Australia’s bilateral relationship with the United States has been driven primarily by our security needs. Discuss.
Australia has a formal alliance with the United States, this is known as the ANZUS treaty. The alliance was originally developed when Australia and New Zealand shared the same concern for the threat of communism. Australia, being closely dependent on Great Britain their mother country, had sought out a greater sense of security and protection and this is when Australia turned to America. Australia’s bilateral relationship with the United States has been driven primarily by security needs. Although post-war, Australians seem to still be vulnerable in following the American culture and ideology. Americanization is a danger to Australia and it’s national identity. Americanization may assist in securing the bond and the security that the United States provides to Australia, yet the threat of losing Australian culture is clear.
The Australia, New Zealand and US (ANZUS) treaty was signed on the 1st of September in 1951. The ANZUS treaty is a military alliance; the treaty binds Australia, New Zealand and the United States, to support one another. The experience of World War II, when Australia and New Zealand faced possible invasion by Japan after the fall of Singapore in 1942 and the retreat of Britain from the region, had driven the two countries to seek the protection of the new hegemon on the block, the United States (Thalakada, 2012, p.104). The threat from Japan was real and this changed the way Australia had viewed itself, Australia had generally viewed itself as British. Having lost a sense of security in the British to aid in Australia’s defense, Australia looked to America for an alliance. The ties to Great Brit...
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...p. This can be considered an insurance policy from Australia, in hope that the security from America is obtained.
Australia and the United states have had a close relationship for a long time. The ANZUS treaty alliance has been the core beginning of this relationship as it continues to evolve, whether it is primarily based on security reasons or the fact that there is a genuine evolving affection between Australians and Americans, the bond is evident. Australia’s loyalty stays with Great Britain, the need to seek assistance from another of the great world powers did not affect the relationship Australia has with Britain, and ANZUS brought the protection that Great Britain could no longer provide. Australians have adopted many cultural forms and ideas from Americans; Australia continues to be shaped by America for national interests as well as cultural categories.
...The fact that Australia publically sought America’s help angered Britain, but it was all that Australia could do seen as Britain let Singapore fall to the Japanese and did not given Australia suitable reinforcements to help with the growing pressure from the Japanese. It is shown throughout the war that the fall of Singapore damaged Australia’s relations with Britain, there are even cable grams of John Curtain telling Elsie Curtain how badly the relations with Britain and that he has a fight with Churchill almost every day (National Archives of Australia). Australia had always felt the threat of invasion in WWII but when Singapore fell it was almost certain. Australia moved further away from Britain when they publicly sought Americas help with the growing threat of a Japanese attack. None of this would have happened if Singapore had remained in British control.
John Curtin, Prime Minister of Australia from 1941 – 1945, significantly supported the movement towards an Australian-American relationship. In his speech the Task Ahead, he states “Without any inhibitions of any kind, I make it quite clear that Australia looks to America, free of any pangs as to our traditional links or kinship with the United Kingdom.” This speech was supported by newspapers around the country, possibly showing bias, but it is unlikely that Curtin's statement had a major influence on the US military strategy. A close alliance between the two countries was inevitable, as they both shared the same goal - to defeat the Japanese (John.curtin.edu.au, n.d.; Australian Geographic, 2012) and control the Pacific. However, the effect of this statement on the Australian people can be seen in the newspapers from the time period. H.R Knickerbocker, states “It is the bounden duty of the U.S. to strain every nerve and every effort to ship to Australia today and tomorrow, every available fighter bomber and masses of army marines and navy” (Fall of Singapore: What it Means to Us, 1942, from nla.gov.au). This statement is a clear example of Australia’s new found reliance on the United States, showing how Australia has become dependent on the U.S providing it with resources and
Hypothesis: The Australian public made a significant contribution to the war efforts from 1939 to 1945, through sacrifices on a personal and national level. The determination of the Australian people in bringing their loved ones home safely, created strong relationships between the community, which in many cases, are still prevalent in Australian society to this day.
The partnership between Australia and Japan instigated with the signing of ANZUS treaty in 1951. ANZUS joined the nations of Australia, New Zealand and the United States of America in a defence security pact for the Pacific region. It chiefly resulted from the fear of communism by Western nations. However, from Australia’s point of view at the time, ANZUS also offered protection against a potential threat from Japan. Australia was concerned that Japan would try to conquer the Pacific region again after suffering defeat in the Second World War. Hanson.M (2001:28) sates that shortly after the end of World War Two, Australia wanted the Japanese government turned into a democracy. She even wanted a peace treaty that punished those leaders responsible for Japan’s aggression, broke the great industrious complexes of Japan’s economy, and left Japan disarmed. The ANZUS treaty however, created a connection between Australia and Japan on easier terms. With United States backing Australia, it was now safe to interact with Japan. Although ANZUS did not guarantee direct military support from United States, it still provided consultation in an event of attack on any of the three countries. Wolferen.K (1989:54) notes that security co-operation has been growing between Australia and Japan throughout the 1990’s. Communist China was the major concern for the two nations. Japan and Australia had the same negative views about communism, which led to them sharing a common purpose in countering the communists within that region.
Maestro by Peter Goldsworthy provides an insight into 1960s/70s Australia and helps reinforce common conceptions about Australian culture. One common conception Goldsworthy reinforces in this text is Australia’s increasing acceptance of multiculturalism. Maestro, set in the 1960s to 1970s, shows Australians growing more accepting and tolerant of other cultures. This shift in perspective was occurring near the end of the White Australia/Assimilation Policy, which was phased out in the late 1970s/early 1980s. An example of this shifted perspective in Maestro is Paul’s father’s opinion about living in Darwin:
MacDermott, D. (1993). As we see you. In D. Grant & G. Seal (Eds.), Australia in the world (pp. 86-91). Perth: Black Swan Press
The United States has had a changing view on the management of foreign policy from neutrality to a defender of democracy. It is characterized by the Monroe Doctrine during the 20th century that states no American interference in European affairs unless the democracy of the western hemisphere were to be threatened. This ideology was later abandoned with the entering of the U.S. in WWI, WWII, and the Vietnam War. The immigrants of this nation were the backbone of the working class that enabled for the U.S. to prosper economically in an open trade. As an established super power the United States has had a series of world relationships that began in 1877 to the progression of today that established the fundamental values of American exceptionalism.
...at these several events in our nation’s history have demoralised our reputation to other countries globally. To make us known as a better country to other nations, we’ve completely abolished the White Australia Policy, gave back the aborigines their freedoms and we were also the first country in the world to give women rights. Australia today in present day is now one of the most multicultural societies on Earth, and we definitely follow our values of mateship, acceptance and freedom.
There is a high degree of complexity in this question. Should Australia, as a mature nation, be taking part in moral issues around the world even though they are not happening on our doorstep? Do we ignore the deaths in Bosnia, the starving millions in Biafra and Ethiopia, the worldwide environmental issues raised by Greenpeace? What is the purpose of developing alliances, both economic and military, with other countries? At stake, in all of these issues, is our desire for a better world to live in.
‘Australia is at War’ is a primary source from the year 1939 and is a speech by renowned Prime Minister Robert Gordon Menzies (1894 – 1978). This speech was delivered at the beginning of World War II declaring Australia’s participation and assistance to its “Mother Land”, Great Britain. World War II was developed and initiated by the infamous Adolf Hitler, a notorious German leader and the head of the Nazis. German’s invasion of Poland initiated Great Britain’s move towards force rather than their original approach of negotiations and peace, as stated in Prime Minister Menzies’ speech, “they [Great Britain] have kept the door of negotiations open; they have given no cause for provocation.” So the purpose of this source, Menzies speech, which was broadcasted on national radio, was to inform Australia of the drastic measures that were to be taken against Germany in the defence for their Mother Land. As Australia had only pronounced federation a mere thirty-eight years earlier, Great Britain was still referred to as the “Mother Land”, as it was still greatly depended upon it, concluding that when Great Britain had declared war upon Germany, as a result, Australia too was also at war. From Australia’s contribution to Great Britain began the rise of varies army reinforcement groups such as AIF (the Australian Imperial Force), RAAF (Royal Australian Air Force), RAN (Royal Australian Navy) and many more.
In the nineteenth century, the “History wars” became the fight between the most prominent historians revolving around the deception of frontier conflict between the labor and coalition. The debate aroused from the different interpretations of the violence that took place during the European colonization and to what degree. It became a crisis in history, emerging from the dispossession of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders (ATSI) that resulted in exclusion of their traditions and culture. The ATSI were the first people of Australia that brought along a different culture, language, kinship structures and a different way of life (Face the Facts, 2012). Post European colonization was a time where the ATSI people experienced disadvantage in the land they called home. With the paramount role as future educators, it demands proficient knowledge on the Australian history and one of the most influential moments in our history started from the first European settlers.
WWII has a ripple effect across the globe causing changes both internationally and domestically. Internationally, The sun finally began to set over the British Empire with the majority of her majesties colonial possessions gaining independence in the years following the war. Britain’s stage left exit from its hegemonic role resulted in the start of a new “Great Game” between two burgeoning superpowers. A new world order began to take shape with the United States and USSR vying to establish their own hegemony.
The history of Australia has been altered through multiculturalism. As Carter explains, “Histories of different ethnic groups – the Chinese, Germans, Scandinavians and so forth – have appeared with increasing regularity in recent decades” (348). Australia no longer has the same relationship to a British heritage (Carter 347). More information uncovers the interracial mixing of Indigenous and Asian, European and non-European, etc. Multiculturalism, furthermore, is allowing Australia to break away from its racist and isolationist history (Carter 348). While this is positive, multiculturalism may be a form of ‘nationalist triumphalism. Ien Ang
American culture has completely encompassed the world. Even the smallest symbols of America are seen throughout international countries. The United States has become the center of technological advancements, and inventions to, in theory, better the lives of its people. As these ideas spread all over the world. On the contrary the effects are majorly negative, as these effects only change people into to becoming more “american” whether than embracing the beautiful culture they were brought up in. “Americanization” is continually altering the lives of foreigners for the worst.
Australia is considered as a young country when comparing to other countries as it has been founded around 200 years ago. Today, it is still in the trouble of some sort of identity crisis, trying to find its true identity. To try to define what really is considered as Australianness means one will have to take the plunge. For instance, in Australia the movie, director Baz Luhrmann made a great effort in telling an epic story of Australia but it still falls into the category of imprudent cliché of Australianness. Now we will look at the poster of Australia the movie then analyse it to interpret in what ways it represents the Australianness.