Australia's participation in the war was formally declared at an end when the Governor-General issued a proclamation on 11 January 1973. The only combat troops remaining in Vietnam were a platoon guarding the Australian embassy in Saigon, which was withdrawn in June 1973.
The war in Vietnam dragged on for many years after the events of Long Tan. And when it did finally end it wasn't because Australia had won. In the early '70s the US and Australia decided to pull out as public opinion turned against the war. And by 1975, the North had claimed victory over the South.
The Vietnam War was the longest 20th-century conflict in which Australians fought, and the first without Britain as an ally. About 52,000 Australians served in Vietnam, with 521 killed and more than 3,000 wounded.
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. Australians fought alongside South Vietnamese Government troops against the Vietcong, a communist-led insurgent force supported by the North Vietnamese Army.
It authorised Prime Minister William 'Billy' McMahon to make an early announcement that 'looked towards' withdrawal, but not to disclose the Cabinet decision. This document marks a major change—from participation to disengagement—in Australian Government policy about the Vietnam War.
15,381 conscripted national servicemen served from 1965 to 1972, sustaining 202 killed and 1,279 wounded. Six Australians were listed as missing in action, although these men are included in the list of Australians killed in action and the last of their remains were finally located and returned to Australia in 2009.
Tough, battle-hardened South Korean troops were justly feared by Vietcong and North Vietnamese regulars alike during the Vietnam War.
This year marks 50 years since diplomatic relations were established with Vietnam. Since then, our partnership has expanded significantly, with work now underway to elevate the Australia-Vietnam relationship to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.
Errol Noack was the first Australian conscript to die in the Vietnam War. He died at the age of 21 and became a symbol for the growing anti-war movement. The photographs and letters of the Noack family are a poignant record of the loss of a young life.
Errol was flown to hospital at Vung Tau in a medevac helicopter, but died shortly after arrival. Aged 21, he was the first National Serviceman to die in Vietnam.
And the German learned to fear Australians, because they were reckless, ruthless - and revengeful. During the Third Battle of Ypres, autumn 1917, the ANZAC's (Australian and New Zealand Army Corps) met the Germans on high ground, in front of Polygon Wood.
Vietnamese migration to Australia was spurred by the Vietnam War. Many Vietnamese people arrived as refugees after the conclusion of the war in 1975. Others arrived as the wives of Australian servicemen or as war orphans.
Soldiers returning to Australia met a hostile reception,” wrote Sharkey. Over the years, Australian veterans have reported that they were insulted and subjected to discriminatory treatment after returning home from Vietnam.
America did not experience a “lost victory” in Vietnam; in fact, victory was likely out of reach from the beginning. There is a broad consensus among professional historians that the Vietnam War was effectively unwinnable.
During the Vietnam conflict the standard helmet issued to both American and Australian troops was the Second World War vintage United States pattern M1 helmet, with minor modifications.
As the war progressed Australians were less convinced by the original rationale that China and communism posed a direct threat. Opposition to the war also grew as national servicemen were killed and wounded in the course of their service.
Keith Payne, VC, AM (born 30 August 1933) is a retired Australian soldier and a recipient of the Victoria Cross (VC), the highest decoration for gallantry "in the presence of the enemy" awarded to members of the British and Commonwealth armed forces. Payne's VC was awarded for his actions during the Vietnam War.
Five years ago, former Special Air Services Regiment patrol commander Ben Roberts-Smith was considered a national hero. As Australia's most decorated living soldier, he rubbed shoulders with royalty, was a favourite on the guest speaker circuit and was awarded Father of the Year by a children's charity in 2013.
By May 2011 all non-US coalition forces had withdrawn from Iraq and the US military withdraw all forces on 18 December 2011, thus ending the Iraq War. Two Australian service personnel died in the conflict in Iraq between 16 July 2003 and 31 July 2009.
Vietnam and the United States are strong and growing partners, sharing the goal of an open, connected, prosperous, resilient, and peaceful Indo-Pacific. Addressing the legacies of war is a foundational element of the strong relationship between the United States and Vietnam.
Vietnam has forged comprehensive strategic partnerships — the highest diplomatic designation — with China, India, Russia, and, most recently, South Korea. Many of Vietnam's strategic partners are U.S. allies, such as Japan, Australia, and the United Kingdom.
Many Vietnamese set up their own businesses, often working hard to put their children through school and university. Vietnamese small businesses gradually transformed streetscapes in suburbs like Richmond and Springvale into vibrant, restaurant and retail centres.
Throughout the war 'Tunnel Rats' were mainly responsible for clearing booby traps, unexploded bombs, bunkers and tunnels. They, like most of the Vietnam veterans, were not welcomed home.
They were intended to cow the populace, liquidate opponents, erode the morale of South Vietnamese government employees, and boost tax collection and propaganda efforts. Terror was meant to demonstrate that the South Vietnamese government could not protect them.