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Abstract

This dissertation examines the role of the British Pacific Fleet at the intersection of naval history and the history of Australian nationalism. The development of Australian nationalism is one of the most important themes in Australian history and the question of how long Australians continued to see themselves as British is central to the debates on this issue. These debates have mainly focussed on the relationship between governments. This research takes a social history approach to the question of how Australians responded to the presence of the hundreds of ships and thousands of sailors of the British Pacific Fleet.
The Royal Navy was an infrequent visitor to Australia between 1924 and 1944. It had played its part in the disasters of 1941 and 1942 that left Australia feeling ‘let down’ by Britain and led to emergence of the concept of a ‘great betrayal’ of Australia. Australian security was guaranteed by the United States of America after 1942. Despite this, the responses from Australians to the British Pacific Fleet were almost entirely positive. The Australian Government and Royal Navy made careful preparations to ensure a warm welcome. These preparations supported the supportive popular responses towards the British Pacific Fleet.
The research sought to understand a wide range of responses from different parts of Australian society. It has demonstrated that these responses were both driven by and reinforced Australians’ perceptions of themselves as British. These responses arose from Australian race patriotism and because of this, they differ from responses to US forces. They show that despite the political and strategic changes of the 1940s, in 1946 Australians retained a strong British identity.

Course: Naval History - MA - C2457P

Date Deposited: 2023-11-01

URI/permalink: https://library.port.ac.uk/dissert/dis14249.html