Why did the aus government support the Vietnam war?

Answer 1

Senior Officers and NCO's (Non-Commissioned Officers=Sergeants), or often men over the age of 40 during the Vietnam were veterans of WW2. This age bracket applied to all countries that sent fighting men to Vietnam during the war. This particular group was NOT born and raised during the ATOMIC AGE that started in August of 1945. This particular group of men were of the mind to "fight to win" no matter what the cost; if the A-Bomb exists...USE IT! If North Vietnam attacks South Vietnam...then INVADE NORTH VIETNAM; regardless if the Red Chinese or Soviets enter the war, as they did in the Korean War. This particular group of men became "frustrated with the war" and could NOT comprehend "fighting a LIMITED WAR." They could not or would not understand fighting wars in the age of Nuclear Weapons. It had to slowly be driven into them that fighting wars of "their" generation amounted to "Mutually Assured Destruction" for the post WW2 generation (the age of Atomic Bombs). These same men where of the generation that drafted fighting men for service in the army and navy. It was as traditional as riding horses or using "out houses" (non-modern bathrooms with running water). The Vietnam War was the LAST war in which this particular group of men fought; and it was also the last conventional drafting of fighting men for the United States. Australia simply followed the lead of other nations, the traditional method of obtaining fighting men...just gather them up. Conscription is NOT new. Rome drafted it's fighting men, Genghis Khan drafted men from his conquered lands, half of Napoleon's Army was conscripted from conquered terroritories. The US officially drafted it's first men for the US Army during the US Civil War (1861-1865); the Vietnam War (1961-1975) was the United States's last draft of fighting men. With the advent of new technology, UAV's (Unmanned Aerial Vehicles), computer driven aircraft, tanks, and new stealth warships...smart artillery shells, smart small arms (rifles, pistols, machineguns). Armies may now become smaller, Navies no longer need 1,000 men to man ships. The new stealth warships may, in the future, only require 100 persons to operate the computers aboard the vessel. The drafting of traditional fighting men may no longer be required...just technicians to operate the computers. A small contingent of traditional fighting men will probably always be required for SPECIAL OPERATIONS; but the force will most likely be small enough to operate on volunteers. Consequently, the drafting of TRADITIONAL fighting men may have faded into the history books.
Genghis Khan drafted men for his armies from conquered territories; if they didn't join HIS army, they were terminated; to prevent them from fighting him (again). Napoleon conscripted men from conquered lands; half of his army was non-French. Great Britain took men by force to man their ships...one of the causes of the "War of 1812", stealing US Seamen on the high seas. Australia drafted fighting men for the same reasons other nations did. However, since the dawn of push button warfare (since we entered the Atomic Age in 1945) technology is slowly replacing LARGE armies and navies. Consequently traditional fighting men can now (slowly) be "Reduced in numbers" and replaced by technology and equal opportunities for those that choose that particular profession.

Drafting men for the military has been a traditional practice since armies and navies have existed. Genghis Khan conscripted men from conquered lands, if they didn't fight for him, they were killed; to prevent them from becoming an enemy again. Napoleon used drafted men from conquered territories; half of his army was not French, but Germans, Belgians, Italians, etc. Britain "Shanghaied" men to man their warships for years, including kidnapping U.S. seamen, which helped cause the War of 1812.

Australia drafted fighting men for the same reasons other countries did.

Answer 2

The Australian government had two main reasons from supporting the war in Vietnam. Firstly, the rise of communists in Vietnam was seen to be part of a "domino" effect of communism spreading all the way down from Russia. The opinion was that the domino effect would continue until it reached Australia, which would then have a communist revolution. Of course, in those days, communism was a sort of taboo subject which terrified the mass population. So that was the first reason. The second reason was that the Australian Government believed that if they supported the US in their campaign, if Australia needed the US, they would come to their aid in return.

Some people say that the Australian Gov also wanted to help the people in South Vietnam, but in my opinion we would be kidding ourselves if we stated that Australia entered the war with anyone but their own interests in mind.