The Vietnam War

from here and with the basis of historical facts and contemporary reasoning, everything seems to appear that Australia’ involvement and commitment to Vietnam War can not be justified. In order to be able to rationalise this, we must see Australia’s reasons for going and analyse whether these reasons are capable enough to give justify Australia’s commitment in Vietnam War. To further confirm whether Australia’s commitment to Vietnam War is justified or not, we must also see the results and consequences that this commitment has brought to Australia. Australia’s commitment to the Vietnam War began when it sent two hundred thousand troops to fight the war in Vietnam with America. A commitment is a bond to keep a promise. This meant that Australia has to keep on sending troops over to Vietnam until the war is over. And indeed, this was what they carried out. In November 1964, the Menzies government announced the reintroduction of conscription for overseas military service and plans to increase the size of the Australian army to thirty-five thousand, five hundred within three years. These 20-yr old conscripts were then called up under the National Service Scheme with a lottery-based system.As a result of this commitment, Australia has been put under chaos both at home and overseas- in the battlefields. Anti-war and anti-conscription rallies and protests were all over Australia over the period of the Vietnam War. A wide range of groups was formed and one of these is the ‘Save Our Sons’ movement, which is more commonly known as the SOS. Across the country, there were republic rallies and protests; public figures spoke out against the war and universities became centres for opposition to the war. The protest grew to the extent of mass protest- the moratorium movement where hundreds of thousands of people stopped work in a mass protest demanding the unconditional and total withdrawal of Australian troops from Vietnam and the urgent elimination of conscription. While all this intense chaos was happening in Australia, Australian troops were being put to the hardest test with the conditions in Vietnam as a result of the commitment. It was the first time that Australia sent conscripts overseas and not even in direct defence of Australia. Australian troops were engaged in the heaviest actions of war such as that of the Long Tan war. Guerrilla warfare and surprise attacks from the Viet Cong only worsen the scenario. From the time of the arrival of the first members of the Team in 1962, until late 1970, when Australia had begun to wind down tis military efforts in Vietnam, five hundred and twenty Australians were killed, and two thousand, four hundred were wounded. For Australia, this number is great however, Australian troops were just a small number compared to the millions of American troops. Australia’s main reason for this commitment  was to befriend America for their support when Australia comes under threat. Australia’s fear at that time was the threat of communist spread to Australia. Throughout history, Australia has been insecure being the only white colony and settlement in the Asian region. As a result, Australia tends to turn to an ally for security. During this period, the threat was spread of communism and the powerful ally is America. This may sound sensible enough, however, Vietnam War was not the right prospect to invest Australia’s support to America. The government at that time misunderstood Vietnam War. The North Vietnam had no intentions of spreading communism in its neighbouring countries. North Vietnam was using Communism to unify the North and South Vietnam and to build one independent nation. Australia perceived also perceived it as their obligation to support America in Vietnam because of the ANZUS treaty. However, the ANZUS treaty was designed from an American viewpoint to first reassure Australian and New Zealand concerns about a possible rearmed and resurgent Japan secondarily, to tie America in defence with the two countries. is that the said treaty was designed to first, tie America to the defence of the two countries. Another supposed reason was for humanitarian purposes. Australia sent troops to help fight the war and so, the enemies would be defeated easily with fewer casualties. Fist of all, how can Australia help stop the war and the rising casualties, by getting into war? We cannot help stop war by getting involved militarily. If Australia wanted to help the war through humanitarian causes, it should have been involved of the aids for those people who were really affected by the war. These reasons that Australia believed in before were all wrong. Which, strongly supports that the commitment of Australia in Vietnam War cannot be justify because Australia did not even understand the issues involving Vietnam War at that time. Conclusion:With the consequences of the commitment and the reasons of Australia’s commitment through 1965 to 1975, Australia’s commitment in the Vietnam War could not be justified. It was a rush decision, which Australia got into without even propely knowing the status and political issues within the war. If Australia did understand the issues and concerns, it should not have worried about the domino theory in the first place and would not have had the attitude towards America ‘doing each other a favour’. Australia’s involvement in Vietnam War only cost innocent lives and chaos, which did not bring anything good.