The 1950s. Building a New Australia from the Aftermath of War

51 Pages·2012·4.35 MB·English

by  Jordan Thomas

Australian Decades
The 1950s: Building a new Australia
from the aftermath of war
by Jordan Thomas
ISBN 978 086427 261 4
Published in electronic format by
Trocadero Publishing
GPO Box 1546
Sydney NSW 2001
Australia
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[email protected]
www.trocadero.com.au
Created and produced in Australia
Copyright © 2011 S and L Brodie
The information in this eBook was
current at the time of writing
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AUSTRALIAN DECADES
Other books in this series
The 1960s: Reshaping Australian Society
The 1970s: It’s Time for Change
Other Trocadero series
AUSTRALIAN TIMELINES LINKING THE NATION
The Governors 1788–1850 Australia’s Airlines:
How the Skies Were Conquered
Immigration Since 1788
Australia’s Railways:
Prime Ministers and Their Governments
How the Land Was Conquered
The Constitution: The Document that Created the
Nation AUSTRALIAN SOCIETY
Exploration and Settlement in Colonial Australia Influencing Australia
The Commonwealth of Australia: Evolving into a DEFENDING AUSTRALIA
Nation World War I: The Australian Experience
Convicts: The Story of the Penal Settlements that World War II: The Australian Experience
Created Australia
The Cold War: Australia in Korea, Malaya, Vietnam
Gold: The Precious Metal that Brought Instant
The Anzac Spirit: Australia’s Military Legend
Wealth and Long-term Prosperity
The States: Their Place in Federal Australia THEY MADE AUSTRALIA
About the Money: Australia’s Economic History Leaders in Inventions and Innovation *
Australia at the Time of Federation ASIA-PACIFIC TIMELINES
The Industrial Revolution and its Impact on European Colonialism in the Asia-Pacific
Australia
Shogunate Japan: 800 Years of Military Rule
How Communications United Australia
Imperial China *
Bushrangers: Australia’s Wild Colonial Boys
ASIA-PACIFIC RELATIONS
The Role of Women in Australian History *
Australia’s Pacific Neighbours
AUSTRALIA YEAR BY YEAR
Australia’s Asian Neighbours
1788 to 1809: From First Fleet to Rum Rebellion
Japan: The Story of the Nation
1810 to 1845: From the Macquarie Era
China: The Story of the Nation
to Ending Transportation
India: The Story of the Nation
THE NATIONAL IDENTITY
Indonesia: The Story of the Nation *
Faiths, Religions, Beliefs in Modern Australia
Australian Origins
Volume 1: Afghanistan to Italy
Volume 2: Japan to Zimbabwe
* Please check www.trocadero.com.au for publication date
Immigrants Who Changed Australia
Making history 2
Menzies, Communists, Korea,
Malaya, ANZUS, conscription,
Colombo Plan, Petrov, Labor
splits, nuclear tests
Australian society 11
Baby boom, taboos, staying
British, immigration,
indigenous experience,
censorship, royal visitors,
teenage rebellion,
colonial days, education
Royal visitors 16
Entertainment, leisure, sport 20
Radio, television, films,
popular music, going to the
pictures, drive-ins, performing
arts, holidays, sport, Olympics
Getting around 30 Some generations recall the 1950s as a time of certainty and
Rise of the car, petrol, REDeX, prosperity, rising incomes and greatly improved lifestyles. Many
farewell trams, coach travel, were people who went through the the trauma of the 1930s
railways, flying, ocean voyages Depression and the terrible war of 1939–45. They look back on
the decade and see it in a rosy glow.
Shopping and eating 34
The 1950s certainly were good times for many Australians.
Drive to the suburbs, hire But many others remember them as years of oppression,
purchase, supermarkets, hope censorship, prejudice, discrimination and hatred. This was the
chests, home deliveries, decade when immigrants and refugees were enthusiastically
drinks, reading, eating out welcomed, then given the cold shoulder (or worse) by much of
the population; when bureaucrats still presided over a system
Building a nation 39
of removing children from indigenous families; and when
Homes for all, backyard
bureaucrats made narrow-minded decisions about the books
toilets, asbestos, Canberra,
we read and films we saw.
Snowy Mountains, opera
This was also a decade of incredible progress, especially in
houses, off to work,
scientific and industrial areas. It was a time of (mostly) full
computers, wool boom, employment, when new factories opened under the protection
mining, manufacturing of high import tariffs. There were major improvements in
working conditions won by a powerful union movement, and
Communicating 46
long strikes courtesy of the same unions. The lean post-war
PMG, letters, telegrams,
years of rationing and forced saving ended, ushering in a period
telephones, telex
when inflation rocketed to more than 20per cent.
Index 48 Although the unseen hand of Communism was believed to
be manipulating unions and the Labor Party, Australians
refused to ban the Communist Party. This was the time of
spies and the Petrov affair. Racked by dissent, the Labor Party
fractured, setting the stage for decades out of power. In doing
so, they handed continuing power to Robert Menzies and the
Liberal Party.
The 1950s was the decade when a formerly cohesive society
began to change, to diversify, to lay the groundwork for
Edited by Lynn Brodie
shattering social changes that would come in subsequent years.
ISBN 978 086427 261 4
Cpyright © 2011 S and L Brodie
All rights reserved
Published by Trocadero Publishing
GPO Box 1546 Sydney NSW 2001 Australia
For links to websites of interest, please go to
www.trocadero.com.au
Produced in Australia www.trocadero.com.au/1950s
2
It also irritated international oil companies,
which desperately wanted to increase sales.
All petrol was imported from overseas and
usually had to be paid for in US dollars. With
making history tight currency restrictions making US dollars
scarce, Chifley had maintained rationing to
control demand. The oil producers colluded
with Menzies to ensure petrol was readily
available once rationing was lifted.
BANNING THE COMMUNISTS
After World WarII the spread of
NEW LEADERSHIP Communism became the great international
fear. When the Soviet Union secured control
For many Australians the 1950s dawned over much of eastern Europe, there was
as a new age. On 10December 1949 the Labor genuine fear the world was heading towards
Party government of Prime Minister Ben Communist domination.
Chifley was defeated at a general election. Communism never had a chance of
Replacing it was a Liberal–Country gaining a hold on prosperous nations
Party coalition led by new Prime like Australia. Even so, Menzies took
Minister Robert Gordon Menzies. every opportunity to remind an
Known to friends and enemies as insecure population about the ‘red
Bob, he was sworn into office on peril’. This was called ‘kicking the
Robert Gordon ‘Bob’ 19December 1949. The Labor Party Communist can’.
Menzies became Prime
still controlled the Senate. The Communist Party of Australia
Minister for the second time
Menzies’ highest priorities were to (CPA) was formed in Sydney during
on 19December 1949. His
leadership would dominate end rationing and ban the Communist 1920 in the wake of the Russian
the entire 1950s and beyond. Party. Rationing had been introduced uprising that swept awaythe corrupt
early in World WarII. The intention Tsarist regime in 1917. TheCPA was
was to regulate production and scarce allied with the Comintern — the
resources, ensuring everyone had a Communist Third International—
fair share and the troops were which promoted Communism around
properly fed and clothed. Chifley the world.
had continued rationing to suppress, For a brief time in the 1920s and
succesfully, the rampant inflation 1930s the CPA had been fashionable
that occurs after a war. among socialists. Many young people
Almost immediately, on were attracted to its ranks, but
FIRST, SECOND,
8February 1950, petrol was most had drifted away as word of
THIRD WORLDS
removed from rationing. In the the Moscow regimes’ excesses
The confrontation post-war years Australians had filtered out.
between the Soviet begun buying motor cars in large In the chaos of post-war Europe,
Union and the Western numbers. The inability to buy the Soviet Union exerted control
powers divided the petrol when they wanted was over many eastern European nations.
world into three camps:
hugely frustrating. This had created what Winston
First World Churchill called the ‘Iron Curtain’
Western powers and between eastern and western
those aligned with them Europe. Before long borders were
(including Australia) fortified and there began a long
Second World
The type of petrol bowser that was stand-off between the Soviet Union
The Soviet Union and
common at the time rationing ended. and the ‘Western’ world, including
countries aligned with it
The garage attendant pumped the
France, West Germany, Britain and
Third World petrol into the glass case at the top,
the USA.
Non-aligned countries, using the handle on the right, then
such as India fed it into the car by gravity with the Many Australians believed the
hose on the left. world would soon be thrust into another
3
great conflict, made worse by nuclear
weapons. Then came the fall of China to the WHO CHALLENGED
Communists under Mao Zedong in 1949. THE ANTI-
Large numbers of Australians backed
COMMUNIST ACT?
Menzies’ plan to ban the CPA, even though
it violated the nation’s democratic ideals. Australian Communist
Party
While the chances of a Communist
Amalgamated
uprising in Australia were slim, the CPA had
Engineering Union
considerable influence over key unions in
Australian Coal and
the maritime, waterside, mining and railway
Shale Employees’
industries. Many, although not all, strikes Federation The international heroes of Communism (from
were provoked by Communist union leaders Australian Railways left): Marx, Engels, Lenin, Stalin, Mao Zedong
keen to ‘take on the bosses’. Union
Building Workers
Industrial Union
Federated Clerks’ Union
Federated Ironworkers’
Labor minister and a member of the
Association
parliamentary party.
Federated Ship Painters
and Dockers Union The legislation was based on Section51(vi)
Seamen’s Union of of the Constitution, known as the Defence
Australia Power. Menzies claimed the CPA was a
Sheet Metal Workers’ clear danger to the defence of Australia. The
Union High Court, on 9March 1951, ruled six to
Waterside Workers
one that the Defence Power could not be
Federation
used to ban a political party. Only the Chief
Justice John Latham, a former conservative
politician, disagreed.
Menzies was down, but not out. Seeking
The House of Representatives in session control of the Senate, he obtained a double
dissolution of the parliament based on
Labor’s blocking of banking legislation. On
28April 1951 the coalition was returned to
On 27April 1950 Menzies introduced the power with a Senate majority.
Communist Party Dissolution Billinto the House Menzies then launched a referendum
of Representatives. Many Australians were seeking power to ban the CPA. In a bitterly
uneasy about banning a legally constituted fought contest, Australians rejected the
political party and the Bill’s method of referendum, 2317927 voting ‘yes’ and
handling CPA members. Anyone accused of 2370009 voting ‘no’.
being a Communist had to prove they were The referendum was Menzies’ last shot.
not, reversing the ‘innocent until proven Although he gave up trying to ban the CPA,
guilty’ provisions of Australian law. he never missed an opportunity to blame
Labor could block the Bill in the Senate, the Communists for the woes of the world.
where it still held a majority. Most Labor He also effectively branded Labor as being
members had little time for the CPA, but soft on Communism.
were unhappy about banning a political
party. At the time Labor was dominated by In 1950 HV‘Doc’ Evatt THE KOREAN WAR
the Catholic Church, which vehemently was deputy leader of the
opposed Communism. Labor Party and a brilliant In the early 1950s the Communist threat
barrister. He appeared
Under pressure from the church, and not centred on the Malayan Emergency and the
before the High Court to
wanting to be seen as soft on Communism, Korean War. After World WarII Korea, a
argue the case against
Labor power brokers allowed the Bill to pass the Communist Party former Japanese colony, was split into Soviet-
and it became law on 20October 1950. Only Dissolution Act. dominated North Korea and US-dominated
11 of Labor’s 34 Senators were present for South Korea. Both wanted reunification, but
the vote. only on their own terms.
Almost immediately, the CPA and a large On 25June 1950 the northern leader, Kim
group of unions launched a challenge to the IlSung, sent troops across the 38th parallel
Act in the High Court. The Waterside into South Korea. The fleeing southerners
Workers’ Federation was representated by were soon soon bottled up around Pusan in
the brilliant advocate, HVEvatt, a former the south-east. Taken by surprise, the USA
4
shipped in all the materiel USPresident Harry Truman
SEATO COUNTRIES and personnel it could. signs orders for the Korean
engagement in 1950
USPresident Harry
Australia
Truman secured United
France
Nations agreement to mount
New Zealand
a force to take on the North
Pakistan
Philippines Koreans. Normally this would In mid-1950, 1Squadron
Thailand have been blocked by the of the Royal Australian Air
United Kingdom Security Council because the Force, based in Singapore,
USA Soviet Union would have was deployed on regular
used its veto power. At the bombing raids against the
time, however, the Soviets insurgents. At the end of 1952
were boycotting the Council an army observer group was
KAPYONG
because the UN refused to stationed in Malaya to work
After the UN landings transfer the Chinese seat on with the British Army.
at Inchon in 1951, the council to the new The major commitment to
Australia’s most People’s Republic of China. The Menzies Malaya began after Australia signed the
important engagement government immediately committed Australia South East Asia Treaty Organization
of the Korean War was to the force. (SEATO) agreement in 1954. Australian
on 22April 1951.
soldiers arrived in Malaya in late 1955 and
The 3rd Battalion, Royal SEATO saw their first action in January 1956.
Australian Regiment,
was operating with The South East Asia Treaty Organization,
Canadian infantry in the
created largely by USSecretary of State
Kapyong Valley. As they
John Foster Dulles, was supposed to be an
covered a withdrawal
Asian version of the North Atlantic Treaty
by South Korean troops,
Organization (NATO). The agreement was
the Australians and
Canadians were signed by eight nations in Manila on
infiltrated by Chinese 8September 1954. The primary interest of
forces at Hill 504. the eight signatories was defence against
Communist aggression.
Although heavily
outnumbered, they
fought the Chinese for MALAYAN EMERGENCY
four days until they
forced the enemy Although Australia’s involvement in Korea
to withdraw. happened very quickly, deployment of forces
for the Malayan Emergency occurred over a Robert Menzies and USSecretary of State
John Foster Dulles (left) during SEATO negotiations
number of years.
The Emergency was an ongoing conflict
between Communist guerrillas and the
British military. The Communists, mostly CONSCRIPTION
Chinese-Malayans, had fought the Japanese
during the war. When peace came they Few issues were more dear to the hearts
concentrated on removing the British of 1950s conservatives than conscription for
colonial masters. military service, also known as national
service. Older Australians
always believed the country’s
youth was decadent. A spell
in the army would turn
them into men — it was
always men, women were
KING GEORGE VI never conscripted. Wartime
conscription had been
Following steadily
abolished immediately after
declining health, mainly
the conflict ended in 1945.
lung cancer caused by
heavy smoking, the
popular King GeorgeVI
A train blown off the tracks by
died on 6February 1952.
Communist insurgents during
the Malayan Emergency
5
In late 1950 Menzies announced that forces, but for most of its life BCOF was an
conscription would recommence the COLOMBO PLAN all-Australian operation.
following year. All 19-year-olds had to FOUNDERS As Japan emerged from occupation in the
register. They would be called up for three late 1940s, BCOF was steadily wound down.
Australia
months of full-time training and two years In 1950 Army and RAAF units were deployed
Canada
in the Citizens’ Military Force (CMF), from Kure to the Korean War. BCOF was
Ceylon
previously called the Militia. disbanded in 1952 after a peace treaty
India
Menzies had announced earlier that between Japan and the Allied nations was
New Zealand
conscripts would now be liable for service Pakistan signed at San Francisco on 8September 1951.
anywhere in the world. In World WarII, United Kingdom
Militia conscripts were legally barred from
serving outside Australia or its territories.
The all-volunteer Australian Imperial Force
(AIF) had no such restrictions. A lipstick pistol used by
While few people actively opposed Soviet spies in the 1950s
conscription, many regarded it as a waste of
money. The Navy, Army and Air Force had
difficulty finding enough jobs for the flood
of conscripts.
On 1May 1957 the intake was reduced and
no more conscripts were sent to the Navy or
Air Force. Conscripts were chosen by a
ballot based on birth dates. On 26November
1959 the entire system was suspended and
conscription ended — for a time at least.
Menzies takes tea at a function
for Colombo Plan students
ANZUS
The Australia, New Zealand and USA
(ANZUS) pact grew out of the historic COLOMBO PLAN
AUSTRALIAN SPIES
switch from a close alliance with Britain to
one with the USA. This had begun in On 13May 1952 a The Colombo Plan emerged from a
1941–42 when Australia was threatened by select group of senior meeting of British Commonwealth Foreign
invasion from Japan. ministers, including Ministers at Colombo, Ceylon [Sri Lanka] in
Australians had grave reservations about Prime Minister Robert January 1950. Australia was represented by
Menzies, used Section61
the USA’s plan to normalise relations with Minister for External Affairs Percy Spender.
of the Constitution to
Japan as quickly as possible. Their greatest The Plan’s aim was to improve standards of
establish the Australian
concern was the possibility of Japan’s living among peoples in South-east Asia.
Secret Intelligence
rearmament. To reassure Australia and gain Service (ASIS). It used two basic methods. Under the
its support the US agreed to form ANZUS, first, developed nations such as Australia
This was Australia’s
which appeared to claim the Americans provided financial and technical aid for
equivalent of Britain’s
would defend Australia if it was attacked. infrastructure development, including dams,
SIS (better known as
In reality, ANZUS simply provided for airports, railways, factories and universities.
MI6) and the USA’s
consultation in the event of war in the region. Central Intelligence The second was to provide training for
The agreement was signed at San Agency (CIA). people from those countries to manage and
Francisco on 1September 1951 and ratified improve the new facilities. For Australians,
The existence of ASIS
by Australia on 29April the following year. the most visible evidence of the Colombo
remained a secret
ANZUS quickly became a sacred cow of known to very few Plan was in newspaper stories about overseas
Australia’s security. people until the 1970s. students studying at Australian universities.
OCCUPYING JAPAN TROUBLE WITH THE MONEY
The USA had planned to be the sole JAPAN RETURNS Very soon after taking office, the Menzies
occupying power in Japan when the war government paid the price for removing
Japan established a
ended. Protests from Britain and Australia Chifley’s tight economic controls. On
new embassy at
led to the creation of the British 26September 1951 the extent of the problem
Canberra on 13June
Commonwealth Occupation Force (BCOF), 1951. Haruhiko Nishi was revealed when Treasurer Artie Fadden
based at Kure. Initially it comprised was the ambassador. delivered the first of several ‘horror budgets’.
Australian, British, New Zealand and Indian The key element was steep rises in sales tax,
6
DEATH OF BEN CHIFLEY
GOVERNORS-
GENERAL When the Labor Party lost power at the
end of 1949, despite poor health Ben Chifley
Australia had two
continued as Leader of the Opposition. He
Governors-General in
battled on, coping with a disintegrating
the 1950s: SirWilliam
Labor Party.
(Bill) McKell and
His health was not improved when his
SirWilliam Slim.
erratic deputy, the brilliant barrister
McKell’sappointment
HVEvatt, represented the Communist-
by the Chifley
influenced Waterside Workers’ Federation
Government in 1947
in the High Court challenge to the Communist
was controversial as he
was a member of the Party Dissolution Act. Struck
Labor Party and former Treasurer and Country Party down by a heart attack in
leader Artie Fadden with his
Premier of New South 1950, Chifley was back at
wife and daughter
Wales. Before that, since work within a month.
the 1930s, the monarch’s While Prime Minister,
representatives had
Chifley had refused to live
been a string
at The Lodge, the official
of ineffectual
pushing the price of many residence. He preferred a
British aristocrats.
everyday items out of the simple room at the
When McKell’s term reach of average Australians. Kurrajong Hotel, within
expired in 1953, Menzies
This had little effect walking distance of
sought another British
other than to drive inflation Parliament House. On the
candidate for the post.
up to the unprecedented evening of 13June 1951 he
This was due partly to
figure of 21per cent. Severe was reading in bed when
Menzies’ love of
everything English, and restrictions were imposed another heart attack
partly to his wanting a on imports in March 1952. struck. Rushed to
non-political candidate. Australians travelling Canberra Hospital, he died
overseas faced tight limits shortly afterwards.
He found what he
wanted in Field Marshal on the amount of cash they That same evening, at
SirWilliam Slim, heroic could take with them. Parliament House, a State
commander of British Imports continued to Ball celebrating 50 years of
forces in Burma during flood in while exports Federation was under way.
World WarII. Slim was decreased. More restrictions When Menzies received
sworn in on 8May 1953
were imposed in 1954 and the news he announced it
and remained in the
1955. March 1956 brought to the assembled revellers
post for seven years. He
a supplementary budget and immediately ended the
was an uncontroversial
that resulted in a credit event. Menzies and Chifley
and respected
representative of squeeze. Banks and other had always been friendly
the Queen. financiers turned off the and respected each other.
Governor-General Sir
supply of credit to many
William Slim at the opening
customers, and smaller
of a parliamentary session
businesses began to collapse.
Eventually, by the late 1950s,
some stability had returned.
On 21March 1958 Artie Fadden,
the Country Party leader, retired as
Treasurer. Menzies made sure the
Country Party never again had control
of Treasury by appointing Harold
Holt to the role.
SirWilliam McKell
Ben Chifley’s body leaves Parliament
House on a gun carriage for the
journey to his burial place at Bathurst
7
had spread, prompting a large crowd of
THE COLD WAR protestors to gather.
In the full glare of media and public
This was the term
scrutiny, the two burly agents hustled a
coined to describe the
weeping and distraught MrsPetrov to a
long-running stand-off
waiting BOAC Constellation. Protestors did
between Western
nations and the Soviet all they could to prevent her departure, even
Union that began in surrounding the aircraft and pulling away
1945 and ended in 1990. the stairs. Airport security in 1954 was not
It loomed large in the what it is today.
background of everyday The Constellation, with the three Russians
life even for people in
aboard, flew off into the night on its long,
faraway Australia.
slow journey to London. Frantic radio
It was a ‘cold’ war messages flashed between Canberra, Sydney
because there was no and the captain of the aircraft. The Menzies
actual fighting; however, Government wanted confirmation that
it constantly threatened
MrsPetrov was departing voluntarily. When
to erupt into a ‘hot’ war.
the aircraft’s hostess spoke to MrsPetrov
The likely consequence
alone in the ladies’ toilet (Constellations
of such a war was
had large toilets), she confirmed her wish to
annihilation of the
Earth’s population. stay with her husband.
The BOAC aircraft landed at Darwin in
the early hours of the morning. The Russian
escorts were overpowered by Commonwealth
Police and MrsPetrov spoke to her husband
Having lost a shoe in the confusion,
by telephone. She told police officers she
Evdokia Petrova is hustled across the
tarmac at Mascot to the waiting aircraft wanted to defect.
The Petrovs remained in Australia until
their deaths. Their identities and location
THE PETROV SAGA were kept secret by a voluntary gag on the
media, known as a D-Notice.
During the 1950s only two events For Menzies, facing an election with a
attracted international attention to Australia. disastrous economy, Petrov was a gift.
One was the 1956 Melbourne Olympic Diplomatic relations between Australia and
Games. The other was the Petrov defection, the Soviet Union were severed, and in late
which was the lead item when BBC April a Royal Commission into Espionage
Television launched its new British evening was announced. When it finally reported,
news service. on 14September 1955, no new evidence of
On 3April 1954 Vladimir Petrov, an spying had been found and no further
officer at the Soviet Union’s embassy in Commonwealth Police action was taken. The Petrov defection was
overpower MrsPetrov’s
Canberra, defected to Australia and sought a major factor in Menzies’ re-election on
escorts at Darwin on
political asylum. He handed to the Australian 21April 1954 29May 1954.
Security Intelligence Organisation (ASIO) a
range of documents alleging
that Soviet spies were active in
Australia. On 14April Menzies
made the defection public in a
dramatic announcement.
Petrov’s wife, Evdokia, was
also on the staff of the Canberra
embassy. On 20April she was
whisked off to Sydney’s Mascot
Aerodrome. Word of the move
Police and BOAC crew battle an
angry crowd trying to stop the
Russian escorts taking MrsPetrov
aboard the aircraft at Sydney