Lauren's English Blog: Research Activity

When did it occur?

Who was involved?

countries involved were America, Australia, France, south Vietnam and north Vietnam

What was Australias's involment

Protest Movements

in the early year Australias involment in the war was not widely opposed,
As Australias commitment grew, as conscripts began to make up a large percentage of those being deployed and killed
the public increasingly came to believe that the war was being lost, oppostion grew
early 1970's more than 200,000 people marched in the streets of major cities in protest
final stages of the war public opion began to change in 1969 55% of australians favoured withdrawing the troops.
during 1970 and 1971 huge protests called Vietnam Moratoriums (stop the war) saw hundreds of thousands of people take to the streets to protest.

Call of conscription

Australia's national service scheme was introduced in 1964
during the early years of the war, when Australia's contribution was limited to member of the regular army the public was disinterested
only when the commitment increased to include national servicemen, particulary after 1968 Tet Offensive, did wide spread opposition to australia's participation in teh war develop
after 1968 both United States and Australia began to withraw troops from Vietnam, teh period of major protest.

Public Treatment of vets from the war and ongoing health problems

they didnt have a warm welcome home
arrived at the dead of night
people blamed them for the war and the way it had been conducted
many soldiers had been abused as baby killers , rapists and murders on their return
by 1987 attitudes towards the vets had changed they were given a welcome home parade in Sydney, 25,000 vets marched to the cheers of several hundred thousand onlookers
many stories of disturbed veterans suffering from post-tramatic stress disorder and continuing to suffer from their time in Vietnam

Lauren's English Blog