Why Did Australia Enter the War?
1. The American Alliances
Although the post Second World War alliances with America (ANZUS and SEATO) played an important part in Australia going to war, it is not fair to simply write off the decision as Australia blindly following American policy.
The plain and simple fact was that if Australia did not help America now, then America might not come to Australia in her hour of need, if it ever arose. So yes, Australia's relationship with America was an important factor in Australian involvement, but it was not the only one.
2. Fear of Communism
There was a genuine fear of communism in Asia spreading to Australia. The entry of Australia into the Vietnam conflict was the culmination of over 15 years of domestic and foreign policy for successive Australian governments.
Australia had already demonstrated its eagerness to stop the spread of 'monolithic' communism by going to war in Korea.
3. Geography and the Domino Effect
Geographically, Vietnam is on Australia's doorstep. If South Vietnam were to fall to communism and as the domino effect theory suggested would happen - other Asian countries like Thailand, Myanmar and Malaya were to follow - then where would Australia be?
As the fear of being isolated in the Pacific and surrounded by communist countries had spurred Australia into war in Korea, it now spurred her into war in Vietnam.
4. Australia was prepared for another war
Psychologically, Australia had been prepared for another war since the conflict in Korea. Compulsory military training and universal conscription had been briefly re-introduced in 1951. The threat that Australia needed to defend against at the time was communism spreading from North Vietnam into South Vietnam.
By May 1962, the Australian government announced it would be sending in 30 military advisors to assist with the ongoing training of the Army of the Republic of Vietnam. The US had called on SEATO members for support in Vietnam.
‘All the way with L.B.J.’ (Lyndon Baines Johnson)
- At the height of the Vietnam war, Harold Holt took over as Aust. PM
- Holt steadily increased the number of Aust troops fighting in Vietnam
- He invited L.B.J. to Aust to encourage support for the conflict. By the time of his visit, public opposition to the war was becoming increasingly visible- a noisy minority.
- He succeed in getting people to enlist
1968 proved to be a turning point with regard to conduct of the war and public support for the war.
Time for a study break? Click Here
Conditions
Dead and Wounded
- Almost all jungle warfare
- Soldiers could not tell who the enemy was. Perspectives changed from village to village and often the armies would destroy communities only to find out their info was wrong and they had killed people backing them
- Wounds were bad in the climate
- These men had never fought in these conditions
Napalm and its effects
US napalm bomb strike in South Vietnam, 1996. The US dropped more than 338 000 tons of napalm (jellied gasoline) on Vietnam and killed more than 2 million Vietnamese during 8 years of war. Napalm would strip clothing, make breathing difficult, kill people and plants.
Seeing these images on TV greatly reduced confidence in the West in the South Vietnam regime.
The End of the War
- By the early 1970’s US president Nixon was looking for an “honourable” escape from Vietnam
- He pursued a policy known as ‘peace with honour’
- Like America, Australia started to withdraw from Vietnam and handed over responsibility for the conflict to the Vietnamese
- After communist victory in 1975, the north and south reunified
- Laos and Vientiane then fell to communism
Differing views of Australia’s involvement in the Vietnam War
Supporters of the war: (see ‘All the way with L.B.J.)
The US had called on SEATO members to provide active support to contain the communist threat. Menzies and Holt kept adding to the troops it sent across to Vietnam. South Vietnam was presented as vulnerable and in need of support/help.
Conscription had been a controversial concept in WW1 and aroused many protesters in the Vietnam war era. 1950, Menzies had introduced a minimalist version of conscription involving 3 months full time training and home service. This system was abandoned in 1958 before being reintroduced in 1964. Under this system, all males had to register for National Service on their 20th birthday. A lottery chose the conscripts to serve for 2 years.
It was not until 1966 that Holt announced conscripts would be sent to fight in Vietnam, until this, no conscript had fought outside of Australia during peacetime.
Protest groups started encouraging men to not register, resist the draft. If someone could prove they were a pacifist, he could lodge a conscientious objection to service.
A conscientious objector (CO) is an individual who, on religious, moral or ethical grounds, refuses to participate as a combatant in war or, in some cases, to take any role that would support a combatant organization armed forces.
Anyone else who refused to be conscripted was given a 2 year jail sentence.
Vietnam Protests
How did we protest?
Music became a very important part of the protests at this time.
“One good song with a message can bring a point more deeply to more people that a thousand rallies.” Phil Ochs
TV brought the war into the living room.
What happened when people protested?
At Kent State Uni in 1971, the National Guard shot and killed four college students who were protesting the war. This changed many perspectives on the war and how people viewed the federal government.
Australian Protests
- 1968, the war was going badly
- A strong anti-war movement began in the USA and spread to Australia
- The ALP led the anti-war movement
- The movement built slowly as anti-war groups started working together and learning lessons from similar groups in the US
- By 1969, those who opposed the war had increased in number and become sufficiently well organised to coordinate Aust-wide protests.
SOS (Save Our Sons)
- A group of mothers began an anti-conscription campaign
- Menzies had brought back conscription and when Holt took over, the announced that all conscripts would be sent to Vietnam- this was the first time conscripts had been sent to fight overseas
- The campaign included: - silent vigils in public places of commemoration
- Handing out leaflets at army barracks or railway stations from which national servicemen were travelling to begin their military service.
- They also prepared and circulated petitions
- Universities became centres for opposition
A Moratorium is a general suspension or cessation of something. First one in the US, people stopped working to demand withdrawal.
1970 anti-war protests – Moratorium Marches
Jim Cains, Labor politician, was joined by academics, writers, artists, church leaders in Moratorium marches across the country.
- Peaceful and well organised
- Mass support from ordinary people
- 1st in Melbourne in May- 100 000 protesters
Demands: 1. Immediate, total and unconditional withdrawal of troops from Indochina
2. Immediate abolition of conscription
Recognition of Vietnam Service
After many years, the people of Australia recognised the soldiers who participated in the war when a memorial was built in Canberra. Vietnam veterans had come back home to contempt and hostility. Many were left untreated for post-traumatic disorder and many had been exposed to defoliation chemicals (agent orange) that led to serious medical problems.
The intensity of the conflict in Australia over our involvement in Vietnam and the issue of conscription contributed to the election of a Labor government after 23 years of Liberal in December 1972. PM Gough Whitlam immediately abolished conscription and withdrew Aust. troops.
The impact of the war on Indo-Chinese Refugees
The people of Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos had all lived through over 30 years of wars and instability. Over two million people in Indo-China became refugees in the 1970s. Unable to stay in their homes because of war and oppression, they began to look for homes in other countries.
