Origins of the Cold War
Australia's entry into the Cold War came in 1950, when it rushed combat air and sea forces into the Korean War, two days after the Americans did. The Australian Prime Minister received a hero's welcome in Washington. The ANZUS military alliance with New Zealand and the United States was signed in July 1951; it was a plan for consultation and did not involve military planning like NATO. Public opinion in Australia was intensely hostile to Japan after its wartime atrocities, but Japan was now an ally in the Cold War, so Australia's accepted the very generous soft peace treaty with Japan in 1951. Instead of worrying about a resurgent Japan, Australia now worried more about a possible Chinese threat.
1st Brigade (Australia)
Following the end of hostilities in August 1945, the existing structures were disbanded throughout 1945 and into 1946 and the Interim Army was raised. As a part of this, the 34th Brigade was raised for occupation duties in Japan. In 1948, with the establishment of the reformation of the Regular Army and the raising of the Australian Regiment (later known as the Royal Australian Regiment), the 34th Brigade was renamed the 1st Brigade following its return to Australia. During the Korean War, individual elements of the brigade were detached for combat in Korea, although they were subsequently placed under the command of other formations.