But the era of great and powerful friends is over. Australia now accepts responsibility for its own fate and negotiates its own way in Asia and the rest of the world. Episode 5 examines Australia's relationship with the rest of the world. Some of the issues and stories of this episode include the following. From Federation onwards, fear of Japan dominated Australia's foreign policy thinking.
Japan has ulterior motives.
Her policy can be summed up in one word - expansion. Japan looks abroad. The Lone Hand, 1908. In December 1941, Australia's 50 year nightmare became a reality - war with Japan. Singapore fell and Darwin was bombed.