AUSTRALIA S VIETNAM WAR A PERSONAL PERSPECTIVE
Introduction The aim of our talk is to provide you with: an overview of the Vietnam War from an Australian context, our personal perspectives of the War, comments on selected social and political aspects of the War and its effects, and our views on the War s legacy. In order to achieve the aim we have developed the following sequence of events:
Sequence of Events Background to the War Australia s War Personal Perspectives 1-(not included) Personal Perspectives 2-(not included) Selected Social and Political Issues The Legacy Questions
Background to the War-Geography
Background to the War - History WW2 ends-aug 1945 and France reclaims its Japanese occupied colonies of Indochina (Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia) 1945-Fight for Vietnamese independence commences under Ho Chi Minh By 1950, PRC has come into existence, providing sanctuary and support to the Vietminh. US distracted by the Korean War (1950-53) 1954 French disaster at Dien Bien Phu First Indochina War ends 1954-Geneva Peace Talks
Background to the War-History (2) 1954 Talks result in independence for Cambodia and Laos and the formation of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam (NVN) and the Republic of Vietnam (SVN) divided at the 17th Parallel SVN under pro-french military and Catholic and Buddhist elites 1956-SVN renege on holding reunification elections 1956-French leave Vietnam 1957 2 nd Indochina War (Vietnam War) commences as an insurgency by the Viet Cong (Vietminh)in the South. The war aim of the North is reunification, but by force
Background to the War-History (3) 1957 - US becomes increasingly involved underwriting the South with the aim of stopping the spread of communism- Is the War one of nationalism or ideology? 1962 - The US actively seeks allies, as did North Vietnam, and by the time the War is at its peak there are a variety of nations involved
Background to the War-Players-Home Team
Background to the War-Players-Away Team
Australia and the War Jul 62 -arrival of 30 military advisers (Australian Army Training Team Vietnam (AATV)- four Victoria Crosses were awarded to members of the AATV May 64 limited conscription (National Service) reintroduced Aug 64 flight of RAAF Caribou air transports deployed to Vung Tau Jun 65-the all-regular army 1 st Battalion, the Royal Australian Regiment (1RAR), with armour, artillery and engineers, deployed to Bien Hoa as part of US 173 rd Airborne Brigade
Australia and the War (2) Mar 66 government announced the deployment of a two battalion task force, with artillery, armour and engineers and an RAAF squadron of Iroquois helicopters. Conscripts would be integral to task force elements. 1ATF allocated Phuoc Tuy Province as its principal Area of Operations. NZ commit an artillery battery and later two infantry companies (Anzac battalion)
Australia and the War (3) Aug 66-Battle of Long Tan-D Coy 6RAR. Against overwhelming odds the Coy was saved from destruction by the combined effects of artillery, air power and armour 1967-RAN commenced destroyer operations with the US Navy off the NVN coast and RAN clearance divers and a helicopter detachment deployed in country 1967-RAAF squadron of Canberra jet bombers deployed flying from Thailand
Australia and the War (4) 1968-Tet Offensive by North Vietnamese and VC. Although the VC were destroyed as an effective force the strategic surprise was a huge propaganda victory- Could victory be achieved? May/Jun 68-Battles of Coral/Balmoral 1969-Battle of Binh Ba 1969 opposition to the unwinnable war mounted in US and then Australia. In Australia linked to the issues of conscription 1970 US/RVN invasion of Cambodia expands the war and increases antiwar sentiment. In Australia 200,000 protest against the war at Moratorium events
Australia and the War (5) 1971-Australia starts to wind down its commitment, with the last ground troops out by Dec. AATTV remained on until Dec 72 and Australia s official participation ended by GG Proclamation on 11 Jan 73 1975-The War itself ended with the fall of Saigon to NVA troops on 30 Apr Over 50,000 Australians served in SVN between 1962 and 1973 from the Army, RAN and RAAF. Of these 520 died as a direct result of the war and 2,400 were wounded. Within these figures 15,381 were conscripts and approximately 200 were killed Conscripts make up a disproportionate number of dead
Selected Social and Political Issues from the War Conscription- As an issue a source for dissent on a scale not seen since the WW1 conscription referendums WHY? In 1964 the Army had three infantry battalions-one was on operations in Malaysia and one was earmarked for SVN. The Army needed to expand and conscripts were the answer. But it was not universal. 1966 conscripts deployed on operations overseas for the first time since WW2. 70% approved 1969-combination of conscripts and an unpopular war made a toxic mix. Some people refused to be conscripted- draft dodgers. Some jailed The L/CP had been in power since 1949, the ALP saw this as an issue that could win them power this happened in Dec 72 Conscription was abolished almost immediately but left negative perceptions
Selected Social and Political Issues from the War (2) Vietnamese Refugees 1975-Large numbers fled South Vietnam, to avoid the horrors of death or internment in reeducation camps 1976-more fled by sea-they became known as boat people Apr 76-first boat arrived in Darwin 300,000 are recorded as arriving in refugee camps Many people were captured in their attempts to escape Dangerous seas, overcrowded or unseaworthy boats and pirate attacks meant that an unknown number of refugees died at sea. In his memoir, well-known Australian comedian Anh Do recounts that his family was twice attacked by pirates In the 2016 census over 215,000 Australians had been born in Vietnam
Selected Social and Political Issues from the War (3) The role of the media-this was the first war of 24/7 media coveragewhat was filmed and photographed had an enormous impact on the morale of the home front Defoliation, Agent Orange and the long term impact on civilians and combatants Fight for recognition by veterans-health (PTSD, cancers), honours/awards, acceptance. National Welcome Home 3 Oct 87
Selected Social and Political Issues from the War (4) 1975-79-Rise of the Khmer Rouge in Cambodia and the murder of over 2million of its own people in death camps China-Vietnam relations: 1975-China seized SVN occupied Paracel islands 1979 China-Vietnam War, over the Khmer Rouge. Won by Vietnamese. The land defeat of the PLA underpinned the significant need for Deng Xiaoping s four modernisations, launched the year before 1990-Collapse of the USSR. Without the distraction of Vietnam War-US able to focus on the USSR
The Legacy Positive Delaying the spread of communism in Asiagave SEA nations chance to become established post-colonialism Underpinned our US alliance all the way with LBJ Forced the government to increase the ADF budget Reinforced importance of full-time ADF, reduces political dimensions Media coverage brought the war to the living room-no hiding the bad news Role of UNSC authorized interventions (less Iraq 2003) Contribution of Vietnamese to Australian society Negative Reunification by force of arms assisted the domino theory propaganda dimension Distracted the US from main effortdefeating the USSR Split the nation-conscription. Lack of recognition of veterans Huge casualty numbers particularly civilians and environmental damage Start point of South China Sea instability
Questions?