Australian men were described by the US military during World War II as incoherent, beer-drinking tough guys who would gamble on raindrops falling on a window.

In 1942, the US Army handed a 54-page booklet to its soldiers who were sent to Australia during the war to help them deal with culture shock.

Titled 'Instructions for American Servicemen in Australia', the handbook's overriding theme was that the two countries shared a robust military and cultural alliance.

But 75 years later, it gives a compelling insight into America's perception of Australians and reveals what the US Army told its men about Australian soldiers.

Australian men were described by the US military during World War II as incoherent, beer-drinking tough guys who would gamble on raindrops falling on a window

The handbook was titled 'Instructions for American Servicemen in Australia'

US servicemen were given a list of common colloquialisms in Australia in 1942. 'Australian slang is so colorful, and confusing,' the handbook read

American soldiers are pictured catching up on the news at the American Red Cross in Townsville, Queensland, in 1942

According to the booklet, US servicemen stood little chance of interpreting the abundance of quips and colloquialisms Down Under.

'Thanks to our movies, the average Australian has some working knowledge of our slang, but it'll take you a while to get on to theirs.

'To them a ''light guy'' is a ''fair dinkum''; a hard worker is a ''grafter'' and ''to feel crook'' means to feel lousy; while ''beaut'' means swell,' the booklet read.

'Australian slang is so colorful, and confusing.'

One American soldier, who was stationed in Brisbane, gave a first hand account of his struggles to comprehend the Australian dialect.

One American soldier stationed in Brisbane said: 'Instead of dollars and cents they had pounds, shillings, pence and things. They talk about quids and bobs'

The pamphlet attempted to explain cultural and historical differences between the two countries

The handbook's overriding theme was that the US and Australia shared a robust military and cultural alliance. Pictured, US troops try out their automatic cannon during a flight over Australia

Two American soldiers teach American nurses how to shoot in Brisbane in 1943

'The Aussies were hard to understand and we had to ask them two or three times what they said.

'They either ran their words together, slurred them, or cut each short,' he said.

'Instead of dollars and cents they had pounds, shillings, pence and things. They talk about quids and bobs,' he said.

'Nobody could figure it out. What we used to do was to buy something and then put our hand in our pocket and bring out the change and say ''take what ya want''.'

The handbook also described Australia's love of eating meat, drinking beer and gambling on absolutely anything.

'It's been said of the Australians that if a couple of them in a bar haven't anything else to bet on, they'll lay odds on which of two flies will rise first from the bar, or which raindrop will get to the bottom of the window first,' the booklet reads.

'If an American happened to be there, he'd probably be making book.'

The handbook also described Australia's love of eating meat, drinking beer and gambling on absolutely anything. Above, African-American American soldiers, a Jazz orchestra and women at an officers dance and the Carver Service Club in Brisbane during the war

As for drinking, US soldiers headed for Australia were told there would be a shortage of American rye whiskey. Above, a group of soldiers and a woman celebrate Thanksgiving at Brisbane's Dr Carver Service Club in 1943

As for drinking, US soldiers headed for Australia were told there would be a shortage of American rye whiskey.

'The main drink is beer - stronger than ours and not as cold. Hard liquor is fairly expensive and much less commonly drunk than in America.'

The handbook's section on Australia's way of warfare described Aussie soldiers on the battlefield as 'tough guys' with an unfounded reputation for ill-discipline.

'All Americans who've had anything to do with them say they're among the friendliest guys in the world - and fine physical specimens of fighting men,' the pamphlet read.

The booklet described Australians as 'meat eating potato guys' who weren't too keen on fruit, green veges and salad

The book read: 'The Aussies don't fight out of a textbook. They're resourceful, inventive soldiers, with plenty of initiative.' Here an Allied United Nations in New Guinea with a group of American, Australian and Dutch soldiers are pictured together

'The Aussies don't fight out of a textbook. They're resourceful, inventive soldiers, with plenty of initiative.

'Americans and British have the idea they are an undisciplined bunch - they aren't much on saluting or parading, and they often do call their C.O (commanding officer) by his first name.

'But when the fighting begins, there isn't any lack of discipline or leadership, either.'

The booklet also described Australians as 'meat eating potato guys' who weren't too keen on fruit, green veges and salad.

In 1942, the US Army handed the 54-page booklet to its soldiers who were sent to Australia during the war to help them deal with culture shock. Above, Australian soldiers rest aboard an American hospital ship in 1943

Anglo-American Allied soldiers rejoice, waving their flags in Australia in 1944

Australian soldiers disembark an American LST after securing beachheads at Lae on the drive to oust occupying Japanese from the area

'Australians are great meat eaters... They don't go in for green vegetables and salads and fruits as much as Americans.

'Some of the best fruits in the world are grown along the tropical coasts of Queensland, but the Australian, nevertheless, is strictly a ''meat and potatoes guy''.'

'Meat pies are the Australian version of the hot dog, and in Melbourne, the substitute for a hamburger is a 'dim sin', chopped meat rolled in cabbage leaves which you order 'to take out' in Chinese restaurants.'

The booklet concluded with a full list of common slang to help soldiers understand everyday speech Down Under.