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
The Official Visit care of all of it. When Hacker then questions the reason for his existence, Bernard replies that the Minister is there to make policy decisions... from time to time. Sir Humphrey Appleby arrives with news of an official visit to the United Kingdom by the president of Buranda, who will be met by The Queen. Hacker initially derides Buranda as a "TPLAC" — "tin pot little African country" — but Sir Humphrey admonishes him and explains that in a few years it will be a key provider of oil. Hacker now decides that the visit will take place in Scotland,