Reflections on Dr. John Wear Burton: The Forgotten Mandarin?

John Wear Burton, Secretary of External Affairs 1947-1950, occupies a unique position within the history of Australian foreign policy. Unlike many of his bureaucratic contemporaries Burton's own career had finished by the early 1950s, but he is still acknowledged as a significant contributor to post-war Australian foreign policy making. Burton also occupies an ambiguous position within Australian bureaucratic and Cold War political history. This article provides a reflective overview of Burton's career and examines how Cold War politics have impacted on his diplomatic reputation.