“Actual Political Affiliations Are of Secondary Importance”: Communism and Women's Entangled Loyalties in the Australian Anti‐Nuclear Movement, 1945–65

The 1950s in Australia began with the newly elected Menzies Government's campaign to ban Communist Party of Australia, feeding into and sustaining growing anti‐communist rhetoric post‐war nation. Fears communist infiltration coloured actions Australian peace movement, public commentators political figures condemning movement as a fifth column intent on destroying society. Peace activists had manage such perceptions their work while navigating own beliefs politics ideology. Using women anti‐nuclear 1960s case study, this paper demonstrates that would often be publicly characterised — both contemporary sources more recent literature divided along ideological lines, individual alliances were far complex entangled. Though Cold War divisions appeared upheld nuclear disarmament sentiment, private sentiments nuanced. These decide what was important them: cause or image. Ultimately, for many, communism pressing issue, but still.