Croatian Nationalist Groups in Australia 1949-1972

Friends in High Places
1. Auflage 2026
ISBN: 978-1-032-70658-0
Verlag: Routledge

Buch, Englisch, 204 Seiten, Format (B × H): 161 mm x 240 mm, Gewicht: 479 g

Reihe: Routledge Studies in Fascism and the Far Right

Between 1949 and 1972, Australia became the largest centre of violent Croatian nationalism outside of Europe. This book reveals how radical Croatian groups – responsible for bombings, armed incursions, and political violence across two continents – were allowed to proliferate, thanks to the disinterest and tacit support of Australia’s governing Liberal Party.

Of all the Eastern and Southern European migrants who arrived in post-war Australia, only Croatians formed groups that Australian Secret Intelligence Organisation (ASIO) considered an actual and continuing danger to domestic security. These communities brought with them a potent blend of nationalist and anti-communist ideology that the Liberal government encouraged, viewing it as electorally useful in the Cold War context. The relationship between the Liberal Party and violent Croatian nationalism became one of the most bitter partisan controversies of the era and had real effects on Australian electoral politics, especially the seminal 1972 election. Drawing primarily on archival research, this book demystifies this controversial period. It examines the real relationship between the Liberal Party, the Labor Party, and violent Croatian nationalist groups. Rather than defending or condemning the actions of the 1949–1972 Liberal-led government or Croatian extremist groups, it provides the first comprehensive historical account of how ideology, partisan politics, and Cold War anxieties allowed this form of violent extremism to take root in Australia. This book will be of interest to researchers in the history of terrorism, nationalism, Australian politics, Croatian politics, and the politics of exile and emigres.

Zielgruppe

Postgraduate

Autoren/Hrsg.

Lee, Alexander

Fachgebiete

• Sozialwissenschaften Politikwissenschaft Politikwissenschaft Allgemein Politische Geschichte
• Sozialwissenschaften Politikwissenschaft Politikwissenschaft Allgemein Politische Theorie, Politische Philosophie
• Geisteswissenschaften Geschichtswissenschaft Weltgeschichte & Geschichte einzelner Länder und Gebietsräume Geschichte einzelner Länder Australische und Pazifische Geschichte
• Sozialwissenschaften Politikwissenschaft Politische Gewalt Terrorismus, Religiöser Fundamentalismus

Inhaltsverzeichnis

Introduction 1. Croatian Nationalism in Australia  2. The Arrival of the Post-War Croatians  3. The Birth of Croatian Nationalist Organisations in Australia  4. The Pivotal Year of 1963  5. Patriots or Traitors?  6. Solving The Problem  7. No Prosecutions  8. Croatian Spring and the Moscow Pivot  9. Return of the Croatian Controversy  10. An Audacious Attack  11. Refusing to Act  12. End of the Liberal Government  13. Conclusion  Bibliography Index

Über Autor(innen)

Alexander Lee is a visiting fellow at the Australian National University.