Series: Letters to Australia

Letters to Australia is a collection of Julius Stone's radio talks, originally broadcast by the ABC between 1942 and 1972. Recently discovered in the nation's archives, they take the reader back to the mid-20th century, bringing to life the people, events, and the sweep of affairs during World War II and its turbulent aftermath, capturing the hopes and fears of...

Letters to Australia is a collection of Julius Stone's radio talks, originally broadcast by the ABC between 1942 and 1972. Recently discovered in the nation's archives, they take the reader back to the mid-20th century, bringing to life the people, events, and the sweep of affairs during World War II and its turbulent aftermath. The collection captures the hopes and...

Originally broadcast by the ABC between 1942 and 1972 and re-discovered in 2006, these conversational opinion pieces by jurist Julius Stone take the reader back to the mid-20th century, bringing to life the people, events, and the sweep of affairs during World War II and its turbulent aftermath. More than anyone else at that time, Stone gave Australians a sense...

In the Pacific, Australia entered the multi-lateral ANZUS treaty, consolidating the nation's independence from Britain. Communist China pressed its claims to replace Taiwan on the Security Council. Queen Elizabeth II began her long reign, and adventurism by Egypt set the stage for the Suez crisis. Despite Stalin's death, the Soviet grip on eastern Europe grew.

Queen Elizabeth's visit showed a strong remaining affection for the crown, despite the nation's shift of its power alliances to the USA. In the USA, McCarthyism crashed with the discrediting of its leading figure; in Argentina the autocratic populist movement of Peron came to an end; West Germany continued its spectacular economic growth; and Yugoslavia made a bid for neutrality,...

The years 1956-72 were as eventful as any that had gone before, and Julius Stone touched on many international issues. The hydrogen bomb and the space race were popular topics. Decolonisation and independence in Asia and Africa were covered, especially Indonesia and South Africa. Stone wrote extensively about the Cold War, Vietnam War and relations with China. Letters to Australia,...