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
Australia–France relations constructed in Adelaide by ASC Pty Ltd and will cost in excess of A$50 billion. Admiral , Chief of the French Navy, stated after the deal was completed that Australia was 'one of the French navy's four main partners along with the US, UK and Germany'. During a 2018 visit to Australia, President Emmanuel Macron stated his desire to create a strategic alliance between France, Australia and India, in the Indo-Pacific region. Some of France's strongest cultural influences on Australia have been in the fields of viticulture (wine-making) and cheese-making. In the field of painting, Australian impressionism was marginally influenced