The present invention provides a bidirectional wavelength division multiplexed optical communication network having a protection switching capability within a bidirectional optical waveguide. A bidirectional optical waveguide having plural optical nodes carries counterpropagating wavelength division multiplexed optical communication signals: M optical channels in a first direction and N optical channels in a second direction. The network includes the capacity to generate X+Y protect optical channels which respectively propagate in the first and second directions. Upon detecting loss of an optical signal means are provided for switching the affected M work optical channels to the Y protect optical channels and the affected N work channels to the X protect channels. In this manner, protection switching may be accomplished in a bidirectional optical network on a single bidirectional optical waveguide.