What did Americans think of Australians in Vietnam War?

What did the Americans think of Australians in the Vietnam war? US military personnel in Vietnam liked our Aussie colleagues just fine. Australia sent real combat troops, while so many of our NATO and other allies sat on their hands.

What happened after the Vietnam War in Australia?

In December 1972 they became the last Australian troops to come home, with their unit having seen continuous service in South Vietnam for ten and a half years. Australia’s participation in the war was formally declared at an end when the Governor-General issued a proclamation on 11 January 1973.

Why did Australia commit troops to the Vietnam War?

On 29 April 1965 Prime Minister Robert Menzies announced in parliament that Australia would send a battalion of combat troops to Vietnam. The decision was motivated by a desire to strengthen strategic relations with the United States and to halt the spread of communism in South-East Asia.

Where were Australian troops in Vietnam?

In August 1964 the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) sent a flight of Caribou transports to the port town of Vũng Tàu. By the end of 1964, there were almost 200 Australian military personnel in the Republic of Vietnam, including an engineer and surgical team as well as a larger AATTV team.

What was the Vietnam War like for Australian soldiers?

By the time the last Australian personnel were withdrawn in 1972, the Vietnam War had become Australia’s longest war, eventually being surpassed by Australia’s long-term commitment to the War in Afghanistan….Military history of Australia during the Vietnam War.

What was different about the Vietnam War compared to the US previous wars?

The Vietnam War was different than any other war that the United States had fought to that point. This was largely because it was not mainly a war between armies. The major enemy for the US was more of a guerrilla organization that did not fight traditional battles.

What effects did the Vietnam War have on Australian soldiers?

By early 1972, the last Australian combat troops were withdrawn from Vietnam. Some 60,000 Australians had been involved in the war by then. Over 500 Australian personnel had lost their lives, including more than 200 national servicemen. Some 3000 Australians were wounded and became sick during their tour of duty.

How many Australian troops were involved in the Vietnam War?

Australia’s involvement in the Vietnam War began with a small commitment of 30 military advisors in 1962, and increased over the following decade to a peak of 7,672 Australian personnel following the Menzies Government ‘s April 1965 decision to upgrade its military commitment…

How much did it cost Australia to fight in Vietnam?

Between 1962 and March 1972 the estimated cost of Australia’s involvement to the war in Vietnam was $218.4 million. In March 1975 the Australian Government dispatched RAAF transport aircraft to South Vietnam to provide humanitarian assistance to refugees fleeing the North Vietnamese Ho Chi Minh Campaign.

What was the relationship like between Australian and English soldiers?

The relationship between Australian and English soldiers could perhaps be characterised by a friendly rivalry. Working and fighting together during the war, both similarities and differences between the two groups were highlighted.

What did Neil Davis think of Australian troops in Vietnam?

Looking back on ten years of reporting the war in Vietnam and Cambodia, journalist Neil Davis said in 1983: “I was very proud of the Australian troops. They were very professional, very well trained and they fought the people they were sent to fight—the Viet Cong.