A failure of imagination: R.G. Casey and Australian plans for counter-subversion in Asia, 1954-1956

Australian Journal of Politics and History

Volumn 45, Issue 3, 1999, Pages 347-361

  Waters, Christopher ^a  

^a NONE

Author keywords

[No Author keywords available]

Indexed keywords

EID: 0033439766     PISSN: 00049522     EISSN: None     Source Type: Journal    
DOI: 10.1111/1467-8497.00069     Document Type: Review

References (82)

1. Major studies include Robert O'Neill, Australia in the Korean War 1950-53: Volume 1: Strategy and Diplomacy (Canberra: Australian War Memorial and A.G.P.S., 1981); Peter Dennis & Jeffrey Grey, Emergency and Confrontation: Australian Military Operations in Malaya and Borneo 1950-1966; Gregory Pemberton, All the way: Australia's road to Vietnam (Sydney: Allen and Unwin, 1987); Peter Edwards with Gregory Pemberton, Crises and Commitments: The Politics and Diplomacy of Australia's Involvement in Southeast Asian Conflicts 1948-1965 (Sydney: Allen and Unwin and Australian War Memorial, 1992); John Murphy, Harvest of Fear: A History of Australia's Vietnam War (Sydney: Allen and Unwin, 1993), Michael Sexton, War for the Asking: Australia's Vietnam Secrets (Melbourne: Penguin, 1981) and Glen St J. Barclay, A Very Small Insurance Policy: the Politics of Australian Involvement in Vietnam, 1954-1967 (St Lucia: University of Queensland Press, 1988).
2. Major studies include Robert O'Neill, Australia in the Korean War 1950-53: Volume 1: Strategy and Diplomacy (Canberra: Australian War Memorial and A.G.P.S., 1981); Peter Dennis & Jeffrey Grey, Emergency and Confrontation: Australian Military Operations in Malaya and Borneo 1950-1966; Gregory Pemberton, All the way: Australia's road to Vietnam (Sydney: Allen and Unwin, 1987); Peter Edwards with Gregory Pemberton, Crises and Commitments: The Politics and Diplomacy of Australia's Involvement in Southeast Asian Conflicts 1948-1965 (Sydney: Allen and Unwin and Australian War Memorial, 1992); John Murphy, Harvest of Fear: A History of Australia's Vietnam War (Sydney: Allen and Unwin, 1993), Michael Sexton, War for the Asking: Australia's Vietnam Secrets (Melbourne: Penguin, 1981) and Glen St J. Barclay, A Very Small Insurance Policy: the Politics of Australian Involvement in Vietnam, 1954-1967 (St Lucia: University of Queensland Press, 1988).
3. Major studies include Robert O'Neill, Australia in the Korean War 1950-53: Volume 1: Strategy and Diplomacy (Canberra: Australian War Memorial and A.G.P.S., 1981); Peter Dennis & Jeffrey Grey, Emergency and Confrontation: Australian Military Operations in Malaya and Borneo 1950-1966; Gregory Pemberton, All the way: Australia's road to Vietnam (Sydney: Allen and Unwin, 1987); Peter Edwards with Gregory Pemberton, Crises and Commitments: The Politics and Diplomacy of Australia's Involvement in Southeast Asian Conflicts 1948-1965 (Sydney: Allen and Unwin and Australian War Memorial, 1992); John Murphy, Harvest of Fear: A History of Australia's Vietnam War (Sydney: Allen and Unwin, 1993), Michael Sexton, War for the Asking: Australia's Vietnam Secrets (Melbourne: Penguin, 1981) and Glen St J. Barclay, A Very Small Insurance Policy: the Politics of Australian Involvement in Vietnam, 1954-1967 (St Lucia: University of Queensland Press, 1988).
4. Major studies include Robert O'Neill, Australia in the Korean War 1950-53: Volume 1: Strategy and Diplomacy (Canberra: Australian War Memorial and A.G.P.S., 1981); Peter Dennis & Jeffrey Grey, Emergency and Confrontation: Australian Military Operations in Malaya and Borneo 1950-1966; Gregory Pemberton, All the way: Australia's road to Vietnam (Sydney: Allen and Unwin, 1987); Peter Edwards with Gregory Pemberton, Crises and Commitments: The Politics and Diplomacy of Australia's Involvement in Southeast Asian Conflicts 1948-1965 (Sydney: Allen and Unwin and Australian War Memorial, 1992); John Murphy, Harvest of Fear: A History of Australia's Vietnam War (Sydney: Allen and Unwin, 1993), Michael Sexton, War for the Asking: Australia's Vietnam Secrets (Melbourne: Penguin, 1981) and Glen St J. Barclay, A Very Small Insurance Policy: the Politics of Australian Involvement in Vietnam, 1954-1967 (St Lucia: University of Queensland Press, 1988).
5. Major studies include Robert O'Neill, Australia in the Korean War 1950-53: Volume 1: Strategy and Diplomacy (Canberra: Australian War Memorial and A.G.P.S., 1981); Peter Dennis & Jeffrey Grey, Emergency and Confrontation: Australian Military Operations in Malaya and Borneo 1950-1966; Gregory Pemberton, All the way: Australia's road to Vietnam (Sydney: Allen and Unwin, 1987); Peter Edwards with Gregory Pemberton, Crises and Commitments: The Politics and Diplomacy of Australia's Involvement in Southeast Asian Conflicts 1948-1965 (Sydney: Allen and Unwin and Australian War Memorial, 1992); John Murphy, Harvest of Fear: A History of Australia's Vietnam War (Sydney: Allen and Unwin, 1993), Michael Sexton, War for the Asking: Australia's Vietnam Secrets (Melbourne: Penguin, 1981) and Glen St J. Barclay, A Very Small Insurance Policy: the Politics of Australian Involvement in Vietnam, 1954-1967 (St Lucia: University of Queensland Press, 1988).
6. Major studies include Robert O'Neill, Australia in the Korean War 1950-53: Volume 1: Strategy and Diplomacy (Canberra: Australian War Memorial and A.G.P.S., 1981); Peter Dennis & Jeffrey Grey, Emergency and Confrontation: Australian Military Operations in Malaya and Borneo 1950-1966; Gregory Pemberton, All the way: Australia's road to Vietnam (Sydney: Allen and Unwin, 1987); Peter Edwards with Gregory Pemberton, Crises and Commitments: The Politics and Diplomacy of Australia's Involvement in Southeast Asian Conflicts 1948-1965 (Sydney: Allen and Unwin and Australian War Memorial, 1992); John Murphy, Harvest of Fear: A History of Australia's Vietnam War (Sydney: Allen and Unwin, 1993), Michael Sexton, War for the Asking: Australia's Vietnam Secrets (Melbourne: Penguin, 1981) and Glen St J. Barclay, A Very Small Insurance Policy: the Politics of Australian Involvement in Vietnam, 1954-1967 (St Lucia: University of Queensland Press, 1988).
7. Major studies include Robert O'Neill, Australia in the Korean War 1950-53: Volume 1: Strategy and Diplomacy (Canberra: Australian War Memorial and A.G.P.S., 1981); Peter Dennis & Jeffrey Grey, Emergency and Confrontation: Australian Military Operations in Malaya and Borneo 1950-1966; Gregory Pemberton, All the way: Australia's road to Vietnam (Sydney: Allen and Unwin, 1987); Peter Edwards with Gregory Pemberton, Crises and Commitments: The Politics and Diplomacy of Australia's Involvement in Southeast Asian Conflicts 1948-1965 (Sydney: Allen and Unwin and Australian War Memorial, 1992); John Murphy, Harvest of Fear: A History of Australia's Vietnam War (Sydney: Allen and Unwin, 1993), Michael Sexton, War for the Asking: Australia's Vietnam Secrets (Melbourne: Penguin, 1981) and Glen St J. Barclay, A Very Small Insurance Policy: the Politics of Australian Involvement in Vietnam, 1954-1967 (St Lucia: University of Queensland Press, 1988).
8. For example see David Lowe, "The Colombo Plan" in David Lowe (ed.) Australia and the End of Empires: The Impact of Decolonisation in Australia's Near North, 1945-1965 (Geelong, 1996).
9. The major biography of Casey is W.J. Hudson, Casey (Melbourne: Oxford University Press, 1986).
10. Memo, Casey to Tange, 10 January 1995, DEA file 98/6, CRS A4311, Australian Archives, Canberra (hereafter AA).
11. Cabinet decision 262, 7 January 1955 and cabinet submission 241, 5 January 1955, Cabinet Secretariat (hereafter CS) file C1147, C4940/1, AA.
12. Ibid.
13. Brian Toohey and William Pinwill, Oyster: the story of the Australian Secret Intelligence Service (Port Melbourne: William Heinemann, 1989), p. 5.
14. Letter, Casey to McIntyre, 10 January 1955, DEA file 383/1/1/1 part 1, CRS A1838/214, AA.
15. Casey diaries, 19 May 1950 vol. 12, box 15, MS6150, National Library of Australia (hereafter NLA).
16. See Toohey and Pinwill, Oyster, chapter two.
17. See David Lowe, "Introduction" in David Lowe (ed.), Australia and the End of Empires: The Impact of Decolonisation in Australia's Near North, 1945-1965 (Geelong, 1996).
18. For Casey's views see R.G. Casey, Friends and Neighbours: Australia and the World, Student Edition (East Lansing: Michigan State University, 1958), especially chapter nine entitled "Is Communism a threat to Asia?".
19. Casey's views were detailed in cabinet submission 241 entitled "Australian Activities in the Cold War", 5 January 1955, CS file C1147, CRS A4940/1, AA.
20. United States minutes of ANZUS meeting, 11 October 1954, Foreign relations of the United States, 1952-1954, vol. XII, part 1, p. 939.
21. Ibid., p. 940.
22. Casey diaries, 11 October 1954, vol. 17, box 28, MS6150, NLA.
23. Ibid., 12 October 1954.
24. The minutes for the inter-departmental meeting on 20 December 1954 are in DD file 2353/6, CRS A5954/7, AA.
25. The Australian cables and replies from London and Washington are in DEA file 383/1/1/1 part 1, CRS A1838/214, AA.
26. Cabinet decision 262, 7 January 1955, CS file C1147, CRS A4940/1, AA.
27. Minutes of this comittee are in DEA file 383/1/1/1 part 1, CRS A1838/214, AA and Prime Minister's Department (hereafter PMD) file A359, CRS A7542/4, AA.
28. For a study of the development of the National Security State in Australia see David Lowe, "Menzies' National Security State" in Frank Cain (ed.), Menzies in War and Peace (St Leonards: Allen and Unwin and Australian Defence Centre, 1997).
29. Letter, Casey to McIntyre, 10 January 1955, DEA file 383/1/1/1 part 1, CRS A1838/214, AA.
30. Ibid.
31. Brigadier Dudley W. Clark, "Report: On a Visit to South-East Asia and Australia: November-December, 1955", 29 December 1955, file 22, CRS A7133/5, AA.
32. DEA paper entitled "Australian Overseas Publicity", DEA file 563/10/2 part 1, CRS A1838/2, AA.
33. Memo, Casey to Tange, 10 January 1955, DEA file 98/6, CRS A4311, AA.
34. Ibid.
35. See memo 200, J. Plimsoll to A. Watt, Singapore, 18 February 1955, DEA file 383/1/1/1 part 1, CRS A1838/214, AA.
36. Casey diary, 14 February 1955, item 36, CRS M1153, AA, Victorian Regional Office, Melbourne (hereafter VRO).
37. Minutes of meeting of Cold War Planning Committee held on 14 February 1955, dated 18 February 1955, DEA file 563/6/4 part 1, CRS A1838/2, AA.
38. Lowe, "The Colombo Plan", p. 105.
39. The official records concerning Hemisphere are in DEA files 563/6/2 parts 1-6, CRS A1838/2, AA
40. Minute Casey to James Plimsoll, 2 July 1956, DEA file 563/6/2 part 1, CRS A1838/2, AA.
41. A complete run of the Hemisphere is held by the National Library of Australia, Canberra.
42. Overseas Planning Committee: Meeting on 27 1995: Summary Record of Discussions, PMD file A359, CRS A7452/4, AA.
43. Letter marked "Personal", Casey to McBride, 29 June 1955, DEA file 563/6/2 part 1, CRS A1838/2, AA.
44. DEA paper, "Special Planning Committee (South and South East Asia) Review of Activities: Department of External Affairs", 2 September 1955, PMD file A359, CRS A7542/4, AA.
45. Memorandum, J.W.C. Cumes, Head, Information Branch, DEA, to Kevin, 10 October 1958, DEA file 563/6/2 part 3, CRS 1838/2, AA.
46. Circular memorandum, DEA to Asian Posts, 29 October 1957, DEA file 563/6/2 part 2, CRS A1838/2, AA.
47. Minute, Casey to Heydon, 12 May 1959, file 563/6/5 part 1, CRS A1838, AA.
48. Letter, Casey to Treasurer, 14 August 1959, ibid.
49. Ibid.
50. For details of the American scheme see New York Times, 29 September 1957; Washington Sunday Star, 1 June 1958 and memorandum 1102/57, J.C. Ingram, Australian Embassy, Washington to Secretary, DEA, 30 September 1957, DEA file 563/6/5 part 1, CRS A1838/2, AA.
51. For details of the American scheme see New York Times, 29 September 1957; Washington Sunday Star, 1 June 1958 and memorandum 1102/57, J.C. Ingram, Australian Embassy, Washington to Secretary, DEA, 30 September 1957, DEA file 563/6/5 part 1, CRS A1838/2, AA.
52. The Times, 19 November 1959.
53. Letter, Casey to the Treasurer, 14 August 1959, DEA file 563/6/5 part 1, CRS A1838, AA.
54. Memo, Casey to P.R. Heydon, 12 May 1959, DEA file 563/6/5 part 1, CRS A1838, AA.
55. For full details of the Cheap Books Scheme see DEA files 563/6/5 parts 1 and 2, CRS A1838/2, AA.
56. Casey diary, 28 September 1955, item 37, CRS M1153, AA(VRO).
57. Memo, Casey to Plimsoll and Shaw, copy to Alfred Brooks, 8 August 1955, item 4, CRS A7133/1, AA
58. Minutes of meeting of Cold War Planning Committee held on 14 February 1955, dated 18 February 1955, DEA file 563/6/4 part 1, CRS A1838/2, AA.
59. Minutes of the meeting of the Overseas Planning Committee held on 26 July 1960, DEA file 563/6/5 part 2, CRS A1838, AA and Top Secret DEA paper, "Special Planning Committee (South and South East Asia): Review of Activities: Department of External Affairs", 2 September 1955, PMD file A359, CRS A7452/4, AA.
60. See minute to the Secretary, DEA, 6 June 1958 and other associated papers in DEA file 553/2/50, CRS A1838/273, AA and DEA Top Secret paper, 2 September 1955, PMD file A359, CRS A7452/4, AA.
61. Summary record of the meeting of the Overseas Planning Committee held on 22 November 1955, PMD file A359, CRS A7452/4, AA.
62. See the minutes of the meeting of the Overseas Planning Committee held on 26 July 1956 and associated papers in DEA file 563/6/4 part 1, CRS A1838/2, AA. Also see PMD file A359, CRS A7452/4, AA.
63. The subject of Australian information activities under Casey's ministership is a large subject worthy of a separate study. For an excellent study of Casey's attempt to gain greater control over the activities and editorial content of Radio Australia see Errol Hodge, Radio Wars: truth, propaganda and the struggle for Radio Australia (Melbourne: Cambridge University Press, 1995).
64. Casey diary, 9 February 1955, item 36, CRS M1153, AA(VRO).
65. Memo 574/55, C.T. Moodie, Rangoon, to Secretary, DEA, 12 May 1955, DEA file 563/6 part 1, CRS A1838, AA.
66. Cablegram SAV 2, DEA to several posts in Asia, 26 January 1926, DEA file 383/1/1/1 part 1, CRS A1838/214, AA.
67. Minutes of the meeting of the Overseas Planning Committee held on 23 September 1955 and associated papers in PMD file A359, CRS A7542/4, AA.
68. Letter, Casey to Selwyn Lloyd, UK Minister for Defence, 25 August 1955, item 22, CRS A7133/5, AA.
69. Ibid.
70. Letter, Clarke to Casey, 29 December, 1955, item 22, CRS A7133/5, AA.
71. Ibid.
72. Report on a Visit to South-East Asia and Australia: November-December, 1955", by Brigadier Dudley W. Clarke, item 22, CRS A7133/5, AA.
73. Ibid.
74. Ibid.
75. Minute by J.W. Cumes, 23 May 1957, DEA file 563/6/4 part 1, CRS A1838/2 AA.
76. Paul Hasluck, The Chance of Politics (Melbourne: Text Publishing 1997), p. 87.
77. Benedict Anderson, Imagined Communities: Reflections on the Origins and Spread of Nationalism (London and New York: Verso, 1991), rev. ed., p. 6.
78. See Anderson, Imagined Communities and E.J. Hobsbawm, Nations and nationalism since 1780: programme, myth and reality (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1990).
79. See Anderson, Imagined Communities and E.J. Hobsbawm, Nations and nationalism since 1780: programme, myth and reality (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1990).
80. Gregory Pemberton, "An Imperial Imagination: Explaining the Post-1945 Foreign Policy of Robert Gordon Menzies" in Frank Cain (ed.), Menzies in War and Peace, pp. 156-7.
81. See Anderson, Imagined Communities.
82. John Murphy, "Vietnam and the conservative imagination in the 1950s" in David Lowe (ed.), Australia and the End of Empires: The Impact of Decolonisation in Australia's Near North, 1945-65, p. 102.