The Vietnam War commonly known as the Second Indochina War began as a conflict in 1959 and ended with a communist victory in April 1975. The war was a long and costly armed battle which was fought by the North Vietnam and South Vietnam as result of the Cold War and the desire to have a national government that was truly independent. The North Vietnamese Army had benefited from military and financial support from China and the Soviet Union who were members of the Communist block while the South Vietnam government was supported by the United States, Australia, and other anti-communist allies. The Domino Theory was a belief that the fall of North Vietnam to communism might generate the whole of Southeast of Asia to fall, and …show more content…
The government was under threat from a growing communist rebellion, losing control over the countryside outside major towns and cities and facing internal opposition. The South Vietnamese government then sought further assistance from Australia, an ally of the United States. Their arrival in South Vietnam in July 1962 was the beginning of Australia's involvement in the Vietnam War. Australia’s contribution was small in comparison to the United States but sufficient to show loyalty to the United States. The Vietnam War was the longest war Australia was ever involved in. One of the most well-known Australian engagements of the Vietnam War was the Battle of Long Tan which took place in August 1966. The battle was of 108 Anzacs against the estimated 2000 Viet Cong force. The Long Tan Battle was one of the heaviest conflicts of the Vietnam War as well as one the few battles in the recorded history of the world to be won against such odds. From the time of the arrival, almost 60,000 Australians, including ground troops, air force and navy personnel, have served in the Vietnam War. 521 died as a result of the war and over 3,000 were …show more content…
Arrivals of the Vietnamese people increased rapidly in Australia. More than 80,000 Vietnamese people moved to Australia in the decade following the Vietnam War, many as refugees. Australia has helped resettle these displaced families with more opportunities. In 1976, the first Census at which the Vietnamese were recorded separately stated that there were 2,427 people born in Vietnam in Australia and at the 1981 Census, the population had increased to 41,096. Vietnamese refugees have brought with them their own skills and capabilities and an eagerness to contribute and give back to the communities who have welcomed them. They were able to quickly make permanent cultural, social and economic contributions and infuse vitality and multiculturalism into the communities in which they are