Australia and the Vietnam War

Dispelling the myth – Gallup Poll on the question ‘Fight on in Vietnam or bring forces back now?’

Origins – French Influence from 17th Century 1858 French attacked Da Nang 1884 Vietnam fully occupied 1897 with Laos and Cambodia became Indochina Resistance from a range of groups and individuals, including the Indochinese Communist Party led by Ho Chi Minh

Origins – World War II Weakening of European colonial possessions Japan occupied Vietnam Viet Minh fought the Japanese until the end of the war

Origins – Ho’s Declaration September 2 1945 Declaration of the Independence of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam Quoted directly from both the US Declaration of Independence of 1776 and the Declaration of the French Revolution of 1791 The French negotiated with Ho but talks broke down and conflict began in December 1946

Origins – The Indochina War 1946-1954 Vietnamese wanted US help – compared their situation to that of US before independence Defeated the French at Dien Bien Phu in 1954 Played out against Cold War tensions US wanted France as an ally in Europe so didn’t support Vietnam

Origins – US involvement Elections to be held in 1956 Communists might win! Elections refused Insurrection begins against Diem regime in the South

News Weekly, July 1954 Nearer, clearer, deadlier – The Bulletin 1950

Domino Theory “If South Vietnam were allowed to fall under communist rule, the rest of South East Asia could not long remain free. The extension of Chinese Communist pressures would be only a matter of time.” Sydney Morning Herald, 13 August 1964

The Red Claw, The Bulletin 1958

US and Australian involvement 1962 – advisors from both US and Aust. 1965 – commitment of ground troops Menzies – 29 April 1965 “The takeover of South Vietnam would be a direct military threat to Australia…It must be seen as part of a thrust by Communist China between the Indian and Pacific Oceans”

‘A murky shadow has fallen over this part of the world, reaching to our very shores’ – Menzies The Australian, June 1965

ANZUS obligations ‘…act to meet the common daner in accordance with its constitutional processes [in the event of] an armed attack on a member’s territory, island territories, armed forces, public vessels or aircraft’ Gulf of Tonkin – August 1964

Brownie points “Our objective should be to achieve such an habitual closeness of relations with the United States and sense of mutual alliance that in our time of need, the United States would have little option but to respond as we would want. The problem of Vietnam is one where we could without a disproportionate expenditure pick up a lot of credit with the United States.” Allan Renouf, Australian Embassy in the US

Reactions “I say that we oppose the government’s decision…we oppose it firmly and completely. We do not think it is a wise decision. We do not think it is a timely decision. We do not think it will help the fight against communism. On the contrary, we believe it will harm that fight in the long term.” Arthur Calwell, Opposition Leader

“The government could not shirk its responsibilities there.” The West Australian, 1 May 1965 “These are inescapable obligations…There was no alternative but to respond as we have” The Age, 30 April 1965 “We have made the necessary commitment.” The Adelaide Advertiser, 1 May 1965 “No Australian…can doubt that this is a right and indeed inevitable decision.” The Sydney Morning Herald, 30 April 1965 “The Menzies Government has made a reckless decision on Vietnam which this nation may live to regret” The Australian, 30 April 1965

Conscription Nothing new – 1911-1929, 1940-1951, 1965-1972 “The government has therefore decided that there is no alternative to the introduction of selective compulsory service” Menzies, November 1964

Dispelling the myth – Gallup polls on conscription 1961-1970

Supporting the myth – Gallup Polls on sending conscripts to Vietnam

Opposition to conscription by age (1971)

Paul Rigby, ‘Ballot day for National Service’ The West Australian, 1965 “Lo! The smell of battle in the air and sounds of distant musketry… ’tis the call to arms!..’

Save Our Sons 1965 Opposed conscription ‘hysterical’, ‘communist’

SOS Paul Rigby, The West Australian, 1966

Youth Campaign Against Conscription Opposed conscription, but more so deployment to Vietnam

Key events 1965-1970 October 1966 – LBJ’s visit

Key events 1965-1970 Long Tan – August 1966: 18 killed, including conscripts Widening of US bombing into Laos and Cambodia Tet Offensive – January 1968 Draft Resistance Movement formed 1968 My Lai massacre – March 1968 (public 1969) Nixon wins 1968 US election Nixon ‘Vietnamisation’ of the war 1969

“Let this session of congress be known as the session which declared all out war on poverty” – LBJ January 1964

Bruce Petty

Moratoriums Anti-War movement grown into mass protest movement Broad cross section May 1970 – largest protests Influence on politics? Polls suggested many Australians opposed the Moratoriums Nixon’s announcement of withdrawal was late 1969 Gorton followed with Australian announcement in April 1970

What changed public opinion? Publicity Australian deaths Tet and the ‘television war’ Media Broader base of the protest movement International pressures

Remember – April 1970 Gallup Poll on the question ‘Fight on in Vietnam or bring forces back now?’