Australia Vietnam War

Australia’s commitment to the Vietnam War began in 1962, with a small scale deployment of troops in the war torn jungles of Vietnam. However, the following decade, the military size of Australia's armed forces deployed during the Vietnam War grew considerably.

The involvement of Australia in the Vietnam War is the longest conflict Australia became involved with. It is also considered as one of the most controversial. Australia's military involvement augmented an out spoken anti-war movement.

With the concerns about the spread of Communism in Southeast Asia, Australia’s involvement in the Vietnam War garnered support and with a large extent focused upon conscription of additional military manpower.

The insufficient military manpower was an issue in the military forces of Australia which dated back to the First World War. However, even with the outright support, significant parts of society were conflicting to Australia’s involvement in the Vietnam War both on a political and a moral ground.

The first groundwork for the involvement of Australia in the Vietnam war was laid during the visit of then president of the Republic of Vietnam Ngo Dinh Diem in September 1957, garnered strong support by both the then ruling Liberal Party of Australia and the opposition which is the Australian Labor Party. President Diem was particularly known by the Catholic society, as he lobbied policies that discriminated in support of the Catholic minority in his country and gave special powers to the Catholic Church.

By the year 1962, the situation in South Vietnam had become volatile enough that President of the Republic of Vietnam Ngo Dinh Diem presented an appeal for support to the US and its allies.

At the behest of the Vietnamese government, the US sent a sizable team of advisers to offer tactical and logistical counsel regarding the escalating situation. Australia, as an ally of the US under the SEATO and ANZUS Pacts became involved in the Vietnam War. Approximately 60,000 Australians served in the Vietnam War conflict. With the duration of the war, about 521 Australians were killed and more than 3,000 wounded.

The Australian withdrawal from the Vietnam War conflict effectively started in November 1970, with the first unit being sent home. During the duration of the year, Australian combat forces were steadily reduced up till the year of 1971.

On 18 August 1971, the remainder of Australia’s military force withdrew from the Vietnam War. Australian advisors however remained behind to provide continued training of Vietnamese troops up till December of 1972.

Final cessation of the Australia’s involvement in the Vietnam War came on 11 January 1973 the following year when the Governor-General of Australia, Paul Hasluck, declared the termination of all combat maneuvers against the communists.