Selective conscription meant that a certain number of 20-year-old Australian men would be chosen to serve in the Australian army. The process for choosing them was similar to a lottery. Numbered marbles, each representing a day of the year, were placed in a barrel.
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How were conscripts selected in Australia?
The selection of conscripts was made by a sortition or lottery draw based on date of birth, and conscripts were obligated to give two years’ continuous full-time service, followed by a further three years on the active reserve list. The full-time service requirement was reduced to 18 months in October 1971.
Why were Australian troops sent to Vietnam?
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.
Were Australian men forced to fight in Vietnam?
Throughout the war almost 60,000 Australians served in Vietnam, but not all of them volunteered. Many were conscripted, which means they were forced to go through a giant nationwide lottery. Any 20-year-old men in the country could be picked, if their birthday was drawn in the draft. Some Australians were against that.
What birthdays were called for the Vietnam draft Australia?
Birthdates drawn in National Service ballots 1965-72
Men included in the ballot who were born in the period 1 January 1946 to 30 June 1946. Men included in the ballot who were born prior to 1 January 1946 but were absent from Australia when their age group was required to register.
How were Australian men chosen for the Vietnam War?
Selective conscription meant that a certain number of 20-year-old Australian men would be chosen to serve in the Australian army. The process for choosing them was similar to a lottery. Numbered marbles, each representing a day of the year, were placed in a barrel.
How many Australian soldiers served in Vietnam?
60,000 Australians
From 1962 to 1973, more than 60,000 Australians served in the Vietnam War. They were part of an allied force led by the United States.
How many Australian conscripts were sent to Vietnam?
In total approximately 60,000 Australians—ground troops, air-force and naval personnel—served in Vietnam between 1962 and 1972. 521 died as a result of the war and over 3,000 were wounded. 15,381 conscripted national servicemen served from 1965 to 1972, sustaining 202 killed and 1,279 wounded.
Did Australian soldiers fight in Vietnam?
50,000 Australians, including ground troops, air force and navy personnel, served in Vietnam. 520 died as a result of the war and almost 2,400 were wounded. The war was the cause of the greatest social and political dissent in Australia since the conscription referendums of WWI.
How long were Australian troops in Vietnam?
ten and a half years
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.
How many conscripts served in Vietnam?
15,381
63,735 national servicemen served in the Army. 15,381 served in Vietnam.
How were Australian soldiers treated when returned from Vietnam?
All Australian military personnel who returned from South Vietnam aboard HMAS Sydney received a ‘welcome home’ parade. Troops who arrived home by air were invited to join them, but few accepted the offer. Some returning veterans were subjected to abuse by anti-war protesters.
What battles did Australia fight in Vietnam?
Pages in category “Battles of the Vietnam War involving Australia”
- Battle of Binh Ba.
- Operation Bribie.
Who said Australia would go all the way with LBJ?
His government expanded Australia’s involvement in the Vietnam War, and maintained close ties with the United States under President Lyndon B. Johnson. While visiting the White House, Holt proclaimed that he was “all the way with LBJ”, a remark which was poorly received at home.
What does conscripted mean in English?
1 : enrolled into service by compulsion : drafted. 2 : made up of conscripted persons. conscript. verb. con·script | kən-ˈskript
Was it compulsory to fight in Vietnam?
Conscription in the United States, commonly known as the draft, has been employed by the federal government of the United States in six conflicts: the American Revolutionary War, the American Civil War, World War I, World War II, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War.It was the country’s first peacetime draft.
Why did Australia become involved in the Vietnam War essay?
The Vietnam War which went from 1965 to 1975 involved America and its allies, including Australia, aiming to prevent South Vietnam from an invasion by the communist North Vietnaese.Australia also became implicated in the war due to the threat posed by the expansion of communism, known as the “Domino Effect”.
How did Australia feel about the Vietnam War?
Australian public opinion about the war in Vietnam moved through several stages over the decade-long involvement. Some were opposed more to conscription than to the war itself.In 1967, when the deployment of an extra battalion to Vietnam was announced, public opposition to the war increased.
Was national service compulsory in Australia?
Since Federation, the Australian Government has implemented compulsory military service four times. Universal Service Scheme 1909-1929.The Legislation established compulsory naval or military training for all Australian males between the ages of 12 and 26 who were British subjects.
How many Australian SAS died in Vietnam?
In a six-year period the Australian and New Zealand SAS in Vietnam conducted nearly 1,200 patrols and inflicted heavy casualties on the Viet Cong, including 492 killed, 106 possibly killed, 47 wounded, 10 possibly wounded and 11 prisoners captured.
How old was the youngest Australian soldier in ww1?
14 years and nine months old
James Charles Martin (3 January 1901 – 25 October 1915) was the youngest Australian known to have died in World War I. He was only 14 years and nine months old when he succumbed to typhoid during the Gallipoli campaign.
Jim Martin (Australian soldier)
| James Charles | |
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| Awards | 1914–15 Star British War Medal Victory Medal |
