part Australians played in the closing chapter of the war, and the impact this had on the 80 years that has followed.

Which were the key battles Australians were fighting in? What impact did Australia have on the Allied strategic position? How did returning Australian veterans shape Australian society, and how did they want the war to be remembered? What role did Australians play in the transition from Japanese occupied South East Asia to the postwar world? How did the experience of the conflict shape the Australian Army, RAN and RAAF?

Keynote will be delivered by Emeritus Professor David Horner, Official Historian and Professor of Australian Defence History, ANU.

Other presenters include:
Phil Craig, Author of 1945: The Reckoning
Dr Nicole Townsend, Director of the Second World War Research Group
Tim Gellel, Head of the Australian Army History Unit
Professor John Blaxland, Professor of International Security & Intelligence Studies, ANU
Dr Peter Williams, Author of Japan’s Pacific War

Download the complete program here

This promises to be a day of fascinating insights into Australian military history. MHHV conferences are open and accessible to everyone, we welcome anyone with an interest in history to come along and enjoy the presentations.

Fighting to the Finish: Australia in 1945 – Strategy, Victory, and Legacy One Day Conference
Date: 11th October 2025
Location: Caulfield RSL, 4 St Georges Rd, Elsternwick VIC
MHHV Members $85.00
Concessions/Students $95.00
Non-Members $110.00
Includes lunch, morning and afternoon tea.

Online Live Stream – $80.00