Best We Forget: War for White Australia, 1914–18 was the title chosen by author Peter Cochrane. "Lest we forget" was a phrase commonly used in WW1 memorial services in British countries. “Best we forget” is a sad but clever pun.
The publishers’ summarised the book itself. “In the half-century preceding WW1 there was a dramatic shift in the mindset of Australia’s political leaders, from a profound sense of safety in the Empire’s embrace to a deep anxiety about abandonment by Britain. Collective memory now recalls a rallying to the cause in 1914, a total identification with British interests and the need to defeat Germany. But there is an underside to this story: the belief that the newly federated nation’s security, and its race purity, must be bought with blood. Before WW1, each Federal government was concerned not with European enemies in Europe but with Pacific perils. Fearful of an Awakening Asia and worried by opposition to the White Australia policy, they prepared for defence against Japan”. It was almost too worrying for me, an Australian, to continue.
Australia's WW1 stories have always concentrated on the heroics of the ANZAC legend. So mixing the terms White Australia and Anzac seemed senseless. Yes, most Australians were perfectly aware of the horrible, racist treatment of aboriginals in our history, but that had nothing to do with WW1 against Germany. The book ripped away the layers of myth to show that for Australian leaders, WW1 was a White racial struggle, with fear of Japan and distrust of Britain, as much as loathing of Germany at its core.
Being from non-Christian, non-English speaking Europeans who came to Australia to escape oppression, I did not believe Cochrane could establish the important motive for sending our lads to WW1 was to preserve White Australia from Asian contamination. Despite any other criticism of this young nation’s history, I still believed most Australians rallied to the war cause in 1914, TOTALLY identifying with British interests and the need to defeat Germany.
Soon after Australia Federated in Jan 1901, the 2nd prime minister/P.M Alfred Deakin introduced legislation called the Immigration Restriction Act aka White Australia Policy. This was a set of historical racial policies that prevented people of non-European ethnic origin from immigrating to Australia. And from staying here.
Cochrane acknowledged that there was no place in the national history today for 1] Australia’s obsession for race purity or 2] the fear of Japan that drove the national leaders’ strategies, before and during WW1. Yet the defence of White Australia was at the core of their anxieties and politics. The author started with the first official and most influential war historian C.E.W Bean. Bean was as steeped in race fear as were Australia’s second P.M Alfred Deakin; wartime P.M William Hughes; deputy P.M George Pearce; P.M and other Commonwealth leaders.
Andrew Fisher, three times P.M between 1908-15, was deeply disturbed by Japan’s expansionist activities in the Pacific, by the diplomatic pressure for trade concessions, by fear of British acquiescence to Japan, by the recurring worry that Japan might switch sides, and by the weight of that nation’s leverage in London.
Having deep anxiety about abandonment by the Motherland (Britain) was like no longer trusting beloved parents. The Australian government was hugely frustrated by Japan’s rise to power under the aegis of Britain and by London’s lack of understanding of Australia’s peril.
One of the concerns behind the talk of Japanese invasion or British betrayal was the surge of anxieties about the Pacific. There was a rumour about the 1915 Anglo–Japanese talks re renewing their Treaty. Renunciation would free the Japanese of obligation to the British Empire, perhaps freeing them to support Germany instead. In fact the prime minister publicly spoke of the issue in 1916, urging his able-bodied country men before his vital conscription referendum: “I bid you go and fight for White Australia in France”.
Pro-British conscription poster, 1916
The last question was why did Australia’s leaders’ obsession with Japan and race purity, stretching from colonial times (i.e pre-Federation) to the Paris Peace Conference of 1919-20, disappear from our history books? Simple! No-one wanted to expose and acknowledge the uncomfortable racial truth at the heart of Australia’s role before/in WW1.
White Australia music: march of the great white policy
composed by W. E. Naunton, 1910
National Library of Australia
Australia's WW1 stories have always concentrated on the heroics of the ANZAC legend. So mixing the terms White Australia and Anzac seemed senseless. Yes, most Australians were perfectly aware of the horrible, racist treatment of aboriginals in our history, but that had nothing to do with WW1 against Germany. The book ripped away the layers of myth to show that for Australian leaders, WW1 was a White racial struggle, with fear of Japan and distrust of Britain, as much as loathing of Germany at its core.
Being from non-Christian, non-English speaking Europeans who came to Australia to escape oppression, I did not believe Cochrane could establish the important motive for sending our lads to WW1 was to preserve White Australia from Asian contamination. Despite any other criticism of this young nation’s history, I still believed most Australians rallied to the war cause in 1914, TOTALLY identifying with British interests and the need to defeat Germany.
Soon after Australia Federated in Jan 1901, the 2nd prime minister/P.M Alfred Deakin introduced legislation called the Immigration Restriction Act aka White Australia Policy. This was a set of historical racial policies that prevented people of non-European ethnic origin from immigrating to Australia. And from staying here.
Cochrane acknowledged that there was no place in the national history today for 1] Australia’s obsession for race purity or 2] the fear of Japan that drove the national leaders’ strategies, before and during WW1. Yet the defence of White Australia was at the core of their anxieties and politics. The author started with the first official and most influential war historian C.E.W Bean. Bean was as steeped in race fear as were Australia’s second P.M Alfred Deakin; wartime P.M William Hughes; deputy P.M George Pearce; P.M and other Commonwealth leaders.
Peter Cochrane's book,
with PM Billy Hughes' portrait on the cover
Bean believed that Australia’s destiny would be played out in the Pacific. He believed that a formidable challenge facing Australia was the racial challenge i.e the threat of Japan to the survival of White Australia. And that Australia was the Last Land open to the White man, the last bastion of pure Anglo-Saxon blood. This was a problem for Bean who was well aware that fear of Japan was the strategic motive behind Australia’s preparation pre-war, 1902-14, and its commitment throughout WW1. Yet Japan was a loyal ally, so Bean was cautious writing about safeguarding Australia against race pollution from Japan.
Andrew Fisher, three times P.M between 1908-15, was deeply disturbed by Japan’s expansionist activities in the Pacific, by the diplomatic pressure for trade concessions, by fear of British acquiescence to Japan, by the recurring worry that Japan might switch sides, and by the weight of that nation’s leverage in London.
Having deep anxiety about abandonment by the Motherland (Britain) was like no longer trusting beloved parents. The Australian government was hugely frustrated by Japan’s rise to power under the aegis of Britain and by London’s lack of understanding of Australia’s peril.
One of the concerns behind the talk of Japanese invasion or British betrayal was the surge of anxieties about the Pacific. There was a rumour about the 1915 Anglo–Japanese talks re renewing their Treaty. Renunciation would free the Japanese of obligation to the British Empire, perhaps freeing them to support Germany instead. In fact the prime minister publicly spoke of the issue in 1916, urging his able-bodied country men before his vital conscription referendum: “I bid you go and fight for White Australia in France”.
Racist, anti-German conscription poster, 1916
So commitment to WW1 was driven by White Australia's sense of vulnerability locally; leaders feared nightmare scenarios in which Australia could be left to fend for itself, unaided by Britain. So when the war arrived in 1914, the strategy was thus: by promising total support for the Motherland, the Australians hoped to secure Britain's unequivocal support for a safe, White Australia in return.
The last question was why did Australia’s leaders’ obsession with Japan and race purity, stretching from colonial times (i.e pre-Federation) to the Paris Peace Conference of 1919-20, disappear from our history books? Simple! No-one wanted to expose and acknowledge the uncomfortable racial truth at the heart of Australia’s role before/in WW1.
Illuminated address from returned soldiers in Brisbane, presented to P.M Hughes in 1919,
thanking him for his work for the preservation of a White Australia.