The Post-World War II UK-Australia Relations: 1940s-1970s

Australia, an isolated nation on the Oceanic Continent, had been loyal to its far-away motherland—the United Kingdom—and spared no efforts to maintain the UK-Australia ties.Its heavy reliance on London, nonetheless, did not result in a positive effect. The immense political changes in the world structure were gradually unveiled during and after World War II. Australia was fully aware of the decline of the British Empire. The former intimate UK-Australia relations were strongly affected, since Britain insisted on abandoning the Commonwealth benefits and joining the European Economic Community. Despite Canberra's strong unwillingness, Australia felt that it had no other alternatives but to give up its longstanding UK-oriented policy in order to protect itself from the worsening situation or any potential threat.In this context, Australia turned to the United States, the new world superpower, for more assistance.Having gone through various difficult circumstances, including Australia's active and costly involvement in the Vietnam War and its continuous efforts from the government, Canberra won and maintained the trust and agreement for protection from Washington at last. In this harsh process, Australia gradually transformed its defence policy into an American-oriented one.The study will focus on the transforming UK-Australia relations from World War II to the early 1970s so as to present a comprehensive picture of this strategic shift.