The Petrov Affair? (1 Viewer)

[bobos2]

Hey guys..

There's somethin i dont underestand about the Petrov Affair...why did Petrov's defection cause such an uproar? And when he defected...does it mean he changed his loyalty from the Soviet Union to Australia or the other way around?

Lol, im so confused by this =.=;;

Thanxx for ur help ppls =)

 

[lyounamu]

Hey guys..

There's somethin i dont underestand about the Petrov Affair...why did Petrov's defection cause such an uproar? And when he defected...does it mean he changed his loyalty from the Soviet Union to Australia or the other way around?

Lol, im so confused by this =.=;;

Thanxx for ur help ppls =)

Petrov revealed that there were Russian spies hiding in Australia. This revelation added a sense of fear and insecurity to Australian people who were already under the fear of Communist regime in South-East Asia.

Another shocking result of this affair was that Russian officials came down to Australia to take Petrov's wife (Evdokia). This happening was broadcast by the media and the pictures that showed Petrov's wife being dragged by Russian officials added massive sense of fear and hatred towards Communism.

On top of that, Robert Menzies manipulated the Petrov Affair for his own political advantage (as he wished to win the election that took place in that year) over Dr Evatt. Menzies ended up winning the election quite comfortable while he was predicted by the experts that he would lose the election before the Petrov Affair.

The reason why Robert Menzies gained that extra votes was due to his stance on Communism. His stance was adamant towards it and he abhorred Communism (even tried to get rid the Commnunism Party in 1961). Dr Evatt took light stance on Communism and was known to be lenient on Communism issue and viewed by the Australian Public that he may not be able to successfully counter-attack on Communism issue.

 

[bored of sc]

Hey guys..

There's somethin i dont underestand about the Petrov Affair...why did Petrov's defection cause such an uproar? And when he defected...does it mean he changed his loyalty from the Soviet Union to Australia or the other way around?

Lol, im so confused by this =.=;;

Thanxx for ur help ppls =)

Firstly, during this era, Australia was under the utter conviction that Communism was an evil system of Government.

Petrov's defection (deserting a duty) caused such an uproar from Australians because, for Australians, it implied that Petrov was pro-communist. The duty Petrov deserted was investigating into whether there was a communist spy-ring operating in Australia. The fact that Petrov did not complete this duty implied he was pro-communist - letting the spy-ring operate and thus, helping the Communists add Australia to their growing lists of Communist Countries. The uproar intensified after this event as the fears of Communism devouring Australia escalated.

Petrov's defection implied his loyalties changed from Australia to the Soviet Union, a strong Communist Nation. This obviously imbedded fear and paranoia into the Australian public who through the media, were brainwashed into thinking Communism was an evil system of Government that was on its way to devouring Australia up, like a snake devours a rabbit (the advertisements and media messages used this metaphor continually in their bid to strengthen Australia's strict anti-Communism).

Um, that's off the top of my head and is full of waffle - hope its correct and makes sense though.

 

[Kujah]

There was an investigation after the Petrov affair into the possible infiltration of Russian espionage rings in Australia. The results were at best, inconclusive, if my memory serves me right

 

[cem]

Petrov was a Soviet citizen who was appointed by the Soviet government to work in the Soviet embassy in Canberra as a low level diplomat officially.

His real job was to oversee the spy network that the Soviet government had set up in Australia to spy on Australia and our allies.

Petrov defected FROM the Soviet Union to Australia by seeking asylum from the Australian government after reporting to the Australian officials that he had information about the spy network operating here.

Menzies announced this defection and the spy ring in Parliament and the country became concerned about the idea of a Communist spy ring operating here. As Menzies had already tried to ban the Communist Party in 1951 and as a result of the propaganda by the Western powers against Communism that had been in the public domain since the Bolshevik revolution in Russia in 1917 and especially after the fall of Eastern Europe and China to communism in the mid and late 1940s many Australians were afraid of the Communism. As a result there was a public outrage that the Soviets were operating a spy ring in Australia.

As a result Petrov was given asylum and allowed to live in Australia for the rest of his life. After his wife was taken off the plane, she also defected and chose to live here rather than return to the Soviet Union.

 

[lyounamu]

I don't agree with the bored of sc's post.

Petrov was Russian and he was employed by the Soviety Union to carry out his duties in the Soviet Union Embassy in Canberra.

I agree with everything there in the above post. I should have added that.

 

[justxlouise]

bored of sc, you're pretty wrong .
petrov defected from the soviet union to australia
mrs petrov asked for a political asylum when the two soviet guys tried to drag her back to the soviet union

 

[WannaBang?]

Hey guys..

There's somethin i dont underestand about the Petrov Affair...why did Petrov's defection cause such an uproar? And when he defected...does it mean he changed his loyalty from the Soviet Union to Australia or the other way around?

Lol, im so confused by this =.=;;

Thanxx for ur help ppls =)

Wasn't Petrov a bitch?

 

[WannaBang?]

Petrov was a Soviet citizen who was appointed by the Soviet government to work in the Soviet embassy in Canberra as a low level diplomat officially.

His real job was to oversee the spy network that the Soviet government had set up in Australia to spy on Australia and our allies.

Petrov defected FROM the Soviet Union to Australia by seeking asylum from the Australian government after reporting to the Australian officials that he had information about the spy network operating here.

Menzies announced this defection and the spy ring in Parliament and the country became concerned about the idea of a Communist spy ring operating here. As Menzies had already tried to ban the Communist Party in 1951 and as a result of the propaganda by the Western powers against Communism that had been in the public domain since the Bolshevik revolution in Russia in 1917 and especially after the fall of Eastern Europe and China to communism in the mid and late 1940s many Australians were afraid of the Communism. As a result there was a public outrage that the Soviets were operating a spy ring in Australia.

As a result Petrov was given asylum and allowed to live in Australia for the rest of his life. After his wife was taken off the plane, she also defected and chose to live here rather than return to the Soviet Union.

I thought Petrov was a bitch.

 

[cem]

I thought Petrov was a bitch.

If by a 'bitch' you mean a woman then no.

Petrov was definitely a man.

but... most of the publicity around the Petrov Affair relates to the attempt by Soviet muscle to take his wife out of the country. It was the wife that was seen at Sydney airport being dragged along by the two Soviet 'thugs' for use of a better word and it was Mrs Petrov who was taken off the plane in Darwin. Her husband had already been given asylum and she decided to join him by remaining here.

Petrov was the official at the Soviet embassy who alleged that there was a Soviet spy ring operating here.

In other words there is both a man and a woman involved in the Petrov Affair not one person:

Man - Soviet Official, claimed spy ring, sought and given asylum

Woman - wife of above, dragged onto planes, given asylum

 

[WannaBang?]

If by a 'bitch' you mean a woman then no.

Petrov was definitely a man.

but... most of the publicity around the Petrov Affair relates to the attempt by Soviet muscle to take his wife out of the country. It was the wife that was seen at Sydney airport being dragged along by the two Soviet 'thugs' for use of a better word and it was Mrs Petrov who was taken off the plane in Darwin. Her husband had already been given asylum and she decided to join him by remaining here.

Petrov was the official at the Soviet embassy who alleged that there was a Soviet spy ring operating here.

In other words there is both a man and a woman involved in the Petrov Affair not one person:

Man - Soviet Official, claimed spy ring, sought and given asylum

Woman - wife of above, dragged onto planes, given asylum

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