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MAGAZINEThe Weekend Australian Magazine

File photo of Ukrainian soldiers from the 93rd Cold Yar Brigade of the Ukraine Armed Forces in the Russian-backed rebel held Donetsk frontline. Ukraine on Wednesday Feb 23, 2022 declared a 30-day state of emergency and began calling up reservists aged 18-60 for service of up to one year into the armed forces amid fears of an all-out invasion by Russia. On February 21, Russian President Vladimir Putin said he was recognizing the independence of territories under the control of Moscow-backed separatists in eastern Ukraine and that he would send Russian troops there, moves condemned by Kyiv, the UN, the West, and various countries.

The absence so far of a Third World War is akin to a miracle

Climate change is widely viewed as the mightiest threat to humanity, but in the hierarchy of threats we face, is a Third World War still the most dangerous?

Geoffrey Blainey

INQUIRERInquirer

Geoffrey Blainey art. Artwork: Geordie Gray

Albanese would be wise to heed the lessons of WWII

Anthony Albanese admits there is an international crisis in nearby Asia and the South China Sea. But he then shuts his eyes.

Geoffrey Blainey

commentaryInquirer

**EMBARGOED FOR 19/04/2025** 16 April 2025; Is Australia adequately prepared for future conflicts? With defense spending under scrutiny, Albanese and Dutton face the looming presence of Xi Jinping and a rapidly changing geopolitical landscape. The nation's vulnerability demands a serious reassessment of its defense priorities. Sources: iStock, AFP and News Corp Australia. Artwork by Frank Ling. Ratio 4:3. For PRINT.

We were better prepared for war in 1914 than we are now

From squandering money on over-paid generals to handing over the Port of Darwin, Australia – one of the world’s oldest continuing democracies – is not ready to defend itself. We should all be asking why.

Geoffrey Blainey

commentaryInquirer

(4x3) 23 January 2025; Australia Day with people, boats, Sydney Opera House, Sydney Harbour Bridge and James Cook statue. Sources: iStock, Pexels and Pixabay. Artwork by Frank Ling. For PRINT

No, Australia was not a utopia before British arrival, but it has sure gone close since

Stop glamorising the ancient past and look at all this young, fair and courageous nation has achieved since 1788.

Geoffrey Blainey

(FILES) In this file photo taken on September 19, 2016, a Chinese soldier holds a Chinese flag during Peace Mission-2016 joint military exercises of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) in the Edelweiss training area in Balykchy, some 200 km from Bishkek. - During Xi Jinping's decade-long rule China has built the world's largest navy, revamped the world's largest standing army and amassed a nuclear and ballistic arsenal to trouble any foe. (Photo by Vyacheslav OSELEDKO / AFP)

Would the US ever defend Taiwan from China?

The exact sequence of escalating events, once a war begins, cannot easily be forecast. Would the US negotiate or would it retaliate by launching missiles on the Chinese ports and industrial towns opposite Taiwan?

Geoffrey Blainey

InquirerInquirer

SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA - NewsWire Photos OCTOBER 9, 2023: ÃRally For A Free PalestineÃ protest burn the Israeli flag on the forecourt of The Sydney Opera House in Sydney following the recent outbreak of war between Israel and Palestine. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Jeremy Piper

War must not be allowed to destroy our social cohesion

As sympathy rises for the Muslims in Gaza, there are strong reasons to reject rising anti-Semitism, not least because Jews have been remarkable contributors to the success of Australia.

Geoffrey Blainey

BUSINESSBusiness

Geoffrey Blainey, historian and contributor to The Australian

The ‘lucky’ country? Mining wealth built on brains

One of our most eminent historians also proved to be an expert on the future when he wrote about the fortunes of mining in December 1969, just before the great market bust.

Geoffrey Blainey

CommentaryCommentary

WEEKEND TELEGRAPHS ANZAC SPECIAL., Men of the 15th Battalion Australian Imperial Force in dugouts at Gallipoli. At right is believed to be Pte John Thomas Carroll, 15th Bn, d. August 8, 1915. A railway porter in Cairns, having grown up in Cooktown. He was also an accomplished musician. Supplied by DENNIS QUICK Anzac Day, Australian Army, soldiers, trench warfare, war photography, World War 1, WWI, Gallipoli, Far North Queensland soldiers.

Lessons of war now forgotten across a changed nation

At the end of the war, Australian politicians of all parties knew their country had achieved a narrow escape. They learned from the experience.

Geoffrey Blainey

INQUIRERInquirer

At the MCG last weekend, Taylor Swift responded to her exuberant fans with unscripted affection. Picture: Getty

How Taylor Swift took half the nation by surprise

Whether you’re a fan of her music or not, Taylor Swift and the cultural phenomenon she’s whipped up in Australia this week is undeniably a force for good.

Geoffrey Blainey

INQUIRERInquirer

*** BESTPIX *** SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA - JANUARY 26: The sails of the Sydney Opera House are illuminated by a projection of indigenous artwork by Indigenous artist Brett Leavy on January 26, 2024 in Sydney, Australia. The 2024 First Nations projection was created by Aboriginal digital artist Brett Leavy, who worked in consultation with the Metropolitan Local Aboriginal Land Council on the artwork. Australia Day, formerly known as Foundation Day, is the official national day of Australia and is celebrated annually on January 26 to commemorate the arrival of the First Fleet to Sydney in 1788. Many indigenous Australians refer to the day as 'Invasion Day' and there is a growing movement to change the date to one which can be celebrated by all Australians. (Photo by Wendell Teodoro/Getty Images)

Let’s tell the truth about the country we call home

It is true that for decades the Indigenous people mostly died from diseases to which they had no immunity. They were killed in large numbers. The whole truth, however, can be elusive.

Geoffrey Blainey

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Original URL: https://www.theaustralian.com.au/author/geoffrey-blainey