Diplomatic history of Australia the democratic world. In a country gripped by this fear, the government's defence policy was dominated by the idea of "forward defence", in which Australia would seek to prevent the Communist "thrust into South-East Asia". The committal of troops to the Vietnam War was viewed as an attempt by the Menzies Government to strengthen the alliance with the USA following Great Britain's withdrawal "east of Suez". With his arrival in October 1966, Lyndon Baines Johnson became the first US President to visit Australia. The visit came in the light of increasing international criticism over the war in Vietnam. The majority
State visit of the President of Ireland to the United Kingdom disbanded Irish Regiments. The President and his wife visited University College London Hospital and met with patients and Irish staff members, past and present. Later President Higgins met British prime minister David Cameron for lunch at 10 Downing Street. Afterwards the President and First Lady attended a Banquet hosted by London Lord Mayor Fiona Woolf and the City of London Corporation at the Guildhall. After dinner, the President addressed the 700 invited guests. The President and First Lady visited the Food Animal Initiative (FAI) Farms, in Oxford. In the early evening, the President attended a Northern Ireland-themed reception hosted by