Following World War II Australia underwent rapid change. New relationships were developed with other countries, immigration rose dramatically, infrastructure was developed, communication changed and much more. This section looks at some of these events and the people involved in them.

This page covers topics A to L and includes Australian/American Relations, the “Communist Menace” in Australia, Infrastructure and Nation Building, links to general information and links to related topics, including Immigration and Indigenous Culture.

The Second Page covers topics M to Z and includes Major Figures Since World War II, Protests & Movements, Urbanisation, Whitlam & The Dismissal and links to other Australian History pages and areas.

These pages provide links to information and resources for units and topics covered in this subject at a range of Australian universities. It does not attempt to include all these. Be aware some units/topics have different titles in different universities, even though content may be the same or similar. Australian information is supplied wherever possible. They are at undergraduate level.

There are journals, search engines, databases, primary documents, reference material and other general information where these are seen to be relevant.

All standard Glossaries are now found on this page, listed alphabetically.

If you are aware of any worthwhile information which is not included, suggestions for additions are welcomed.

A - F

Australian/American Relations

These have been particularly strong since the Second World War and particularly so in the 1960s and the 2000s.

• A Guide to the United States’ History of Recognition, Diplomatic, and Consular relations
  Formal statements from the United States viewpoint. Traces it from 1901.
• Americanisation and Australia
  Joseph M Siracusa, 2000, Australian Journal of Politics and History.
• ANZUS
  Overview, historiography, document list, additional sources.
• ANZUS [2]
  Access the Full Text, read speeches, video presentation [Farewell Great & Powerful Friends], other documents, pro and guarded commentaries.
• Asian Alternatives : Going To War in the 1960s
  Garry Woodard, 2003. ‘I will put Australian policy in the broader and not unusual context of the uncomfortable relationship between American secrecy and Australian dependency, which can be seen more clearly in the light of recent American historiography on the decision-making period’.
• Australia and the United States : an Appraisal of the Relationship
  Henry S. Albinski, August 1983, Australian Journal of Politics & History.
• Australia-United States Free Trade Agreement
  ‘The Australia-United States Free Trade Agreement entered into force on 1 January 2005. AUSFTA is a comprehensive agreement that covers goods, services, investment, financial services, government procurement, standards and technical regulations, telecommunications, competition-related matters, electronic commerce, intellectual property rights, labour and the environment. This site provides details of the contents of the Agreement and links to other relevant information’. The Full text of The Agreement is available here.
• Australia-US Relations
  Professor Roger Bell, UNSW. Introductory presentation, but check the sections via the menu on the right for much more detail.
• Background Note : Australia
  American understanding of Australia including a section on the relationship.
• From British Colony to American Satellite ?
  Australia and the USA During The Cold War. Multi-page article by David McClean in the Australian Journal of Politics and History, March 2006.
• Over-Paid, Over-Sexed, Over-Here ?
  US Marines in Wartime Melbourne 1943. Begins with Australian-American Relations and works through related sections. The Old Breed section provides access to primary documentation as well as listing other material. While the real beginning of the close relationship, the title suggests that not everyone was happy.
• Some Speculations On The Future Of Australian-American Relations
  ‘Will Australia become the 51^st state ?’ An article by David Mosler in the Australasian Journal of American Studies.
• U.S.-Australia Alliance Relations : An Australian View
  Paul Dibb, 2005. Multi-page article.
• World War II to the late 1960s
  Looks at Australia’s international relations, particularly the development of that with the US.

Communist Menace in Australia

This covered concerns with the Communist Party, the Petrov Affair and the split in the Labor Party which resulted in it being out of power for more than 20 years.

• A Brush with Politics
  Cartoons by John Frith from the period when the Labor Party split into two parties.
• Anti-communism in Australia
  Article covering the period 1945 to 1965.
• Australian Communist Party v Commonwealth
  background, Decision, Aftermath, further reading, notes. From Wikipedia.
• Cabinet Notebooks 1954
  National Archives of Australia. See what went on behind the scene during the Petrov Affair.
• Conflict and the Cold War
  From Labor History. Leading up to the split in the Labor Party.
• Fact Sheet 49 - D Notices
  National Archives of Australia. Includes those related to the Petrovs.
• Perceptions of Communism in Australia
  ‘Reception and Rejection’. Article, with bibliography, links.
• Petrov Affair
  The Defection, political repercussions, fate of the Petrovs, verdict of history, further reading, references, links. From Wikipedia.
• Reason in Revolt
  ‘Australian Labor Party - 1955 Split’. Source documents covering a number of topics.
• The Fear of Communism in Australia
  Article from Skwirk.
• The Petrov Affair Webquest
  Task, process, resources, evaluation, conclusion, Teacher’s Guide.

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G - L

General Information

• Australian Journal of Politics and History
  Highlight articles, View Content Online [quite a number of articles], view a sample issue.
• Human Settlements
  ‘The human settlements theme covers a range of environmental issues : Population changes, Urban development and design, Material and energy use, Urban water use, Transport and The condition of human settlements’.
• The Making of Modern Australia
  ‘Here you can share your stories about life in Australia from 1945 onwards. They might be funny or sad, big events or the small details of everyday life. Your stories will become part of a lasting record of Australia’s history as told by the people who lived it - you and me’.

Immigration

For information about immigration after World War II, White Australia Policy, Ten Pound Poms, Boat People, The Pacific Solution, Multiculturalism and more, go to the following pages.

• Australian Identity & Culture
• Settlers & Immigration

Indigenous Culture

For information in this area, go to the following pages.

• Indigenous Australia
• Indigenous History

Infrastructure and Nation Building

There were a number of huge infrastructure projects during this period, of which the Snow Mountain Scheme, is probably the best known. Others also had an impact.

Ord River Scheme

• A History of the Ord River Scheme : A Study in Incrementalism
  PhD Thesis, Murdoch University.
• Ord River
  Ord River Irrigation Scheme, power, logistics, environmental effects, see also, references, links. From Wikipedia.
• Ord River Irrigation Scheme
  Article. Check other links, e.g. Hydroelectricity.
• The Seven Engineering Wonders - The Ord River Irrigation Scheme
  Brief article. ABC Northern Territory.

Snowy Mountains Scheme

• Digital Collection
  ‘Snowy Mountains Hydro Electric Scheme slide collection with accompanying text [picture]’. National Library of Australia.
• Power for the People
  ‘These photographs are just a very small selection of the 1 000s of images taken over the 25 years of the development of the Snowy Mountains Hydro-Electric Scheme’. Flickr.
  You now need to be able to log in to access this site. Yahoo ID required or create an account.
• Snowy Hydro - The Snowy Mountains Scheme
  10 minute video. ‘Interesting as an early document on the Snowy Hydro scheme’. Curator’s Notes.
• Snowy Mountains Scheme
  Background, Snowy Mountains, Hydro-Electric Scheme, Environmental concerns, ongoing fight for environmental flows, powerstations, recent developments, references, links. From Wikipedia.
• Snowy Mountains Scheme [2]
  Powerhouse Museum. Background, Who Did It ?, Further Reading, Links, Questions, Activities.
• Snowy Mountains Scheme
  Video Clip, synopsis, curriculum focus, background information, classroom activities, further resources, download the video clip.
• Snowy Scheme Collection
  National Museum of Australia.
• The Snowy Mountains Hydro-Electric Scheme
  ‘As told through the best-selling history, ‘SNOWY - TheMaking of Modern Australia’ by journalist and author Brad Collis’. Samples of the content are provided.
• The Snowy Mountains Scheme
  Information with embedded and other links. Australia.gov.au.
• The Snowy Mountains Scheme [CAP]
  Student Activity Module from the Country Area Program in NSW.

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