SUBJECTS: Civics and Citizenship, History
YEARS: 9–10
Would you demonstrate if you believed that your country was taking part in an unjust war?
From its beginning, the Vietnam War divided Australians, but opposition to the war grew immensely.
This opposition reached its peak in the Vietnam Moratorium demonstrations of 1970 and 1971, when hundreds of thousands of Australians took to the streets to protest.
In this clip, discover how these protests were viewed at the time.
Things to think about
- 1.Do you think governments always tell the truth when they send troops to war? Australia's Liberal-Country Party government sent troops, including conscripts, to fight in the Vietnam War from 1965 to 1972. The government claimed to be helping to defend free South Vietnam from communist North Vietnam. The war's opponents argued that Australia, the USA and other countries were supporting unpopular South Vietnamese dictators against a popular uprising.
- 2.As you view the clip, note the date of the Vietnam Moratorium demonstration. What was Victorian Premier Henry Bolte's attitude to the demonstration? What does Dr Jim Cairns say about his own concerns and those of the police? Cairns explains the various ways that Melbourne's moratorium could have affected one million people. Do you agree with this analysis?
- 3.If Australia today became involved in a war you thought was immoral, would you protest against it? During the Vietnam War, its supporters accused protesters of being undemocratic because an elected government had sent troops to the conflict. Protesters argued that they had a moral duty to oppose an unjust war that was fought in Australia's name. Discuss these opposing views, giving your opinion of both arguments.
- 4.Use the internet and other resources to find out why the protest movement against the Vietnam War grew from small minorities in Australia, the USA and other countries to include many millions of people. Include research into how people responded to news of the torture of Vietcong prisoners, the use by the USA of chemical weapons like napalm, and events such as the My Lai massacre.
Date of broadcast: 1 Jan 1970
Copyright
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