Australian Involvement

The involvement of the United States and its allies was supported by an idea: the domino theory._­­­¹ It was simple, if one country fell into the communist regime, it would encourage neighbouring countries to become communist too. So when South Vietnam declared that there was no way of ensuring a fair election in the north, it caught US president Dwight Eisenhower's attention,_­­­² who poured military and economic aid into South Vietnam. In 1959, South Vietnam were attacked by the North and called on the US for help, who in turn called on its allies.³

Australia volunteered to send troops to Vietnam, selecting men in a scheme called conscription, following a formal request filed by the South Vietnamese government.⁴ Providing aid to the United States suited Australia's interests, for at that time Australia was also fighting a war in Indonesia. The Indonesians would see that Australia had the powerful ally, the US, and if Australia needed help the US would be morally obligated to help.⁵

Australia's first army advisors were sent in 1962.⁶ By 1965, when it had become clear that South Vietnam was struggling to defend against communist attacks, the United States escalated the war. The first Australian battalion, known as 1RAR (Royal Australian Regiment)⁷ was sent later in June 1965.

The following year, in 1966, the Australian Government decided that Australian involvement in the war needed to be more apparent.⁸ Australia sent a further eight battalions to Vietnam, with 8,500 troops based in Vietnam at the peak of involvement. Australia was assigned Núi Đất, in the Phước Tuy province of South Vietnam, to control. It was a mostly flat terrain covered in rainforest and grassland, with mountainous areas and hills.⁹ This was the "perfect terrain for guerilla warfare".¹⁰

Australian troops in Vietnam were involved in several types of combat. These were usually against experienced, skilled fighters, in rural and jungle areas.¹¹ Land force and bomber crew engagements were of relatively low risk,¹² while Australian members of the "infantry, ... armoured, artillery and engineer corps, ... helicopter crews and forward air controllers"¹³ often participated in dangerous combat.¹⁴ Also in dangerous situations were the naval helicopters and air forces who during combat flew troops in and out of battle, evacuated the wounded and provided gunfire support.¹⁵

Australian forces patrolled areas of Núi Đất in a counter-insurgency approach, searching for movement of the Viet Cong, making it difficult for them to move around.¹⁶ In August 1966, Viet Cong presence was detected with radio signals, but the Australian patrols were able to find nothing,¹⁷ precipitating what would be the most recognised and significant battle that Australia fought, the Battle of Long Tan.¹⁸

On the 16th of August 1966, the Viet Cong attacked the Núi Đất base with mortals and rifles.¹⁹ In response, the 6RAR's B Company, consisting of 108 men, was assigned to patrol the area to find the enemy's firing positions, proving successful when finding cart tracks. The D Company took over at midday the next day, and followed the tracks right into the battlefield, a rubber plantation.²⁰

Australia's 3 platoons, 10, 11 and 12, were overwhelmed by the Viet Cong for four hours, being outnumbered 10:1.²¹ By night, Australian forces arrived with supplies, ammunition and reinforcements in numbers, breaking up the attacks of the Viet Cong and sending them hurrying back into the jungle. The Battle of Long Tan had ended. 18 Australian soldiers had been killed and 24 wounded.²²

Despite the great cost involved in the Battle of Long Tan, it is now widely regarded as the symbol of Australia's involvement in the Vietnam War. It displays the "skill, effectiveness and high courage"²³ of the Australian soldiers throughout the war.