Australia’s Presidents? Herbert Hoover and Lyndon B. Johnson Remembered

Abstract

Among US presidents, Herbert Hoover and Lyndon Johnson had the strongest ties to Australia. Hoover spent over a year in Australia as a mining engineer before launching a career in international business, food relief, and politics. In 1942, LBJ passed part of his pre-presidential career in Australia. Yet Johnson’s presidential tour in 1966, coupled with his return in 1967, generated massive enthusiasm and modest protests against the Vietnam War. President Johnson’s visits helped to solidify and celebrate US-Australian ties while encouraging Australian independence, even if during a war directed from Washington. While Hoover left his mark on Australia’s landscape in the mines he promoted and the sites that still stand, Australians found little appealing in the dour, Depression-era president who had come and gone without regarding their country as a friend or ally. Johnson thus became a consequential figure in Australia’s national history in ways Hoover never did.

The author presented early versions of this article at the European Association for Studies of Australia conference in 2023 and at Bruce Hall, the Australian National University in 2022. For their comments and assistance, he thanks Frank Bongiorno, Will Christie, Damian Cole, Douglas Craig, Dean Fafoutis, Rae Frances, Katherine Jellison, Bruce Scates, Tim Rowse, and the journal’s anonymous referees. The author thanks the J. William Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board and the Australian National University for supporting this research.

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author.

Notes

1 Sydney Sun, 21 October 1966, 46.

2 Adelaide Advertiser, 24 October 1966, 2.

3 Australian Financial Review, 24 January 1973, 1; Brisbane Courier-Mail, 24 January 1973, 4.

4 David Burner, Herbert Hoover: A Public Life (New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 1978), 26.

5 Dean Kotlowski, ‘Farewell to the Chief: Mourning and Memorializing Herbert Hoover’, in Mourning the Presidents: Loss and Legacy in American Culture, eds Lindsay Chervinsky and Matthew Costello (Charlottesville: University of Virginia Press, 2023), 183–4.

6 Yass Tribune, 18 December 1967, 2.

7 Sydney Morning Herald, 22 October 1966, 2.

8 Launceston Examiner, 19 October 1966, 22.

9 Queanbeyan Age, 21 October 1966, 1.

10 Heather Henderson, Letters to My Daughter: Robert Menzies, Letters, 1955–1975 (Sydney: Murdoch Books, 2011), 230.

11 Launceston Examiner, 23 December 1967, 1; Melbourne Sun, 23 December 1967, 4.

12 Adelaide Advertiser, 24 January 1973, 5.

13 Robert Gordon Menzies Oral History, 24 November 1969, 15, Lyndon B. Johnson Library (hereafter LBJL), Austin, Texas.

14 Dorothy Auchterlonie, ‘The Second Coming’, Meanjin Quarterly (1967), downloaded from search.informit.org/doi/10.3316/informit.570026524535009. Western Sydney University (accessed 27 November 2022).

15 David McLean, ‘Australia in the Cold War: A Historiographical Review’, International History Review 23, no. 2 (2001): 299–301.

16 David Goodman, Gold Seeking: Victoria and California in the 1850s (Stanford: Stanford University Press, 1994); Robin Archer, Why Is There No Labor Party in the United States? (Princeton: Princeton University Press, 2008); Marilyn Lake, Progressive New World: How Settler Colonialism and Transpacific Exchange Shaped American Reform (Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 2019); Ann McGrath, Illicit Love: Interracial Sex and Marriage in the United States and Australia (Lincoln: University of Nebraska Press, 2015).

17 The only study is Dean J. Kotlowski, ‘The Presidents Club Revisited: Herbert Hoover, Lyndon Johnson, and the Politics of Legacy and Bipartisanship’, The Historian 82, no. 4 (2020): 463–91.

18 Paul Strangio, ‘Instability, 1966–82’, in The Cambridge History of Australia, vol. II, The Commonwealth of Australia, eds Alison Bashford and Stuart Macintyre (Sydney: Cambridge University Press, 2013), 135–41.

19 Peter Edwards, ‘Australia and the Vietnam War: 50 Years On’, 29 February 2020, The Strategist, https://www.aspistrategist.org.au/australia-and-the-vietnam-war-50-years-on/ (accessed 30 June 2023). See also Peter Edwards, Australia and the Vietnam War (Sydney: NewSouth Books, 2014); Gregory Pemberton, All the Way: Australia’s Road to Vietnam (Sydney: Allen and Unwin, 1987).

20 Paul Ham, ‘Allies in Name Alone’, Griffith Review 48 (April 2015), https://www.griffithreview.com/articles/allies-name-alone/ (accessed 7 July 2023). See also Paul Ham, Vietnam – The Australian War (Sydney: HarperCollins, 2007).

21 Malcolm Fraser with Cain Roberts, Dangerous Allies (Melbourne: Melbourne University Publishing, 2016), 111–50, 283.

22 Emma Shortis, Our Exceptional Friend: Australia’s Fatal Alliance with the United States (Sydney: Hardie Grant, 2021), 232.

23 Melbourne Sun, 24 January 1973, 8.

24 Kenneth Whyte, Hoover: An Extraordinary Life in Extraordinary Times (New York: Knopf, 2017), 54–61; Glen Jeansonne (with David Luhrssen), Hoover: A Life (New York: New American Library, 2016), 53–65.

25 George H. Nash, ‘Hoover, Herbert Clark (1874–1964)’, Australian Dictionary of Biography, National Centre of Biography, Australian National University, https://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/hoover-herbert-clark-6729/text11619, published first in hardcopy 1983 (accessed 2 November 2022).

26 Jeansonne, 54–5; Richard Norton Smith, An Uncommon Man: The Triumph of Herbert Hoover (New York: Simon and Schuster, 1984), 73–6.

27 Jeansonne, 60.

28 Ballarat Evening Echo, 11 December 1915, 1.

29 Melbourne Herald, 24 November 1917, 11.

30 Burnie Advocate (Tasmania), 9 November 1928, 11.

31 The Age (Melbourne), 6 March 1929, 10.

32 Newcastle Sun, 22 September 1928, 6.

33 Joan Hoff Wilson, Herbert Hoover: Forgotten Progressive (New York: HarperCollins, 1975), 246.

34 Longreach Leader (Queensland), 20 September 1941, 12.

35 Herbert Hoover to John Callan O’Laughlin, 23 February 1942, folder: Hoover, Herbert, Jan.–Feb. 1942, box 46, John Callan O’Laughlin Papers, Library of Congress (hereafter LC), Washington, DC.

36 Franklin D. Roosevelt to Wendell L. Willkie, 5 December 1941, folder: Willkie, Wendell 1941, box 11, Irita Van Doren Papers, LC.

37 Frank Bongiorno, Dreamers and Schemers: A Political History of Australia (Melbourne: La Trobe University Press, 2022), 186.

38 James Curran, ‘Beyond the Euphoria: Lyndon Johnson in Australia and the Politics of the Cold War Alliance’, Journal of Cold War Studies 17, no. 1 (2015): 94.

39 Gary Dean Best, Herbert Hoover: The Postpresidential Years 1933–1964, Volume Two: 1946–1964 (Stanford: Hoover Institution Press, 1983), 293.

40 Best, 337.

41 ‘Our National Policies in This Crisis’, 20 December 1950, in Addresses upon the American Road by Herbert Hoover, 1950–1955 (Stanford: Stanford University Press, 1955), 7.

42 Curran, ‘Beyond the Euphoria’, 70.

43 Hoff Wilson, 232–68.

44 Melbourne Herald, 26 August 1952, 4.

45 Adelaide Advertiser, 1 November 1952, 7.

46 Brisbane Courier-Mail, 20 October 1964, 4, and 22 October 1964, 4; Hobart Mercury, 21 October 1964, 2.

47 West Australian, 21 October 1964, 1, and 22 October 1964, 24; Kalgoorlie Miner, 21 October 1964, 1, and 22 October 1964, 8.

48 Sydney Morning Herald, 22 October 1964, 2.

49 John Wheeldon, Budget Speech 1976–77, 9 September 1977, 568, 570, Commonwealth of Australia, Senate, Parliamentary Debates (Official Hansard), https://parlinfo.aph.gov.au/parlInfo/genpdf/hansard80/hansards80/1976-09-09/0072/hansard_frag.pdf;fileType=application%2Fpdf; Bill Hayden, Australian Economy Speech, 19 October 1976, 1955, Commonwealth of Australia, House of Representatives, Parliamentary Debates, https://parlinfo.aph.gov.au/parlInfo/genpdf/hansard80/hansardr80/1976-10-19/0048/hansard_frag.pdf;fileType=application%2Fpdf (accessed 21 January 2023).

50 The Age, 14 April 1945, 3.

51 Adelaide Advertiser, 14 April 1945, 9; Sydney Morning Herald, 14 April 1945, 4 (quotations).

52 Goulburn Post (New South Wales), 16 April 1945, 1.

53 Sydney Sun, 12 April 1945, 2.

54 Sydney Daily Telegraph, 14 April 1945, 1.

55 Sydney Morning Herald, 14 April 1945, 2.

56 Brian Lamb, Susan Swain and C-SPAN, The Presidents: Noted Historians Rank America’s Best – and Worst – Chief Executives (New York: PublicAffairs, 2019), 407–18.

57 Author’s photographs, 15–16 November 2022, Kalgoorlie, Western Australia; Author’s conversation with Timothy Moore, 16 November 2022, Kalgoorlie, Western Australia; Nash.

58 Author’s conversation with Greg Sutherland, 16 November 2022, Kalgoorlie, Western Australia.

59 Author’s photographs, 15–16 November 2022, Kalgoorlie, Western Australia.

60 Robert Dallek, Lone Star Rising: Lyndon Johnson and His Times, 1908–1960 (New York: Oxford University Press, 1991), 235–8.

61 Robert A. Caro, The Years of Lyndon Johnson, vol. II, The Means of Ascent (New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 1990), 44.

62 Troy Bramston, Robert Menzies: The Art of Politics (Melbourne: Scribe, 2019), 212–17.

63 Sir John McEwen to Lord Richard Casey, 11 April 1974, folder: Bill of Rights 1974, box 16, Sir John McEwen Papers (MS 4654), National Library of Australia (hereafter NLA), Canberra.

64 Bramston, 236.

65 Harold Holt Speech on Government Policy, 8 March 1966, Parliamentary Debates, 6, item 1 [Aborigines General 1966], New South Wales Teachers Federation Records [N111], Noel Butlin Archives Centre, the Australian National University, Canberra (ANU).

66 McEwen to Casey, 11 April 1974, folder: Bill of Rights 1974, box 16, McEwen Papers, NLA.

67 Curran, ‘Beyond the Euphoria’, 82.

68 Ibid., 65.

69 ‘Results of Survey on Vietnam, Conscription and Voting Age’, 4 November 1966, box 1, Minutes of the Australian National University Students Association (ANUA 331), Australian National University Archives, Canberra.

70 Canberra Times, 6 October 1966, 4.

71 Canberra Times, 8 October 1966, 2.

72 Ross Walker, Harold Holt: Always One Step Further (Melbourne: La Trobe University Press, 2022), 148, 144, 172 (quotation).

73 Kalgoorlie Miner, 13 October 1966, 2; Hobart Mercury, 7 October 1966, 4; Melbourne Herald, 7 October 1966, 4; Brisbane Courier-Mail, 10 October 1966, 2.

74 Launceston Examiner, 7 October 1966, 4.

75 Albury Border Morning Mail, 15 October 1966, 46.

76 Ibid., 3; Sydney Morning Herald, 14 October 1966, 1.

77 Sydney Sun, 18 October 1966, 4; Wagga Wagga Daily Advertiser, 20 October 1966, 2.

78 West Australian, 7 October 1966, 1; Kalgoorlie Miner, 13 October 1966, 2.

79 Cooma-Monaro Express, 12 October 1966, 2.

80 Sydney Daily Telegraph, 19 October 1966, 2.

81 The Australian, 14 October 1966, 8.

82 Hobart Mercury, 17 October 1966, 4.

83 Launceston Examiner, 19 October 1966, 1.

84 Townsville Daily Bulletin, 10 October 1966, 2.

85 Hobart Mercury, 21 October 1966, 5.

86 Brisbane Courier-Mail, 19 October 1966, 2.

87 Ibid., 10 October 1966, 3; The Age, 13 October 1966, 1; Sydney Daily Telegraph, 20 October 1966, 53; Adelaide Advertiser, 8 October 1966, 2; Melbourne Herald, 18 October 1966, 1; Sydney Morning Herald, 20 October 1966, 1.

88 Wagga Wagga Daily Advertiser, 20 October 1966, 2.

89 Lady Bird Johnson Audio Diary and Annotated Transcript, 20 October 1966, Lady Bird Johnson’s White House Diary Collection, LBJL.

90 The Australian, 21 October 1966, 1, and 22 October 1966, 9.

91 Lady Bird Johnson Diary, 20 October 1966, LBJL.

92 The Age, 22 October 1966, 3.

93 Ibid., 5.

94 Ibid., 1; Melbourne Sun, 22 October 1966, 1.

95 Melbourne Herald, 22 October 1966, 1.

96 Townsville Daily Bulletin, 24 October 1966, 2.

97 The Age, 22 October 1966, 5.

98 Brisbane Courier-Mail, 26 October 1966, 2.

99 Auchterlonie.

100 The Age, 22 October 1966, 5; Hobart Mercury, 21 October 1966, 4.

101 Mitchell Lerner, ‘“A Big Tree of Peace and Justice”: The Vice Presidential Travels of Lyndon Johnson’, Diplomatic History 23, no. 2 (2010): 359.

102 Sydney Morning Herald, 22 October 1964, 7; Queanbeyan Age, 21 October 1966, 1; Melbourne Sun, 22 October 1966, 64.

103 Sydney Morning Herald, 21 October 1966, 7.

104 The Age, 22 October 1966, 7.

105 Sydney Daily Telegraph, 22 October 1966, 6; Melbourne Sun, 24 October 1966, 29.

106 Lady Bird Johnson Diary, 20 October 1966, LBJL.

107 The Australian, 25 October 1966, 8.

108 Melbourne Herald, 21 October 1966, 1.

109 Sydney Sun, 20 October 1966, 4.

110 The Australian, 15 October 1966, 8.

111 Sydney Daily Telegraph, 21 October 1964, 2, and 26 October 1964, 2.

112 Townsville Daily Bulletin, 30 January 1973, 2.

113 The Australian, 27 October 1966, 8.

114 The Australian, 20 October 1966, 8.

115 The Australian, 7 October 1966, 8.

116 The Australian, 17 October 1966, 10.

117 Curran, ‘Beyond the Euphoria’, 91–5.

118 The Age, 24 October 1966, 2.

119 Brisbane Courier-Mail, 21 October 1966, 2.

120 Prime Minister and Mrs. Holt to Lady Violet Braddon, [December 1966], scrapbook 13, Lady Violet Braddon Papers [MS 6943], NLA.

121 Curran, ‘Beyond the Euphoria’, 94.

122 Kalgoorlie Miner, 26 October 1966, 2.

123 The Age, 27 October 1966, 2, and 28 October 1966, 2.

124 Townsville Daily Bulletin, 26 October 1966, 2; Wagga Wagga Daily Advertiser, 28 October 1966, 2.

125 The Australian, 25 October 1966, 8.

126 The Australian, 24 October 1966, 6.

127 Australian Financial Review, 21 October 1966, 2.

128 Adelaide Advertiser, 19 December 1967, 2.

129 Yass Tribune, 18 December 1967, 2.

130 Kotlowski, ‘The Presidents Club Revisited’, 481.

131 Albury Border Morning Mail, 23 December 1967, 2.

132 Adelaide Advertiser, 20 December 1967, 2.

133 Hobart Mercury, 22 December 1967, 3.

134 Brisbane Courier-Mail, 20 December 1967, 2.

135 Hobart Mercury, 23 December 1967, 1.

136 Melbourne Herald, 22 December 1967, 4.

137 Albury Border Morning Mail, 22 December 1967, 2.

138 Sydney Morning Herald, 23 December 1967, 2.

139 The Australian, 21 December 1967, 9.

140 Kalgoorlie Miner, 25 December 1967, 1.

141 The Australian, 27 December 1967, 6.

142 Kalgoorlie Miner, 21 December 1967, 2.

143 Sydney Sun, 22 December 1967, 1, 3, 5; The Australian, 23 December 1967, 5 (quotation).

144 West Australian, 23 December 1967, 8.

145 Townsville Daily Bulletin, 18 December 1967, 2.

146 Dean J. Kotlowski, ‘“We Shall Overcome”: Lyndon B. Johnson as the Civil Rights President’, in The Presidential Image: A History from Theodore Roosevelt to Donald Trump, eds Iwan Morgan and Mark White (London: I.B. Tauris, 2020), 125.

147 The Age, 24 January 1973, 9.

148 Sydney Morning Herald, 24 January 1973, 6.

149 The Australian, 25 January 1973, 9.

150 Melbourne Sun, 24 January 1973, 8.

151 Ian Hancock, John Gorton: He Did It His Way (Sydney: Hodder, 2002), 225.

152 ‘Toasts of the President and Prime Minister John G. Gorton of Australia’, 6 May 1969, Gerhard Peters and John T. Woolley, The American Presidency Project, https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/documents/toasts-the-president-and-prime-minister-john-g-gorton-australia (accessed 11 March 2023).

153 The Age, 24 January 1973, 9.

154 Coromandel Times (South Australia), 25 January 1973, 1.

155 The Age, 24 January 1973, 9.

156 Australian Financial Review, 24 January 1973, 2.

157 Townsville Daily Bulletin, 24 January 1973, 2.

158 Melbourne Sun, 24 January 1973, 8.

159 Launceston Examiner, 24 January 1973, 6.

160 See, for example, Adelaide Advertiser, 27 December 1972, 4.

161 Canberra Times, 24 January 1973, 4.

162 James Curran, Unholy Fury: Whitlam and Nixon at War (Melbourne: Melbourne University Press, 2015), 303.

163 Hobart Mercury, 1 January 1973, 2.

164 Gough Whitlam, Deaths of Former Presidents Truman and Johnson and Mr Lester Pearson, 27 February 1973, 24, Commonwealth of Australia, House of Representatives, Parliamentary Debates, https://parlinfo.aph.gov.au/parlInfo/genpdf/hansard80/hansardr80/1973-02-27/0033/hansard_frag.pdf;fileType=application%2Fpdf (accessed 18 March 2023).

165 Peter Morris, Trade Practices Amendment Bill 1977 Second Reading Speech, 23 February 1977, 397, Commonwealth of Australia, House of Representatives, Parliamentary Debates, https://parlinfo.aph.gov.au/parlInfo/genpdf/hansard80/hansardr80/1977-02-23/0089/hansard_frag.pdf;fileType=application%2Fpdf (accessed 18 March 2023).

166 Christopher Pyne, Motions: Address by the President of the United States of America Speech, 3 November 2011, 12678, Commonwealth of Australia, House of Representatives, Parliamentary Debates, https://parlinfo.aph.gov.au/parlInfo/genpdf/chamber/hansardr/a6b442d6-b362-4a91-a23b-e91e67a55e5c/0004/hansard_frag.pdf;fileType=application%2Fpdf (accessed 18 March 2023).

167 Canberra Times, 29 September 1991, 6.

168 Canberra Times, 21 May 1970, 17.