Australia's Response to Communism in Asia

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The Korean War

 * 1) After World War II there were fears of a communist 'domino effect' taking place in Asia
 * 2) Korea's southern, anti-communist government was corrupt and unpopular; there was a popular move towards the idea of unification under communist rule
 * 3) North Korea invaded South Korea in June 1950
 * 4) The invasion was part of a policy of re-unification and also to spread communism
 * 5) Truman demanded the UN countries should intervene on behalf of South Korea
 * 6) Australia responded immediately by posting 500 troops to Korea
 * 7) Australia was worried about spreading communism and the Liberal government was also keen to maintain a friendship with the USA
 * 8) China joined the Korean War in 1950 in response to UN troops crossing the 38th parallel
 * 9) There was initially fierce fighting between the two sides, but it eventually came to a military stalemate
 * 10) An armistice was signed in July 1953; in three years of war there were nearly 2000 Australian casualties
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The ANZUS Treaty and SEATO Alliance

 * 1) World War Two heralded a major shift in the Australian world view
 * 2) South-East Asia started falling to communism
 * 3) Australia began looking for international allies that could protect her
 * 4) America was the natural choice for an ally and a new relationship began with the US
 * 5) Australia wanted an Asian version of NATO, the government had to settle for the ANZUS treaty, signed in September 1951
 * 6) By 1954 the situation in South-East Asia had become more serious and America wanted to put a stop to any further spread of communism
 * 7) When the SEATO treaty was signed in 1954, it fulfilled the Australian government's desire for a defensive relationship with America
 * 8) SEATO also linked Australia's foreign policy with America's foreign policy
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