History of the AAA
Australians of the 1930's knew little about America or Americans.
There was little recognition of our shared heritage, much less our
common interests. In the looming shadow of the Second World War,
only a few far-sighted individuals recognised the need to bring our
countries closer together.
It was in a coffee shop that Brigadier-General Goddard and Captain
White formulated a plan to bring together like-minded individuals to
form a movement dedicated to building a relationship between these
two great Pacific democracies. Together with a remarkably influential
group of citizens, the British and America Co-operation Movement for
World Peace was formed.
One of the most significant Australians at the time was Sir Keith
Murdoch. It was Sir Keith's dispatches from the battlefields of
Gallipoli during the Great War which helped Australia gain a more
mature outlook on its place in the world. Sir Keith was also mainly
responsible for redifining the public perception of America in the
minds of Australians.
General Douglas MacArthur, in command of all Allied forces in the
Pacific, set up his first headquarters in Melbourne. It was the place
from which the crucial battles of the Pacific theatre were overseen,
the most crucial of all being the Battle of the Coral Sea in May 1942.
It was that moment in history when the imminent Japanese advance
towards Australia was halted. In short, it was a turning point in the
war and in the history of our two nations.
In 1941, Sir Keith, Director-General of Information for the Australian
Government during the war, helped found the Australian American
Co-operative Movement which changed its name in 1947 to the
Australian-American Association.
The intervening years have seen further conflicts, in Korea, Vietnam
and, more recently, the Persian Gulf, drawing Australia and America
even closer together. And, of course, the ANZUS Treaty has, since
1951, been a pillar of the foreign policy of both nations.
The achievements of the AAA throughout these periods have been
many and varied. We have welcomed Presidents to our shores. We
have provided hospitality to American sailors who, to this day, help
defend our trade routes and sea lanes. It has helped to build
memorials to our heroes and stimulated informed debate in many
forums over many years. Not least, it has promoted friendship,
good-will and peace.
