Description
Australia’s war-time Prime Minister, John Curtin, has a heroic status in Australian political history folklore. He stood up to British Prime Minister Churchill and American President Roosevelt courageously, insisting that Australian troops be brought home to defend their nation against the expected Japanese invasion. However, the praise and adulation that is heaped upon Curtin for creating the American Alliance is not justified. James Prior argues that the credit is rightly owed to Richard Casey, who as Australia’s first ambassador to the United States did more to secure American engagement with Australia in Pacific security than Curtin or anyone else.
Richard Casey’s diplomatic mission as Australia’s first Minister to the United States during the two years prior to Pearl Harbor was the most important ever undertaken by an Australian. More than anyone else, Casey was responsible for guiding President Roosevelt’s Administration in their thinking about how they might, and eventually did, deploy to Australia in the war against Japan … There have been other studies of Casey’s mission, but none has so clearly and thoroughly addressed the building of the case for the use of Australia as a base by the Americans …
Professor Carl Bridge, King’s College, London
Prior writes in an engaging and direct style … We get an excellent sense of Casey at work, his sociability and energy; and also his celebrity status … Casey’s dexterity, diplomacy and discernment shine through … a compelling account of events …
Professor David Lowe, Deakin University
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