No two world events have reshaped the relationship between Asia and Australia, and Australia's perception of Asia more than World War Two (1939 - 1942) and the Vietnam War (1962 - 1972).

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No two world events have reshaped the relationship between Asia and Australia, and Australia’s perception of Asia more than World War Two (1939 – 1942) and the Vietnam War (1962 – 1972). As a result, today Australia’s highest foreign policy is Asia and we have developed a relationship in many sectors – political, economic, social, cultural, military and security.  However, the recent rejection of Australia into the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) has demonstrated Australia still has a long way to go to achieve a positive relationship with its closest neighbours.

Unlike any other country in the world, Australia has a unique combination of geography and culture. European born and geographically Asian, Australia is inexplicably tied to both regions. Consequently, the dialectic between these two regions is extremely complicated. Whilst English is still the first language, Australia is deeply integrated with Asia. As Keating argues “hundreds of thousands of jobs continue to depend of Asian markets, Australia’s security is shaped there” (Keating 2000 p27), Australia’s Asian population is constantly growing. Consequently, as Alexander Downer stated ““We have substantial and abiding interest at stake in the region and we would neglect those interests at our very great peril” (Downer 1999 p22)

Australia’s relationship with Asia is perpetually changing. Factors such as globalization, immigration and world events has resulted in an Australia, which is as Keating argues “constantly redefining itself, shifting its image of what it means to be Australian in response to the changing world” (Keating 2000 p27). Over the past year, events such as the Sars virus, Australia’s decision to join the US in its attack on Iraq, the “fight against terrorism” and the Bali bombings have all dramatically impacted and shaped Australia’s relations with Asia.

World War 2

World War Two played a major role in changing Australia’s perceptions of Asia, Britain and the United States. The momentous event alerted Australians to the fact that they could no longer look to their mother country Britain for security, that the US was the new super power and that “what happens in our neighbourhood will affect us more deeply and more quickly than events that occur in most other parts of the world”. (Downer 1999 p22)

As John Ingleson argues, pre World War two there was little or no need for Australians to concern themselves with Asian issues or culture, as they felt safe living under the belief that Europe and particularly Britain would offer them protection and security. Consequently, “there was little or no attempt to understand the cultural adaptions Australia might need to undergo if the world of European dominance passed away”.  (John Ingleson 1999 p177)

Japan’s strength upon entering the war in December 1941 shattered Australia’s perception of Asia. Japan’s occupation of South East Asia and large areas of the Pacific, the fall of Singapore, the bombing of Darwin and the entry by Japanese submarines into Sydney Harbour not only “riveted national attention on the security of our (the Australian) region” (Downer 1999 p22) but “demonstrated that the British neither could nor would defend Australia” (Greg Sheridan 2001). Consequently, Australia was forced to look to the United States for protection which was confirmed by the ANZUS treaty in 1951 which aligned Australia, New Zealand and the United States.

The Second World War was a major contributor in decreasing global insularity and the interaction that followed demonstrates the developing steps in Australia’s relationship with Asia and Australia’s changing perception of Asia. The White Australia policy which “arose from a Commonwealth government objective of creating and maintaining a monoracial Australia” (Cathgart M 2003 www.angelfire.com) and prejudiced against Asian immigrants was abolished, whilst the Colombo Plan and the signing of the 1957 Australia – Japan trade agreement acknowledged Asia as a valuable trading partner. However, it is Foreign Minister Richard Casey’s comment during the 1950’s that “our special role lies in South East Asia and consequently our foreign policy is largely but not exclusively concerned with that region” (Casey as sited by Downer (1999)) , which confirms the significant transformation of Australia’s attitude to Asia, during this period.

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Vietnam War 1962 – 1972

Whilst World War Two was a confirmation that Australia’s security could be determined by it’s relations with Asia, the Vietnam War established Australia’s need for an independent foreign policy – one that was defined it in terms other than as the loyal ally of the United States.

Australia's military involvement in the Vietnam War was the longest in duration of any war in Australia's history, and was in accordance with the policies of the United States, to stop the spread of Communism in Europe and Asia. That involvement lasted over eleven ...

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