Reasons For Australia's Attitudes Towards Vietnam War
Australia was involved in the Vietnam War from 1962-1972 with originally thirty army advisors being sent over to South Vietnam. Over this period of time Australian attitudes towards the Vietnam War changed greatly due to two main contributing reasons. These reasons were the media and television viewing the prominent issue of conscription.
When it was first announced in April 1962 that Australia was to fight in Vietnam it was seen by the majority as necessary and needed. Many Australians supported the war because of their fear of communist advancement and the Domino Theory. They were motivated to support the war by the common dreaded thought that Australia might fall next to communist rule. Furthermore many Australians believed fully in the government as a protection strategy. This policy advocated …show more content…
These protests movements gained support after the 1966 election with the formation of anti-war protest groups and organisations, such as Youth Against Conscription and Save our Sons (SOS). The don’t register campaign caused the government to take a stronger stand against not registering. There were exemptions given to those that could prove to be a pacifist otherwise the sentence for not registering was a two year jail sentence.
Anti-War displays in 1967 were things such as the burning of draft registration cards and the collecting of money for the North Vietnamese as done by the Monash University Labor Club. Pro and Anti was groups used cartoons and advertisements to create public awareness of their viewpoints. Additionally SOS used handouts, printed information, and campaigns such as ‘fill a falsie’ – fill in a false registration card. Originally anti-war movements were only against conscription. Slowly Australians developed these protests movements, against additional war issues and in the end against the war in Vietnam
When it was first announced in April 1962 that Australia was to fight in Vietnam it was seen by the majority as necessary and needed. Many Australians supported the war because of their fear of communist advancement and the Domino Theory. They were motivated to support the war by the common dreaded thought that Australia might fall next to communist rule. Furthermore many Australians believed fully in the government as a protection strategy. This policy advocated …show more content…
These protests movements gained support after the 1966 election with the formation of anti-war protest groups and organisations, such as Youth Against Conscription and Save our Sons (SOS). The don’t register campaign caused the government to take a stronger stand against not registering. There were exemptions given to those that could prove to be a pacifist otherwise the sentence for not registering was a two year jail sentence.
Anti-War displays in 1967 were things such as the burning of draft registration cards and the collecting of money for the North Vietnamese as done by the Monash University Labor Club. Pro and Anti was groups used cartoons and advertisements to create public awareness of their viewpoints. Additionally SOS used handouts, printed information, and campaigns such as ‘fill a falsie’ – fill in a false registration card. Originally anti-war movements were only against conscription. Slowly Australians developed these protests movements, against additional war issues and in the end against the war in Vietnam