Summary
Highlights
The Vietnam War, a significant event of the 1960s, began earlier due to a fundamental disagreement within Vietnam on how the country should be governed. North Vietnam embraced communism, a system where the government controls resources and provides for citizens. South Vietnam opposed this. This internal conflict soon drew in international powers; communist countries like China and Russia supported the North, while anti-communist nations like the US and Australia backed the South with financial aid, weapons, and eventually troops.
Nearly 60,000 Australians served in Vietnam, with many conscripted through a nationwide lottery where 20-year-old men were drafted if their birthday was selected. This conscription and the war itself sparked widespread protests across Australia, with many believing it wasn't Australia's fight and young men refusing to serve.
Those who served faced incredibly difficult conditions, battling thick jungles, monsoonal rains, and an enemy familiar with the terrain. 521 Australians died and over 3000 were wounded. The deadliest battle for Australian troops was the Battle of Long Tan on August 18, 1966, where approximately 100 Australian and New Zealand soldiers faced a force of around 2,000 Viet Cong. Despite low ammunition and being at risk of being surrounded, they held their ground until reinforcements arrived.
The war continued for many years after Long Tan. In the early 1970s, public opinion turned against the war, leading the US and Australia to withdraw. North Vietnam claimed victory over the South in 1975. Many Australian veterans returned home to criticism from anti-war protestors, a stark contrast to how veterans of previous wars were perceived. However, a positive outcome was the arrival of tens of thousands of Vietnamese refugees who fled North Vietnam's rule, enriching Australia's multicultural landscape.
Memories of the Vietnam War remain raw for those involved. In a controversial move, the Vietnamese government canceled commemorations for the 50th anniversary of Long Tan at the last minute, disappointing over a thousand Australian veterans who had traveled there. Despite this, they gathered to quietly remember the events of Long Tan and reflect on how both countries have changed over the past five decades.