Brief History

On this page read a brief history about the Vietnam War. Or on the next page information about The Australian Flying Corps.

The Vietnam War

• Chronological Overview of Australian Involvement in Vietnam
• Some statistics on the Vietnam conflict
• The Tet offensive 1968

Chronological Overview of Australian Involvement in Vietnam

The involvement of Australian forces in Vietnam was a gradual process of commitment which took place over a period of several years against a background of concerns with regional security. The cornerstone of Australian defence planning in the 1960s was 'forward defence’ which complemented the United States policy of containment of communism in South-east Asia and embraced Australia’s obligations under SEATO. In August 1962 a small team of 30 Australian Army advisers was sent to Vietnam to operate within the United States military advisory system of over 2000 advisers. They assisted in training army elements but were under instructions not to accompany Vietnamese forces in operations.

The Australian Army Training Team Vietnam became the most highly decorated Australian unit in the war, receiving all four Victoria Crosses awarded during the war and a US Presidential Unit Citation. By January 1965 the number of Australian advisers had been increased to 100 within a total strength of over 23000 American advisers, deployed in training centres all over south Vietnam.Following the arrival of the first US combat troops in Vietnam in March 1965, Prime Minister Menzies announced on 29 April 1965 the decision to commit an Australian battalion with a logistic support company, a total of 1100 men, to service in Vietnam. This unit was established in Vietnam by June 1965 and served under operational control of the US 173 Airborne brigade (Separate) as its third battalion. In September 1965 the battalion was expanded to a battalion-group of 1400 men with supporting elements (artillery, engineers, a reconnaissance flight) based at Bien Hoa, north of Saigon (now Ho Chi Min City). The battalion and the expanded battalion-group carried out counter-insurgency operations, together with combined US forces, in the III Corps military area until its return to Australia in June 1966. In March 1966 the Australian commitment was expanded to an independent task force of two battalions with combat and logistic support. The task force totaled 4500 men including 500 National Servicemen (from the first intake under the National Service scheme introduced in November 1964). The task force established its base at Nui Dat in the heart of Phuoc Tuy province (present day Ba Ria , Vung Tau province). Although under nominal control of the American II Field Force Vietnam, the task force retained a degree of operational independence enabling it to practice it distinctively Australian approach to counter-insurgency. This it did very effectively. In August 1966 at Long Tan an overwhelming defeat was inflicted on a massed enemy formation by a single Australian company supported by artillery.

By the end of 1966 the task force was expanding its area of operations and consolidating control over areas of Phuoc Tuy province. Throughout 1967 and 1968 the task force was steadily increased in size and effectiveness with the addition of a third battalion, tanks, and a Civil Affairs unit. From the beginning of 1969 to mid-1970, a peak force of more than one third of Australia’s available combat strength was deployed in Vietnam. It comprised elements from all tree services: a three battalion Army task force with combat and logistic support; an Army advisory team; RAAF helicopter, medium bombers and transport aircraft; RAN guided-missile destroyers and helicopters. In this period of heaviest commitment over 8500 Australian service personnel (over 7000 of them Army personnel) were deployed in Vietnam. For the first few years, the Australian commitment to Vietnam was widely supported by the Australian people.

However, by the late 1960’s that support had been eroded. The apparent reverse of the Tet offensive in early 1968 and the commencement of formal peace talks in Paris in 1969 provoked worldwide opposition to continuing involvement in the war. Australian opposition reached a peak in the large moratorium rallies in Australian cities in May and September 1970. In June 1969, President Nixon announced that the US would begin to withdraw its forces and, following further withdrawals in April 1970, Prime Minister Gorton announced a reduction of Australian forces by one battalion. Further reductions in 1971 and 1972 continued, so that by mid-1972 less than 200 Australian ersonnel remained. In December 1972 Prime Minister Whitlam announced the withdrawal of the final contingent. On 26 February 1973 Prime Minister Whitlam announced the establishment of diplomatic relations with Hanoi, and the last elements of the Australian Army left Vietnam in June 1973.

Some statistics on the Vietnam conflict

Australia’s military involvement in the Vietnam conflict was the longest in duration of any war in Australia’s history. The Australian commitment consisted predominately of Army personnel but significant numbers of Air Force and Navy personnel and some civilians took part. According to the Nominal Roll of Australian Vietnam Veterans, more than 59,000 Australians served in Vietnam during the period. A total of 508 Australians died in Vietnam: 478 Army personnel; 14 RAAF personnel; 9 Navy personnel; and 7 civilians. This number includes 6 Australian servicemen who were declared Missing in Action during the war. These 6 are believed to have been killed in action but have no known graves.

Australia’s commitment, although substantial in terms of capabilities, was miniscule in comparison with the military contribution of the United States. Over 3 million Americans served in the war and the total number of American personnel in Vietnam reached a peak of over 540,000 in 1968. About 58,000 Americans died in the Vietnam War and over 2,000 were listed as missing in action. The scale of Vietnamese losses in both sides of the conflict was enormous. Over 1.5 million Vietnamese - military and civilian - were killed, and hundreds of thousands were declared missing. Some 4 million Vietnamese civilians (10% of the total wartime population) were casualties (killed or wounded) in the war.

The Tet Offensive 1968

2005 marks the year of the Rooster in the Chinese/Vietnamese calendar. Vietnam is now at peace and is slowly emerging from the closed society of the now collapsed communist system. 1968 TET, commencing the year of the MONKEY was a very different story in Vietnam.

The US and the Free World Military Forces were at their peak in both military strength and in anticipation of 'The light at the end of the tunnel', the final victory that would end the war.

A cease fire had been arranged with the NVA\VC Forces that was to last three days, from January 29 until January 31. Most Vietnamese units were in a state of rest due to the fact that most of their soldiers had left on leave to attend the traditional family gathering for TET, the most important period of the Vietnamese calendar. Most FWMF units were on a stand-by basis, after all it was a declared ceasefire.

In the early hours of January 31 1968 over 80,000 NVA\VC attacked a total of six major cities, thirty six provincial capitals and twenty three airfields and military bases. The major assaults were on Saigon, Da Nang, Qui Nhon, Quang Tri, Kontum, Ban Me Thout, My Tho, Can Tho, Ban Tre and many other cities and towns of military and political importance. All told the NVA/VC took temporary control of ten of their major objectives.

In Hue, for example, the NVA/VC Forces held the city from January 31 until February 25 before being ejected by US Marines and Vietnamese Marine and Army units. The battle of Hue was without doubt the largest battle of the Vietnam war up to that time. The NVA/VC Forces consisted of the 6th NVA Regiment (3 battalions), the 4th NVA Regiment (1 battalion), and 6 VC battalions. To retake the city the allied forces were made up of 4 US Army battalions, 3 US Marine battalions, 11 ARVN Marine battalions, supported by artillery and naval gun fire support, as well as close air support. All told there were 52,000 rounds of both 105mm and 120mm fired by the artillery, 7,670 rounds of both 5 inch and 8 inch by naval gun fire, with 600 tons of air delivered ordinance.

The casualties on both sides were very heavy. The US Forces lost 119 killed, with 961 wounded, ARVN Marine losses were 363 killed with 1,242 wounded, while the NVA/VC lost over 8,000 killed, with the number of wounded unknown. There were also 5,800 civilians killed, mostly executed by the NVA/VC during their occupation of the city.

Bien Hoa air base was attacked by 2 battalions of NVA/VC and 1 battalion of NVA sappers. Loses were for US Forces, 4 USAF killed and 26 wounded and NVA/VC losses were 139 killed, 25 POWs. Two US aircraft were destroyed and 20 more damaged. In the local area of Bien Hoa, there were 1,164 NVA/VC killed and 98 prisoners taken.

At Tan Son Nhut, the air field/base, the NVA/VC attacked with 4 infantry battalions and a sapper battalion, their losses being 962 killed and 9 prisoners taken. The Us losses were 19 US Army killed, 75 wounded, USAF losses 4 killed, 11 wounded, ARVN losses were 32 killed and 79 wounded. damage inflicted was 13 aircraft damaged. The period of the TET OFFENSIVE is recorded as being from January 31 to March 31, 1968.

The offensive was a military disaster for the NVA/VC Forces and an outstanding victory for the Allied Forces. But in political terms, it was the opposite for the enemy. The political turmoil that followed from all sides of the conflict in all countries, was the beginning of the end for the Vietnam war, one result being the 'Vietnamization' of the war, and the gradual withdrawal of all Allied troops over the next four years. President Lyndon Johnson did NOT see the re-election, General William Westmoreland returned to the US and a new Commanding general took command. It was the light at the end of the tunnel, but in political terms, it was for the enemy. The 68 TET offensive was the most important single event of the Vietnam war involving the Free World Military Forces commitment, the April offensive of 1972 was bigger and lasted longer, but did not involve more than a handful of Allied personnel, who were mainly US Special Forces and AATTV personnel who, at the time, were the last of the 'advisers'. The final offensive of the Vietnam war was the April offensive of 1975, that offensive became the the final victory for the NVA/VC Forces and was only to last 55 days, the same length of time as the famed battle of Dien Bien Phu during the war with the French.

The overall loses for all sides during the 68 TET offensive are as follows -