Robert Menzies and the Vietnam War

 

 

 

                        

By Daniel Sayers and James Taylor

 

 

                                                              

                                          Robert Menzies Portrait

 

 

 

Robert Menzies

 

Born 20th December 1894 in Jeparit, Victoria and was the twelfth and longest-serving Prime Minister of Australia, serving eighteen and a half years. He had a rapid rise to power, but his first term as Prime Minister was a failure. He spent eight years in opposition, during which he founded the Liberal Party. He was re-elected Prime Minister at the 1949 elections, and was a major player in Australian politics until his retirement in 1966. Menzies was well known  for his public speaking skills, especially on the floor of Parliament.

 

Involvement in the Vietnam War

 

Quote from the House of Representatives

 

"The Australian government is now in receipt of a request from the government of South Vietnam for further military assistance. We have decided - and this has been after close consultation with the Government of the United States- to provide an infantry battaliion for the service in South Vietnam. In case there is any misunderstanding, I think I should say, Sir, that we decided in principle some time ago ... that we would be willing to do this if we recieved the necessary request from the government of South Vietnam and the necessary collaboration with the United States...

The takeover of South Vietnam would be a direct military there at to Australia and all the countries of South and South-East Asia. It must be seen as part of a thrust by Communist China between the Indian and Pacific oceans."

 

 

 

 

                          Soldiers on tour of duty

 

 

In 1965, Robert Menzies chose to send the Australian troops to the Vietnam War, and brought conscription back to life. While this desicion seemed good at the time, it brought about problems for future Prime Ministers. He had wanted Australia to have strong ties with America and Britain. In April, Prime Minister Menzies announced the commitment of the first Australian combat troops, and from the years 1965 to 1972, about 50,000 Australians served with all branches of the Australian Military in the Vietnam War. Of these about 19,000 fought as conscripts. Due to the 1965 amendments to the Defence Act, men conscripted by ballot under the National Service Scheme could be forced to serve overseas.

 

 

Popularity during the War

 

While some of Robert Menzies' descions such as the the return of conscription were largely unpopular with the Australian public, Robert Menzies maintained that this was a necessary move to ensure the safety of Australia, and the threat to national security - communism. More about this topic can be viewed at Reasons for Involvement in the War.

 

The majority of Australia was against the war, and this grew as the war progressed. Many believed the war was in vein and Menzies was spending too many resources on the war, such as funding, and eventually human life. More about this topic can be found at Anti-War Movement 

 

 

 

Retirement

 

In January, 1966, after 16 years in government, Robert Menzies stepped down and was succeeded by Harold Holt. He toured the United States lecturing and later published two memoirs on his experiences. He died of a heart attack in Melbourne, 1978 and was given a state funeral.

 

 

 

Menzies at a state speech

 

Sources

 

1. Image 1:  http://nla.gov.au/nla.pic-an12148932, ‘Robert Menzies' (National Library of Australia) 

 

2. Image 2: http://www.vietnammemorial.com/vietnam-soldiers-1.jpg

 

3. Quote 1: Menzies, cited in Mason, K.J., (2007) Experience of Nationhood, McGraw Hill:Sydney

 

4. Mason K.J, 2007, Experience of Nationhood, 5th Edition, McGraw Hill, New South Wales, Australia

 

5. Image 3: http://nla.gov.au/nla.pic-an12266436 "Harold Holt" (National Library of Australia)