Hi, this might help you out:
1. Outline the key developments in Australia's response to communism in Australia. (6 marks)
The Austrlaian Government feared that the 'red tide' of aggressive communism was a great threat to the national security of Australia as it appeared as an unstoppable force that might take over all capitalist countries after making spectacular gains after 1945. The Australian Government believed communism wouls soon rach Australia as it had already made its way through the Soviet Union, down into China and into South-east Asia, neighbouring Australia, hence the domino theory of communism.
The Prime Minister at the time and leader of the Liberal Party, Robert Menzies pledged that he would introduce legislation to outlaw the Communist Party. Many Australians were convinced of the danger and believed our economic prosperity was threatened by communists who had infiltrated Australia's political parties and followd Menzies' attitude. A referendum to ban the Communist Party was called by Robert Menzies in 1950-51 attempting to introduce a law into parliament called the Communist Party Dissolution Bill (April 1950). However, many Australians saw this law as to be "undemocratic" in nature and was declard unconstitutional by the High Court. Menzies responded to this by calling a referendum on the issue where if the referundum passed, the High Court ruling could be overuled. The referndum was narrowly defeated.
Fears of communism still remained within the ocuntry, and consequently a censorship was introduced by the Australian Government. This meant that any literature or art at the time that was suspected of favouring communism, would be immediately banned. The author Frank Hardy was a partidular victim of this policy but convinced the court with freedom of speech after being charged and arrested in 1950 with criminal libel.
The Australian Government later responded to the threat of communism through the ANZUS treaty and the SEATO Alliance. The Korean War convinced the Australian Government that the fear of agressive communism was very real. This strengthened the government's conviction that a strong ally was need on the dangerous cold war climate at the time. In Septmeber 1991, the United States, New Zealand and Australia signed the ANZUS Treaty. The SEATO Alliance suited Australia's interests as it bound the nation even closer with the US, acknowledged the dangers in the region and backed the idea of 'forward defence' as it took Australia's 'front line' into Asia.
2. Explain reasons why various groups responded differently to Australia's involvement in the Vietnam War. (6 marks)
Differing views of Australia's involvement in the Vietnam War came from supporters of the war, conscientious objectors and from members of the moratorium movement. Australia's ionvolvement in the Vietnam War and the issue of conscription split the nation in the 1960s and the early 1970s. However, it is important to remember that despite the high profile of anti-war protests and the media coverage they received, the majority of Australians supported the government over Vietnam.
There were major doubts raised about the war and Australia's involvenment in it right from the start. Australia's anti-war movement was strongly connected to protests with conscriptions and "National Service" as it was called. Because this was the first time conscripts had been sent to fight overseas during peacetime, early protests against conscription had come from religious groups and memebrs of the Australian Communist Party. Conscription became the focus of the anti-war movement with protests urgin men not to register and to resist the call up or "draft".
Youth Against Conscription and Save Our Sons (SOS) were two anti-war organisations that both were established in 1964 in opposition of the conscription issue. They often held protests supporting the increasing public view against the war in Vietnam. by the 1970's the anti-war sentiment had rapidly grown into huge rallies, marches, church services, sit-ins and candlelight processions and appealed to people as a means of expressing their support for the end of the war. The prominent Labor politician Jim Cairns was joined by academics, writers, artisits and church leaders in moratoium marches across the nation demanding the immediate withdrawal of Australian troops from Indochina and the immediate abolition of conscription.
With the introduction of a war on television for the first time, many Australians witnessed the horrors of the war and immortality that took place. Ordinary Australians becmae politically active and began to now question authority and the morals upheld when sending troops into the Vietnam War.
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