ANZUS

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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.

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