![]() The Battle of la Drang is considered to be the first major engagement between the U.S. Their intervention led to the outbreak of several battles which have been collectively referred to as the Vietnam War. fearing that Vietnam will also fall under the control of the Communists intervened to try and keep the South Vietnam from falling. The French lost control of Vietnam towards the end of the Korean War. Vietnam was a temporarily separated into the North Communist and South anti-communist after the signing of Geneva treaty in 1954 which also brought an end to the French Colony. The aftermath of the war caused major changes to families, culture, society and industry in Vietnam and its neighbouring countries.The Vietnam War started as a result of the United States' strategy of "containment", which was intended to minimize the spread of communism throughout the world during the Cold War. The chemical also compromised the health of local people for decades. Millions of hectares of forest and agricultural land destroyed by the chemical defoliant Agent Orange took years to recover. The effects of high-explosive bombs continued after the war because many failed to explode on impact, causing problems for decades. Some people who remained in Vietnam were imprisoned in camps for re-education. Millions more fled the South as political refugees when the country was unified in 1976, including thousands who settled in Australia. More than 3 million Vietnamese people had lost their lives, and more had been wounded. ![]() The most immediate effect of the war in Vietnam was the overwhelming loss of life and social upheaval. This brought an end to the war, which had spilled over into neighbouring Cambodia and Laos. The capital, Saigon, fell to North Vietnamese forces in April 1975. The war continued for just over 3 years after the United States, Australia and other allies withdrew from the war. In the final days of the war, in 1975, the RAAF sent personnel back to Vietnam to help with evacuations and humanitarian work. It was withdrawing its own troops from the country while passing responsibility for the war to South Vietnamese forces.Īustralia too was winding down its commitment, with the last troops coming home in March 1972. In the early 1970s, the United States (US) Government embarked on a policy of ‘Vietnamisation’. In the early 1970s, more than 200,000 people marched in the streets of Australia’s major cities in protest. more Australians believing that the war was being lost.more conscripts from the National Service Scheme being deployed and killed.Australia's increasing military commitment.Public opposition to our involvement in the war grew over time due to: In the early years, Australia’s participation in the war was not widely opposed. Some had shorter tours when Australia's commitment began winding down in the early 1970s. Others had a tour cut short because of serious wounds or illness. Some national servicemen with less than a year remaining of their national service were in Vietnam for only a few months. Australians in VietnamĪ standard tour of duty for Australians serving in Army units lasted a year. Some RAAF personnel returned in 1975 to help with evacuations and refugees, operating almost until the moment of South Vietnam's surrender. Īustralia's military commitment involved each of Australia's armed services:Īfter combat operations ceased in 1972, a few Australian personnel stayed in Vietnam with the Australian embassy. The image which has been etched on the rear wall of the Australian Vietnam Forces National Memorial on Anzac Parade in Canberra, shows members of 5 Platoon, B Company, 7RAR waiting to be airlifted by US Army helicopters from an area just north of Phuoc Hai. One of the most famous images of the Vietnam War was captured by Michael Coleridge on 26 August 1967.
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