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.
HMNZS Hawea (F422)
The Korean War started on 25 June 1950 when North Korean forces crossed the 38°N parallel and invaded South Korea. The New Zealand Government decided to maintain two frigates in support of a United Nations Naval Force assisting South Korea. "Hawea"s sister ships, and , were hurriedly prepared for war service and sailed for Sasebo, their main base in Japan, on 3 July 1950. They did escort and patrol services, often working with Commonwealth, South Korean and other Allied ships, and in support of amphibious landings. The frigates were rotated in turn with the other four Loch frigates.