Australia's Involvement in the Vietnam War
The origins of the Vietnam War lie in the post World War II period when the European empires were being dismantled. The region which is now Vietnam was then part of Indo-China, part of the French empire. Revolutionary leader Ho Chi Minh had led a national liberation struggle against wartime Japanese occupation (and the French colonialists) from 1941. With military and financial support from communist China, the Viet Minh made substantial gains, roundly defeating the French at Dien Bien Phu in 1954. Vietnam temporarily partitioned into North and South pending the outcome of peace talks. The peace talks broke down, but the struggle continued. The United States had been involved from the beginning, providing military advisors and financial assistance from the end of World War II. By 1954 they were paying for 80% of the cost of the French effort. American involvement was formalised and strengthened. Following the Gulf of Tonkin incident when US destroyers were fired upon by North Korean patrol boats, Congress authorised President Johnson to use "all necessary measures" to "repel any armed attack" on 7 August 1964. This resulted in increased bombing raids and, more significantly, an expansion of ground forces, from 23 000 in December 1
Protests and demonstrations culminated in the Vietnam Moratorium Campaign. In a series of mass demonstrations in capital cities in mid-1970, hundreds of thousands of marchers voiced their opposition to war in general, to Australia's involvement in a foreign, inhumane and unwinnable campaign and to the human and financial cost to the country. Partly in response to this public pressure, and partly in response to the continuing failure of the American military effort, the Liberal Party government gradually lessened its commitment and withdrew troops. Finally with the election of the Whitlam Labor government in 1972, the last of the troops were brought home. The United States continued its bombing campaign but in turn was forced to withdraw under the pressure of military failure on the ground and nationwide opposition at home. North Vietnamese troops took Saigon in 1975. By 1968, Australia had 8000 troops in Vietnam, 40% of whom were conscripts. As was the case in the US, television coverage of the war was horrific and helped greatly to create a change in public opinion. At the time that conscription was introduced in 1964, 70% of the Australian population supported the move, and a majority remained in favour throughout the war. However, in the same period, the majority was always against sending conscripts to fight in Vietnam. There wa
Some common words found in the essay are:
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Approximate Word count = 904
Approximate Pages = 4 (250 words per page double spaced)
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