1

Naram Tyadros

18508868

HIS3MHI

The Vietnam War is also known as the American or resistance war. It occurred between 1962

and 1970 in Laos, Cambodia, and Vietnam. Vietnam was separated into two: The Southern

and the Northern Vietnam. The Southern Vietnam formed an allegiance with other forces

including America, Australia, and South Korea to fight against the government of the North

Korea who was against the American rule. The armies of North Vietnam were supported in

the war by China, the Soviet Union and other communist allies like the Thailand forces hence

resembling a kind of cold war. The conflict involved various units especially the battalion

forces of Australia and other troops from the allies which fought battles in multiple places

within Vietnam. One of the major communist forces which chiefly engaged the Australian

and the American units is called the Viet Cong. Viet Cong was also called the National

Liberation Front which fought against anticommunist units like the Peoples Army of

Vietnam which originated from the North. The activities of Viet Cong were recognized by

the collaborating countries before they decided to help them out. The involvement of

Australia and the US forces meant that Viet Cong could dictate the ground operations from

above-using air strikes and strategic tactics to deal with the North Vietnamese Army (NVA).

The collaboration between Australia and Vietnam in the war led to the formation of battle

units from either of the involved nations. One such of such groups was called the Australian

Army Training Team Vietnam (AATTV). Other battalions were also sent in various

successive periods to assist the previously sent units. The main reason why the South and the

North Vietnam locked horns in battle was because each thought it would have a play a major

role in unifying Vietnam as a whole.

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This paper will explore the various reasons why Australia got involved in the Vietnam War.

Also, it will highlight both the negative and positive impacts of the war on both the

Australian soldiers and the Australian citizens in general. To do so, the paper will dig into

war literature that involves Australia and Vietnam, making sense of war history and deriving

significant conclusions that can deepen understanding.

Reasons why Australia participated in the Vietnam War

One of the reasons why Australia got in this war was to prevent a then possible spread of

communism in not only Asia but also Europe as a whole1. The nations which made up the

European block had a policy which required the members to block any communist influence

from the North and affect or upset the unity that European countries had.

The insurgents from the North posed serious threats in their advancements that the Southern

section of the country could not handle on their own. When the undesirable activities of the

North Vietnam Army and their allies like China were felt by other nations, the Southern

Vietnamese leader Ngo Dinh Diem requested for assistance from their allies like Australia

and the United States. Australias response to the request saw them provide 30 military

advisers who arrived in South Vietnam in July 1962 in time just before the Vietnam War

seriously began2. When the Australian Army Training Team Vietnam (AATTV) first arrived

in their bases of operation, Australia had just begun to play their role in the war. The US also

responded to the request in an initial capacity before committing about 200, 000 soldiers in

the conflict. The Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) was sent in 1964 to occupy the port of

Vung Tau.

1
Edwards, Peter Fullarton. Australia and the Vietnam War. NewSouth, 2014
2
Edwards, Peter Geoffrey. A Nation at War: Australian Politics, society and diplomacy during the Vietnam War
1965-1975. Allen & Unwin, 1997
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The influence of the US and their participation was a motivating factor for Australia to get

involved in the war. As a matter of fact, when the US had examined the possible impacts of

the insurgents to the European countries and the larger part of the world, they requested

Australia among other friendly nations to join in and help. The US provided military

equipment, weapons, intelligence and helicopters which were used by the joint troops to help

fight the battle. The Australian government provided the first battalion called the Royal

Australian Regiment to work together with American troops to suppress the impact of the

Vietnam War3.

Another reason which prompted Australia to participate in this conflict was that of the

previous experience of military combat in the World Wars. The Australian government felt

that the involvement in the war was the best opportunity to show Australian identity and

strength. Two task forces were then dispatched to take the place of the Royal Australian

Regiment.

The Impact of the Vietnam War

Expertise, performance, injuries and death.

Vietnam requested military and training assistance from other European countries including

the United States, Australia and even South Korea. The first deployment of the Australian

military troops took place in 1961, a group which assisted the Vietnam soldiers in training

and military combat. It was called the Australian Army Training Team Vietnam. The first

larger Australian task force was deployed in March 1966 to oversee the battle at a place

called Phuoc Tuy. Australian task force was based at Nui Dat, a place within the center of

Phuoc Tuy. The war battle at Nui Dat subjected the troop to its first battle death when one of

their servicemen called Private Errol Noack succumbed to battle wounds. In Southern

3
Ibid,. 56
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Vietnam, at a region marked War Zone D, the successive Australian troops were ambushed

by their enemies and were involved in heavy fighting. As a result, the Australian units lost 18

men, 17 were killed while one succumbed to wounds4. 245 North Vietnamese, as well as the

Viet Cong Force soldiers, were killed while numerous suffered injuries. This showed how the

Australian units dominated the region and were not seriously tested again as the major battle

in the area was already won. The Australian privates who suffered injuries were medically

assisted by their fellows who consisted of Australian medical teams and the Southern

Vietnamese medical aids as shown in Fig.1 (Left). The Vietnam wars was a significant

platform for the Australian army and battle troops to showcase their expertise in handling and

using sophisticated weapons against the common enemy. Fig. 1 (Right) shows Australian

soldiers using a 105mm Howitzer. One of the positives to get from this war was the sweet

taste of victory against the communist groups. The American units questioned some decisions

and intentions of a unit called Tet Offensive when it attempted an attack on the Australian

base. This news promoted an opposition from the American people even if the Australian

soldiers repelled the attacks suffering some losses of lives on their part. Later, back at home,

people protested against the conscription policies advocated for by the Australian government

which made it mandatory for young boys to be forcefully recruited into the army. The war

exposed young Australian boys to join battle troops which battled against the insurgents

unwillingly. On the other hand, Australian involvement in the war faced a slowdown when

the US began a gradual process of withdrawing from the fight leaving it a sole responsibility

of the South Vietnam. During this time, the enemy had been defeated and neutralized, and

people only needed peace.

4
Pierce, Peter, Jeff Doyle, and Jeffrey Grey, eds. Vietnam Days: Australia and the impact of Vietnam. Penguin
Books, 1991
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Figure 1 Left: An Australian Private being attended to. Right: Australian soldiers using a Howitzer

The United States showed great support for Southern Vietnam at the time when France had

withdrawn its forces from the region5. The American military troops supplied machinery that

was used in the wars including ships and helicopters which conducted overhead surveillance.

The soldiers of the Sixth Battalion Royal Australian Regiments and other allies were the

beneficiaries of the expertise and equipment that were provided by the United States. The US

F-4 Phantoms were responsible for airstrikes while Chinook helicopters ferried Australian

battalions and US-allied troops. The Royal Australian regiments, for example, used Chinook

helicopters to carry weapons, ammunition, and packs while heading to Phuoc Tuy Province

in 1967 as shown in Fig. 2

Figure 2.Australian soldiers taking a landing from American helicopter

5
Garton, Stephen. The cost of war: Australians return. Oxford University Press, 1996.
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Airstrike Strike-force and Intelligence

The Australian soldiers who were members of the 5th Battalion Royal Australian Regiments

(5RAR) conducted various strategic assaults to the enemy while in Southern Vietnam. The

fighting tactics of the Australian forces in the Vietnam War in 1966 originated from the

smaller units developed earlier in 1962. The military advisors were later assisted by a three-

battalion task force which provided support to the units based at Nui Dat and whose main

area of operation was Phuoc Tuy Province. The naval forces were made up of transport

vessels, tankers, and destroyers. The organization of 5RAR was well planned to conduct

tours of the Southern Vietnam. The major activities in addition to touring the areas included

hectic training from early to late hours. The nights and the weekends were spent learning the

Vietnamese customs, history, cultures, and languages. 5RAR soldiers conducted their

training with movements, drills, and communication as shown in Fig. 3. Their

professionalism, tactics, and hard training not only gained them much respect from the

Vietnamese people but also established a strong foundation for the battalions which were to

follow6. Before handing their responsibility to the 7th Battalion, the 5th battalion had

conducted eighteen successful operations in Southern Vietnam including operation Hayman.

Even though some soldiers were killed in these operations and others injured, the resultant

effect was a superior military prowess and respect from the Vietnamese people. The rest of

these soldiers returned home in 1967 marching the streets of Sydney.

6
Bridge, Carl. "Australia and the Vietnam War." In The Vietnam War, pp. 181-195. Macmillan Education UK,
1998.
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Figure 3 5RAR Soldiers move with tankers to operation Hayman

Trauma

More than seven hundred soldiers who were members of the Battalion of the Royal

Australian Regiment returned from the Vietnam War marching through Brisbane streets

(Fig.4). The homecoming for the soldiers was a great relief as people lined the streets to

welcome them back home. Back in the battlefield, it was reported that the soldiers fought

along the New Zealand troops and killed about 187 enemies and lost 27 soldiers while 122

suffered injuries. As they marched through the streets, the soldiers wore jungle-green

uniforms with slouch hats and m16 self-reloading rifles. Friends and relatives of the soldiers

were advised not to meet the returnees at the time the HMAS Sydney berthed, but thousands

lined up there to see them. Few days after a reported 50-day leave which the soldiers were

given, people began to march and protest against war as some soldiers jeered openly about

the devastating effects of war they had witnessed in the battlefield. Anti-war protests gathered

heavily in Australia took by 1969 towards 1970s as people showed great disgust from what

the war had put them through.

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Figure 4 Australian soldiers marching the streets while returning from Vietnam War

To conclude, the involvement of Australia in the Vietnam had many positives as far as

defeating the North Vietnam insurgents is concerned. The conflict led to the successful

neutralization the influence of the communist group who had threatened Europe and all its

allies. The assistance they received from the American troops played a significant role in

organization air strikes and ground intelligence before advancing attacks. The soldiers got an

opportunity to utilize their combat skills and won multiple operations using sophisticated and

advanced weaponry. On the other side, Australians lost a considerable number of soldiers in

the battle and constant attacks by the enemy. The aftermath of the war left the members of the

battalions in unstable frames of mind as they suffered traumatic experiences in the

battlefields. They openly jeered against the war when they returned home while antiwar

protests filled the air in the 1970s. People were displeased by the general aftermath of the

Vietnam War. They even protested against the conscription policy that was proposed by the

Australian government.
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Bibliography
Secondary Sources (7):

Carl, Bridge, "Australia and the Vietnam War." In The Vietnam War, pp. 181-195.
Macmillan Education UK, 1998.

Peter, Edwards, Fullarton. Australia and the Vietnam War. New South, 2014.

Peter, Edwards and Gregory Pemberton. Crises and Commitments: The Politics and
Diplomacy of Australias Involvement in Southeast Asian Conflicts, 19481965.
Sydney, 1992.

Peter, Edwards, Geoffrey. A Nation at War: Australian Politics, society and

diplomacy during the Vietnam War 1965-1975. Allen & Unwin, 1997.

Stephen, Garton, The cost of war: Australians return. Oxford University Press, 1996.

John, Murphy, Harvest of fear: a history of Australia's Vietnam war. West view
Press, 1994.

Peter, Pierce, Doyle, Jeff and Grey, Jeffrey eds. Vietnam Days: Australia and the
impact of Vietnam. Penguin Books, 1991.
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Primary Sources (5):

"Australian Soldiers in Vietnam War", (1966) Flickr.

<https://www.flickr.com/photos/70994841@N07/10740900403> accessed 8 Oct.
2017. (Figure 1, right)

"A Wounded Australian Private Is Given Attention by Other Soldiers", (1966) National
Archives of Australia
<https://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/SearchNRetrieve/Interface/DetailsReports/PhotoDet
ail.aspx?Barcode=11660949> accessed 8 Oct. 2017. (Figure 1 left)

"By Year National Archives of Australia", (2017) National Archives of Australia,

<http://www.naa.gov.au/collection/explore/cabinet/by-year/1967.aspx.> accessed Oct
9. 2017 (Figure 2)
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"Vietnam War - Australian Troops Returned from Vietnam March Through Brisbane,
Queensland, 12 November 1970 - Version Details". 2017. Trove.
<http://trove.nla.gov.au/work/161827319?q&versionId=176378573.> accessed Oct 9.
2017 (Figure 4)

"Soldiers of The 5Th Battalion Royal Australian Regiment Moving Up With Tanks To
Operation Hayman, Vietnam, 1966". 1966. Nla.Gov.Au. http://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-
153302002/view?searchTerm=australians+vietnam+war#search/australians%20vietna
m%20war. (Figure 3)