In Australia, when the Vietnam war first began the Australian public supported Australia's involvement and the men that were "saving them from communism". In 1966 President Lyndon Baines Johnson (LBY) visited Australia and he was welcomed. But as the war wore on and conscription was introduced protests against both the war and conscription became very common.
In 1966, 4 years after Australia first became involved in the war, conscription was introduced as a way of sending more troops to Vietnam. All men over 20 years of age had to register for National Service. Their birthday was put on a marble and a number of birthdays were drawn out. If your birthday was drawn you had, unless under special circumstances e.g. if you were a student or had religious reasons, to go to war. At first not many people opposed conscription but as the bodies of you men who were conscripted began to be sent back to Australia the major protests began.
Rizières inondées à la frontière entre le Viet...
Sourced from: http://www.army.mil/cmh/books/Vietna...
English: The Vietnam Forces National Memorial in u...Many protest groups were formed over the years to try and put a stop to the Vietnam war which many believed was a civil war we should not have gotten involved in. Save Our Sons and Youth Against Conscription were 2 major groups that were formed which protested against Australia's involvement in the Vietnam war. But it wasn't until the 1970's that the protests became very common.
The Vietnam War was the first war which was televised through Television to everyone in Australia. This helped raise awareness of what was happening in Vietnam and the incorrectness of some of what was being done. In 1970 moratorium rallies were held which were marches where people showed how strongly they felt about Australia's involvement in the war. Anti-war slogans and cries were developed and the protesters believed that Australian troops...