Volltext - ub-dok: der Dokumentenserver der UB Trier - Universität ...

interested in foreign affairs was growing; 2) receptiveness of the public to ideas concerning
world affairs became greater; and 3) the information media devoted more space to foreign
matters and, significantly, for the first time sent their own correspondents to gather the news
(Levy, 67).
The Australia perception of Asians began to change as well. While prior to the First
World War Asia was undifferentiated and Asians ‘easy-going, colourful, lazy, in need of
control and care’, the effect of the Second World War was at least to separate Japan from the
rest of the continent. The bombing of Darwin in 1942 seemed to confirm the vague reality of
the long-imagined threat of the Asian hordes descending on a helpless Australia, and singled
Japan out from the traditional images of Asia. In a reversal of roles, Japan became vilified for
its ‘rhetoric of civilisation and nationhood, which was identical to that of the Western powers,
and furthermore seemed to assume that they had the same kind of imperialist rights, including
to Australia’, which became in turn the easy-going, lazy and defenceless land. That
Australians later maintained their old stereotypical view of Asia could have been due to the
images of post-war Asia, where the bombed-out landscape and starving masses reconfirmed
the need of aid from superior, Western nations (Hamilton, 24).
With all of Asia experiencing throes of change after W.W.II, Australia developed a
pragmatic Asian policy, but still one dominated by old attitudes and directed without focus at
Asia in general (Levy, 68). The unsettled and violent circumstances, especially in Southeast
Asia, and the disappearance of Western safeguards made its position appear insecure. Just
when Australia was coming to maturity, the fears of Asians rushing down and appropriating
the empty lands seemed more real than ever (Levy, 69).
Once again, Western decisions set the tone of Australia’s own regional debate. The
Atlantic Charter (1941) promised post-war self-determination for Asia, but after the war the
former colonial nations sought to re-establish their rule. Some argued that Australia should
pursue a new and positive approach, and learn to live with Asians. Asian independence
movements should be taken as a tribute to British imperial heritage, and should be given
- 36 -