“Distinctly Australian Interests”: Australian Strategy and the Vietnam War

Abstract

In 1962, the deployment of the Australian Army Training Team Vietnam (AATTV) marked the beginning of Australia's commitment to the Vietnam War. During the first few years of the conflict, Australia's presence increased from 30 to 100 advisors in the AATTV and expanded further with the commitment of a battalion in 1965. On the surface, it appeared as though Australia's security relationship with the United States through the Australia, New Zealand, US security treaty (ANZUS) motivated Canberra's decisions. While ANZUS factored into Australia's decision to join the war in Vietnam, it was not the sole motivation. In the era of the Vietnam War, Australia was undergoing a shift in its strategic outlook that identified and prioritised Australian interests that were distinct from its allies while also pursuing collective defence agreements. Australia's “distinct” interests required consideration of the Asia–Pacific region as a whole, and its military contributions to the Vietnam War signalled one part of that broader strategic outlook in the Asia–Pacific region.