The initial Australian public reaction to Australia’s involvement was that majority of the Australian population were disinterested and they paid little attention to a war which involved very few Australian soldiers. As some of the population could not care any less, there was also a large part of Australians who was wary of Australia’s initiation to get involved with Vietnam and Australia’s fear of Communism. When the country’s commitment to South Vietnam increased, there were little negative reactions.
When the news of Australia being included in a task force broke out in 1966, the Australian public were not amused. Australians presumed the news meant a war that Australia was beginning to get involved in; the news of this sparked a rise in anti-war groups and widespread opposition to the war. However, some people were more against the ideology of conscription rather than the war itself.
Conscription was compulsory enlistment for state service, typically in the armed forces. Soldiers were chosen were by a form of lottery but with birthdates of men selected from a barrel and usually were men of age range 21-25 years old. If a man was to be selected, he would spend two years of continuous full-time service in the army then followed by three years of part-time service in the Army Reserve. So when young men heard about the …show more content…
By 1970, the Vietnam war was the longest war Australia has ever been in and anti-war groups were now more organised and became mass protests instead of small ones which had been put out before. Australians were angry the war was still going on instead of halting and retreating the Australian troops and continued to rally and protest. Anti-war moratoriums were being continued until the third mass moratorium
When the news of Australia being included in a task force broke out in 1966, the Australian public were not amused. Australians presumed the news meant a war that Australia was beginning to get involved in; the news of this sparked a rise in anti-war groups and widespread opposition to the war. However, some people were more against the ideology of conscription rather than the war itself.
Conscription was compulsory enlistment for state service, typically in the armed forces. Soldiers were chosen were by a form of lottery but with birthdates of men selected from a barrel and usually were men of age range 21-25 years old. If a man was to be selected, he would spend two years of continuous full-time service in the army then followed by three years of part-time service in the Army Reserve. So when young men heard about the …show more content…
By 1970, the Vietnam war was the longest war Australia has ever been in and anti-war groups were now more organised and became mass protests instead of small ones which had been put out before. Australians were angry the war was still going on instead of halting and retreating the Australian troops and continued to rally and protest. Anti-war moratoriums were being continued until the third mass moratorium