INDOPACOM Cultural Awareness Knowledge Centers

For more than 35 years a successful part of the post-World War II collective security network was ANZUS a defense alliance between Australia, New Zealand and the United States. The Alliance worked well for many years. However, in the mid-1980’s events cause the alliance to revise in such a way that a return to its former state became doubtful. Also, Australia and New Zealand wanted their defense forces more self-reliant and increasingly focused own their own region, The author has helped increase awareness in this volume and he discusses many of the issues.

The authors assess the future of the Australian-U.S. security relationship within the context of the Canberra's transformation and strategic shift. They conclude that this relationship will remain important and will be strengthened in some ways--interdependence will be central to Australian strategy--but they consider the building of large-scale American military bases in Australia unlikely. The challenge, they note, will be sustaining political support within Australian for this type of relationship.