Essay On Australia's Involvement In The Vietnam War

Australian forces played a small yet often vital role in the Vietnam war yet regardless of their impact it was a role that did not change the course of the war and ultimately led to the withdrawal of Australian forces and defeat at the hands of a forceful enemy. If Australian forces were not sent to Vietnam, then today’s world could possibly be communist. The reason for why Australian soldiers were sent to Vietnam is due to two reason which consisted of primarily assisting the American forces, due to the ANZUS treaty and also to stop the threat of communism coming to Australia. The role which Australian forces played in the Vietnam war was to help the Americans contain and or defeat communism within Vietnam. The way the Australian’s did this was by military involvement. After World War II Australian forces had gained some beneficial experiences in jungle warfare, this was due to the continuous battles with Japanese in the jungles and forest of Papua New Guinea. The Australians mainly developed their ways of attacking the Vietnamese in Malay Emergency and in Borneo. If it wasn't for these two scenarios, Australia would have faced a lot more casualties.

How did Australia get involved in this? On the 28th of April, 1965, the ambassador of Australia

persuaded the prime minister of South Vietnam to issue a request for Australian troops. In January 1966, current prime minister Robert Menzies retired and Harold Holt became the new prime minister of Australia. Prime minister Holt believed that Australia had a responsibility to support the United States and in March 1966, following a request from the United States, the Australian forces were increased to 4500. This included two battalions which were a part of the national servicemen, only 500 men were sent.

Throughout 1967 and 1968 the task force was moderately increased in size and skill with the addition of a third battalion, tanks and a Civil Affairs Unit. From the beginning of 1969 to 1970, a third of Australia's available combat strength was deployed in Vietnam. It composed of elements from all three services such as multiple battalion Army task force with combat and logistic support and also an Army advisory team. Australia also provided lots of air and naval support to Vietnam as well. In this period of the war, it produced the heaviest commitment from Australia as the provided more than 8,500 Australian service personnel which 7000 of them were deployed in Vietnam. This was Australia showing its power to its fellow Asian countries saying that if help is required then they will support. This was also Australia presenting its “forward defence” in order to prevent communism coming to Australia.

Throughout 1971 and 1972 the reduction of Australia's forces continued under the administration of Prime Minister McMahon. By the end of 1971, the Australian Army personnel had been reduced to 2300. By 1972 less than 200 Australian personnel remained and in December 1972 Prime Minister Whitlam announced the withdrawal of the final group. On the 26th of February 1973, Prime Minister Whitlam announced the establishment of diplomatic relations with the Democratic Republic of North Vietnam while retaining diplomatic recognition for the Republic of South Vietnam. The last troops of the Australian Army left Vietnam in June 1973.
The role that Australian forces played in the Vietnam war early stages was by training the Vietnamese, providing logistical support, employing a seek and destroy strategy, winning the hearts and minds of the Vietnamese people.

If the Australians did not provide this in the early stages of the war the outcome could have finished with the communist side winning earlier, as if the Vietnamese despised Australians that would have given them an excuse to fight against the capitalist. Also, if logistical support and strategies were introduced to late into the war the Vietcong would have taken over most of Vietnam as these key strategies were one of the main factors for communism only being contained in the North of

Vietnam.

After the withdrawal of Australian and US troops, the war escalated, with the Soviet Union equipped the North Vietnamese Army and Viet this caused them to get the advantage. In April 1975, after a victorious campaign, the North Vietnamese Army informed the President of the Republic of Vietnam to surrender, they surrendered unconditionally. The formal announcement of the reunification of the two Vietnams was made in 1976 with the declaration of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam. This is the role Australian forces played in the Vietnam war until the withdrawal of troops in 1975.