Australia faced the threat of communism after WWII ended in 1945. The threat was known as the Red Menace which was caused by all the conflicts in Asia and also things that were going on in Australia at the time. The Australian government responded to the Red Menace in many ways. They took military action, made alliances, gave economoc aid and tried banning the Communist Party in Australia.

Communism is a social organisation where everyone in the country/community all have common property and money is shared equally. Australia didn't see communism as a threat until China was taken into control and turned into a communist country. Australia then began to fear that it would only be a matter of time 'before the reds were on our doorsteps.'

Australia responded to the threat of communism in Asia by joining the Korean War in 1950. We joined it because we had a belief that it would be better to fight communism overseas rather than wait for it to reach Australia and fight it here. The Korean War was a part of our government's 'Forward Defense Policy'. Military action was sent to Korea to help our allies to fight communism overseas.

Another response to communism in Asia was the ANZUS Treaty which was one of the most important steps that Australia took to protect Australia from the threat of communism. The treaty was an agreement signed by Australia, New Zealand and the United States; it meant that each of the three nations involved would be obliged to help the other if one