5. Vietnam War – "A Sad History”

The Vietnam War – A Sad History

Saluting their Service - Grahame Old

Australia sent 60,000 defence personnel to Vietnam from 1962 to 1972. The Liberal government’s rationale was to stop the spread of communism and strengthen the country’s ties with our most important strategic ally, the United States. It was hoped that by showing a commitment to the American plan in Vietnam, Australia would secure more comprehensive protection against communism, as well as an improved trade relationship. Initially, the decision had broad support from the public and media. However, it was opposed by the Labour party, the more militant unions and a small faction of anti-war groups.

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National Service and Conscription

In November 1964 the National Service Act was passed requiring 20 year old males, if selected, to serve in the military for a 2 year period. The Defence Act was amended in 1965 to allow conscripts to serve overseas. Over 63,000 men were conscripted and around 16,000 served in Vietnam (including 35 Collie Boys). For much of the war, opinion polls showed that most Australians were against conscripts serving in Vietnam. Opposition to the war also grew as national servicemen were killed and wounded in the course of their service. Unions refused to load stores bound for Australia’s force in Vietnam, Postal services refused to send mail to Soldiers in Vietnam, Politicians became involved in anti-war demonstrations.

Anti-War Movement

The groundswell of support for the anti-war movement came from baby-boomers – the 40 per cent of the population under the age of 20. Most university students strongly opposed the war, especially the growing number of militant leftists and as the war continued, with no end in sight, a wider range of people began to object to the war on moral grounds. The Vietnam conflict was known as the ‘television war’ because so much of it was televised direct to the public at home. Routine exposure to horrific scenes vividly conveyed the suffering in Vietnam and public opposition to the war grew in Australia and America.

Moratoriums

At a national meeting in Melbourne in early 1970, anti-war groups from across Australia agreed to hold a moratorium. It was seen by those taking part as a non-violent protest against the war. The two objectives were to withdraw Australian troops from Vietnam and to end conscription. The moratorium movement drew in a range of groups opposed to the war – clergy, teachers, academics, unions, politicians and school students. The most visible leader of the moratorium movement was the labour Shadow Minister for Trade and Industry, Dr Jim Cairns.

In May 1970 a total of 200,000 people took part in the first moratorium. The largest being in Melbourne where 70,000 marched peacefully down Bourke Street, led by Dr Jim Cairns. Similar events took place in Sydney, Brisbane, Adelaide, Perth, Hobart and dozens of rural towns. Second and third moratoriums took place on 18 September 1970 and 30 June 1971 respectively. These events were dominated more by left-wing extremists.

Australian and American Troops were already progressively being withdrawn from Vietnam when the Labour party, under Gough Whitlam, swept to power in 1972. The Labour government abolished conscription in December 1972, stating; ‘It must be done not just because a volunteer army means a better army, but because we profoundly believe that it is intolerable that a free nation at peace and under no threat should cull by lottery the best of its youth to provide defence on the cheap’. A small number of Australian service personnel remained in Vietnam until 1975, however the War for Australia was effectively over from 1972.

It is doubtful that the moratoriums had directly affected the government’s decision to withdraw troops from Vietnam, which Liberal Prime Minister John Gorton had already started to do. However, it likely affected the government’s policy on conscription in that soon after the first moratorium, Cabinet took measures to reduce the number of draft-resisters who went to jail. The moratoriums were an indication of a broad collapse in public support for the war.

Returning Soldiers

One of the effects of Anti-war protests was to shift the focus away from the government and onto returning soldiers. Whereas the veterans of the two world wars and the Korean War were welcomed home as heroes, both regular soldiers and national servicemen, returning from Vietnam, were occasionally accosted, spat at and insulted by protesters. Even many branches of the Returned Servicemen’s League (though not all) refused to accept them as members. This had a severe psychological impact on veterans, many of whom were already traumatised by their experiences in Vietnam.

Aftermath

It has to be acknowledged that Australia’s involvement in the Vietnam War provoked domestic controversy. The Vietnam War was divisive. At that time only a small minority of the young men of Australia, many being conscripted, served in a war which history shows was unsuccessful. The general public viewed veterans of that war with mixed feelings, some good, some uncertain and some hostile. At times during the war more publicity was given to the Save our Sons Movement, to the Jim Cairns Moratorium Marches, to the Postal and Wharfie strikes, than was given to those soldiers actually fighting in Vietnam. Faced with this situation many returning soldiers had difficulty settling into a normal life.

The Vietnam moratorium protests, the first of which took place on 8 May 1970, were the largest public demonstrations in Australia’s history at the time. They represented growing discontent within a portion of the Australian population to the government’s commitment to the Vietnam War in general and conscription in particular.

History has two important lessons from the Vietnam War; firstly, that voicing opposition to Australia’s involvement in Vietnam was a democratic right. Brave young men have fought, suffered and died in previous wars to secure that right. Secondly, that, in exercising the right to oppose a war, one should nevertheless support and respect those servicemen and women whom the Government sends to fight it. We should always remember ‘they were soldiers in turbulent times; there’s was not the reason why!

Australian troops were first sent to Vietnam in 1962 and the numbers increased over a 10-year period that saw more than 60,000 serving in the conflict by the end of the war, (including 110 ‘Collie Boys’).  Of this number 521 were killed, (including 2 ‘Collie Boys’) and more than 3000 were wounded, many missing limbs and severely disabled. Many more suffered and died after the war, some taking their own lives. Suicide, alcoholism, drug abuse, broken marriages, divorce, psychiatric problems all became prevalent among Vietnam Veterans. Repatriation Hospitals around Australia became home for many veterans.

It is our duty to tell stories of the endeavours, valour and sacrifice of Australians who served in Vietnam - to see beyond the politics and rightfully honour the people, their character and their deeds. It is estimated more than 30,000 Australian Vietnam veterans are still living, with most aged 75 or older. Our Vietnam veterans continue to carry the burdens of their service. They will always be remembered as a remarkable generation of men and women who, together with their families, have fought hard to ensure that their service is never forgotten. And to those veterans we say:  

                                                                                     ‘Well Done Those Men’

(Source: The National Museum of Australia)

Demonstrators the 'Save our Sons' movement produced many posters like this one. They used simple, emotive language to protest against conscription in the Vietnam War.

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