In the first half of the 20th Century, Australia became the economic battleground for the Great Powers, who sought to shape Australia's economy, while exploiting her resources. This meant restricting the development of secondary industry, through ruthless trading practices, while encouraging the development of mining and primary industry. If Australia were ever to gain a large population, and have the capability to defend herself, she had to develop secondary industry. Improbably, and against great resistance, particularly from Britain and Japan, Australia had industrialized itself by 1939. This was just in time for her greatest challenge, the war with Germany and Japan (Volume 2), where economic struggles were transformed into military contests. The rise of Australian secondary industry was an improbable event, achieved through great risk taking, against the monetary and economic strangle-hold of the Great Powers. Other currently industrializing nations would do well to consider the Australian experience.