How did the events in the Fall of Singapore change Australia’s Foreign Policy?
The Fall of Singapore made a significant change to Australia’s Foreign Policy resulting in a combination of several factors. World War II and the Fall of Singapore made a dramatic influence on the political views of Australia. Before world war, Australia were in partnership with Great Britain, as they had enormous amounts of respect towards the country. Australia viewed Great Britain as the “Mother country” and though that teaming up with them would give them the best outcome of war. This was not the case, on March 26th 1942, Australia only wanted to work with America. Australia wanted the efforts of the United States of America’s soldiers and John Curtin created …show more content…
Australia saw Britain as their “mother country” as both countries were a part of the Commonwealth and sharing one another’s culture, economics and military services, demonstrating to the Australian government that they were best country to become a partnership with. Australia had the right to determine their own policy , but thought that with the experience Britain has, they should syndicate and become a big colony to protect each other’s land. During the fall of Singapore, it was rumoured that the Japanese were planning an attack on Australian land, soon after the Singapore surrendered to the Japanese. After the rumour of the attack lingered, Prime Minister of Australia, John Curtin was in need of desperate help. He asked for the assistance of the British …show more content…
The ANZUS (Australia, New Zealand, and United States Security Treaty) treaty was created in WWII, when it became deceptive that Australia, New Zealand and America worked well together and were willing to defend each other under attack. The agreement was signed during 1951 in order to protect the Pacific region. When Singapore was about to fall and Australia was threatened by Japan, New Zealand and America, came to assist Australia in the defence of their country and that’s when the treaty had begun. There was also the SEATO treaty (South East Asia Treaty Organisation) that Australia signed in 1954. Composed by the US, the treaty consisted of Australia, the United States, Pakistan, France, Thailand, Britain and the Philippines. Any country that was European at the time was not allowed to join the treaty. The purpose of the alliance was to fight communism, primary in South East Asia. The countries involved in the treaty had to undergo joint military exchanges and training. Nevertheless, their restriction and conditions, both ANZUS and SEATO gave Australians some consolation that they were no longer just a geographically secluded former British colony. In the event of an attack the treaties meant the country had some powerful allies; however, a side effect of this was the need to link