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
Pope Benedict XVI's visit to the United States and 1999. Pope Francis visited the United States in 2015. The Pope's visit included meetings with President George W. Bush, an address to the United Nations General Assembly in New York City, a visit to Ground Zero, and Masses at Nationals Park in Washington, D.C. and Yankee Stadium in New York City, among other activities. The visit was announced on November 12, 2007 by Archbishop Pietro Sambi to the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. The Pope arrived at Andrews Air Force Base outside Washington on April 15, 2008, greeted by President Bush and cheering crowds. This was the first time