Introduction

Most analysts surmise that Australia abstained from building the bomb because of, in T. V. Paul's words, “the low-conflict environment and the lack of credible security threats from Asia.” But, in fact, the story of Australia's nuclear stance is far more complicated than the country's basic material position would suggest. Far from lolling about “on the beach,” the long succession of Liberal Party governments during the first quarter-century of the Cold War invested Australia heavily in the Free World's nuclear deterrence plans against the Communist threat. They eagerly offered their territory to host British nuclear weapons tests and important pieces of the worldwide American nuclear deterrence system. At the same time, they purchased nuclear-capable aircraft and actively sought “key to the cupboard” nuclear transfer arrangements with their British and American protectors. And in the late 1960s, a Liberal prime minister even tried to foment an Australian nuclear weapons program. It was only in 1972 – in a context of objectively greater strategic uncertainty than had existed a decade earlier – that Australia finally became satisfied with its strategic situation and developed a broader diplomatic agenda in support of international efforts to rein in the global nuclear arms race.