Uploaded April 2026 | Updated September 2026, 1 week ago
John Seymour's new book Australia's Naval Alliances: Lessons of History tells how Australia depended on the Royal Navy for its naval defence in the interwar period, in the face of ever-mounting evidence that Britain had neither the means nor the will to fulfil its promises.
This dependence distorted the development of Australia's own forces and left us largely defenceless when the crisis came in 1941 and 1942.
John is joined by Professor Hugh White of the Australian National University to discuss Australia's past experience of alliance failure, and what lessons we might draw for the big strategic questions that face us today.
Find out more: https://www.library.gov.au/whats-on/events/australias-naval-alliances-john-seymour-and-hugh-white
John Seymour's new book Australia's Naval Alliances: Lessons of History tells how Australia depended on the Royal Navy for its naval defence in the interwar period, in the face of ever-mounting evidence that Britain had neither the means nor the will to fulfil its promises.
This dependence distorted the development of Australia's own forces and left us largely defenceless when the crisis came in 1941 and 1942.
John is joined by Professor Hugh White of the Australian National University to discuss Australia's past experience of alliance failure, and what lessons we might draw for the big strategic questions that face us today.
Find out more: https://www.library.gov.au/whats-on/events/australias-naval-alliances-john-seymour-and-hugh-white
