Appeasement and after: Towards a re-assessment of the Lyons and Menzies Governments' defence and foreign policies, 1931-41

Abstract

In terms of international policies, the Lyons and Menzies Governments of 1931-41 have had a bad press for generations. They have been accused of failing to rearm in time for the Second World War, sending troops abroad who were sorely needed at home, too readily appeasing the Dictators, perversely selling pig-iron to Japan, and planning to give away half of Australia above a Vichy-like Brisbane Line. A reassessment reveals this to be leftist demonology. Rather, in very difficult circumstances they pursued carefully policies that, with benefit of hindsight, were more in the national interest than those of their Labor opponents. © 2005 Department of History, School of Political Science and International Studies, The University of Queensland and Blackwell Publishing Asia Pty Ltd.