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MAN: OK, Neil, we can see you
coming down the ladder now.
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NARRATOR: On 20 July 1969,
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as millions on Earth
hold their breath,
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Neil Armstrong steps onto
the soft dust of the moon.
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ARMSTRONG: I'm gonna step
off the ladder now.
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In Vietnam,
young Australian singer Cathy Wayne
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takes one small step
onto a makeshift stage
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to perform for Allied troops.
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As she sings, she is hit by a bullet
aimed at a US officer.
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ARMSTRONG: That's one small step
for man...
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..one giant leap for mankind.
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On the same day that Armstrong makes
history as the first man on the moon,
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Cathy Wayne becomes
the first Australian woman
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to die in the Vietnam War.
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Her killer has never
been brought to justice.
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ARMSTRONG: The surface
is fine and powdery.
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I can...I can kick it up loosely
with my toe.
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ALL: (SING) Send her
victorious...
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ALL: (SING) Send her
victorious...
In Australia,
at the end of the 19'60s,
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In Australia,
at the end of the 19'60s,
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God Save The Queen was
still the national anthem...
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God Save The Queen was
God save the Queen.
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God save the Queen.
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..Indigenous children were
still being forcibly removed
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..Indigenous children were
from their families,
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from their families,
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and women had to pretend to be
married to obtain the pill.
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and women had to pretend to be
Come and see the real thing
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Come and see the real thing
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Come and see the real thing,
Come and see the real thing
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Come and see the real thing,
come and see...
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But as the decade was
drawing to a close
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But as the decade was
and anti-war protests intensified,
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and anti-war protests intensified,
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it felt like the '60s of popular
imagining was finally arriving.
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MAN: Nobody ever expects
a war to drag on.
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Wars are always going to be
over very, very quickly.
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The people that we invade
are always actually on our side,
Wars are always going to be
over very, very quickly.
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The people that we invade
are always actually on our side,
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oddly, and they'll
eventually come to see sense.
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oddly, and they'll
eventually come to see sense.
The enemy would be defeated
because we are always stronger,
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The enemy would be defeated
because we are always stronger,
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and not only that,
we have right upon our side.
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But the war hadn't been quickly won
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and, in 1969, US President Richard
Nixon had inherited the problem.
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MAN: Nixon announced a policy
of Vietnamisation,
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which cynics called changing
the colour of the corpses,
MAN: Nixon announced a policy
of Vietnamisation,
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which cynics called changing
the colour of the corpses,
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which is actually very misleading
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which is actually very misleading
because there were always,
in every week of the war,
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because there were always,
in every week of the war,
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there were far more
Vietnamese casualties
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than there were Western casualties.
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Riders on the storm...
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DAPIN: As the war dragged on,
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Australian public opinion began
to turn against the war.
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Australian public opinion began
ALL: One, two, three, four,
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ALL: One, two, three, four,
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we don't want the war!
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One, two...
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Australia's involvement in the war
had always received majority support,
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but by the end of the '60s dissent
was, at the very least, understood,
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but by the end of the '60s dissent
and becoming contagious.
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and becoming contagious.
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What do we want?!
and becoming contagious.
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What do we want?!
OTHERS: Peace!
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We do we want it?!
Now!
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What do we want?!
Peace!
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When do we want it?!
Now!
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MAN: If we were in Vietnam
for any reason at all,
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it was so that people had
the freedom to protest
MAN: If we were in Vietnam
for any reason at all,
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it was so that people had
the freedom to protest
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it was so that people had
the freedom to protest
in our society
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in our society
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compared with the society we were
supposed to be fighting against.
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On 8 May 1970,
around 200,000 Australians marched
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in moratorium events
around the country...
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in moratorium events
ALL: One, two, three, four,
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ALL: One, two, three, four,
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we don't want war!
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..undeniably announcing
that opposition to the war
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had transformed
into a mass movement.
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The fact that the moratorium went
so well and so peacefully,
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The fact that the moratorium went
and it was clear that, you know,
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and it was clear that, you know,
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there was very strong
anti-war sentiment
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amongst a large group of people,
it was a bit of a turning point.
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When I die and they lay me to rest
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Gonna go to the place
that's the best...
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A protest that really stands out
for me is the first moratorium.
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Workers would go on strike
and come out in the street,
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and, you know, it would bring
the nation to a standstill.
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The spirit in the sky
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That's where I'm gonna go
when I die...
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WOMAN: It had taken over
the whole city.
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WOMAN: It had taken over
It was a fantastic spectacle.
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It was a fantastic spectacle.
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MAN: ..this abhorrent policy
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which is not only wrong and unjust
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but is opposed to the interests
of the Australian people.
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MAN: The American architect
of the war, Robert McNamara,
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in the late '90s
or something like that,
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he says, "If I knew then
what I now know,
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"it would never have happened."
he says, "If I knew then
what I now know,
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"it would never have happened."
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And I thought, "Get real,
you bastards.
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"We figured it out when
we were 19, 20, 21."
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"We figured it out when
we were 19, 20, 21."
The government had no intention
of fighting a war
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The government had no intention
of fighting a war
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against an anti-war movement.
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They didn't anticipate it,
they didn't understand it,
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they didn't know what
to do about it.
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they didn't know what
We're caught in a trap...
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We're caught in a trap...
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Wanting an end to the war
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had spread all the way
to the White House.
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The time has come to end this war.
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Let history record that
at this critical moment
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both sides turned
their faces toward peace
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and away from conflict and war.
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We can't go on together...
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MAN: The Americans were clearly
looking to get out,
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the trouble was that the Americans
were not giving much indication
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of how many troops
they would withdraw
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or when they would withdraw.
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Back home,
Liberal Party infighting
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saw John Gorton replaced as
prime minister by William McMahon.
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I've been involved in politics
for a long time
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and I've learnt to take the smooth
with the rough...
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..and I took this
in exactly the same way
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as I would have taken a defat.
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TIFFEN: In March 1971, William
McMahon became prime minister,
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after overthrowing John Gorton,
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and McMahon just didn't have
the presence,
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and he was leading
a very divided and tired government.
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Adding to the government's problems
was trying to ease our way
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out of the conflict in Vietnam
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without looking like we were
slavishly following the US.
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Richard Nixon has been elected
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on a promise to
end the war in Vietnam,
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to achieve peace with honour.
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to achieve peace with honour.
But from the moment he's elected,
he starts to withdraw troops
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But from the moment he's elected,
he starts to withdraw troops
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at the rate of about
100,000 a year.
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They're not consulting Australia,
right?
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Australia's having to read
about this in the newspapers.
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Within weeks of becoming
prime minister,
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McMahon announced an acceleration in
the withdrawal of Australian troops.
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Soldiers finishing their tours
would not be replaced.
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In August 1971, he promised that
all Australian combat troops
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In August 1971, he promised that
would be out of Vietnam by Christmas.
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would be out of Vietnam by Christmas.
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A year ago,
Vietnamese were not allowed anywhere
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within the perimeter of
the Australian Task Force base.
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But now, with Australia's
operational role
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in Vietnam winding down,
things are beginning to change.
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A large section of the original task
force base has been handed over
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for training Vietnamese
in jungle warfare.
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for training Vietnamese
In other words, preparing them
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In other words, preparing them
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for when the Australians
completely pull out.
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A few miles south of here,
a key Australian military base,
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which was the springboard for
operations, patrols and ambushes,
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also has been handed over
to local Vietnamese forces,
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further evidence that Australia
is pulling out of this war.
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further evidence that Australia
MAN: By the end of 1972,
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MAN: By the end of 1972,
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nearly all Australian combat forces
had been withdrawn.
MAN: By the end of 1972,
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nearly all Australian combat forces
had been withdrawn.
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nearly all Australian combat forces
had been withdrawn.
For the Australian troops
still in Vietnam,
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For the Australian troops
still in Vietnam,
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having fewer comrades didn't make
their life any easier.
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Operation Ivanhoe was
the last deployment by 4RAR
having fewer comrades didn't make
their life any easier.
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Operation Ivanhoe was
the last deployment by 4RAR
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Operation Ivanhoe was
the last deployment by 4RAR
when we were in South Vietnam.
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when we were in South Vietnam.
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The government,
God bless their cotton socks,
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announced to the world
that we would be withdrawing
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announced to the world
from Phuoc Tuy province.
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from Phuoc Tuy province.
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MAN: The task force was
days from leaving.
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MAN: The task force was
We had signalled our intent to go,
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We had signalled our intent to go,
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the Vietnamese,
they knew that we were leaving.
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MCKAY: The Vietcong
and the North Vietnamese
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decided they would come back
into Phuoc Tuy province
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and try and give us a kick
up the bum as we were leaving.
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We started finding lots of sign
that the enemy were in the area
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and in large numbers.
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We found a foot track.
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When we were told to go in...
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..there was a lot more opposition
than we thought.
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We only got 50 metres in
and the sky fell in.
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The Battle of Nui Le,
as we now call it in 4RAR
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and especially in my platoon,
starts.
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People could not hear my voice,
the noise was so great.
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You couldn't yell an order
to anyone.
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You couldn't yell an order
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After about 15 minutes probably,
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my machine guns have
stopped shooting.
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I looked across...
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..and I could see my number one
machine-gun group
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laying down behind the gun
and they weren't moving.
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So, I go running forward...
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..people are shooting at me,
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and I get down and my two
machine-gunners are shot to death,
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both head shot.
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00:10:43,900 --> 00:10:47,020
And I look across to my right
and I see one of my diggers.
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Fred saw me going,
so he did the same thing.
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And so Fred got
the other gun going,
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And so Fred got
and so between us,
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and so between us,
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we waited till they got
really close...
220
00:11:01,700 --> 00:11:04,660
..and then we ripped into them
with the automatic fire.
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And so we provided the covering fire
for the platoon to withdraw.
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The tragic part about all that
for me was
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00:11:18,020 --> 00:11:18,260
The tragic part about all that
that I had no cover from fire,
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00:11:18,260 --> 00:11:19,460
that I had no cover from fire,
226
00:11:19,460 --> 00:11:23,020
and I had to use the bodies
of my dead soldiers
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as cover from fire,
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and that was pretty awful.
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But the battle wasn't over.
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00:11:33,900 --> 00:11:41,060
It's now dark, and I was behind
a skinny tree, which is...
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00:11:41,060 --> 00:11:44,020
..I blame for what happened next -
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00:11:44,020 --> 00:11:47,580
two AK-47 bullets ripping
into my left shoulder
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00:11:47,580 --> 00:11:47,820
two AK-47 bullets ripping
and dislocating my arm.
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and dislocating my arm.
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00:11:51,620 --> 00:11:53,820
The artillery was then called in.
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00:11:53,820 --> 00:11:57,420
And, so, once we stopped the
artillery, the enemy withdrew.
237
00:11:59,660 --> 00:12:04,900
And that was the end of the battle,
per se, and a long night.
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00:12:08,660 --> 00:12:13,460
My medic, Mick O'Sullivan,
had used all the morphine he had
239
00:12:13,460 --> 00:12:13,700
My medic, Mick O'Sullivan,
on Ralph Niblett,
240
00:12:13,700 --> 00:12:15,660
on Ralph Niblett,
241
00:12:15,660 --> 00:12:19,140
because Ralph had what we call
a sucking chest wound,
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00:12:19,140 --> 00:12:22,500
and he was not going to live,
no way.
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00:12:24,060 --> 00:12:28,900
He said "Jeez, Ralph, you'll be home
in time for the grand final."
244
00:12:28,900 --> 00:12:34,060
And he looked at him and he said,
"No, mate, I'm fucked."
245
00:12:34,060 --> 00:12:37,140
And that's...that's all...
They were his last words.
246
00:12:37,140 --> 00:12:40,100
I'm sorry about the language,
but that's what he said.
247
00:12:40,100 --> 00:12:42,220
And he was the last
Australian to die
248
00:12:42,220 --> 00:12:44,460
on active service in South Vietnam.
249
00:12:50,540 --> 00:12:54,820
MAN: I think, as a result of
that operation
250
00:12:54,820 --> 00:12:59,220
right on the eve of leaving Vietnam,
251
00:12:59,220 --> 00:12:59,460
people are starting to question
what this was all about.
right on the eve of leaving Vietnam,
252
00:12:59,460 --> 00:13:04,060
people are starting to question
what this was all about.
253
00:13:04,060 --> 00:13:10,660
Why has there been this
long commitment since 1962,
254
00:13:10,660 --> 00:13:13,100
it's now nearly 1972,
255
00:13:13,100 --> 00:13:18,100
and here are five men,
five soldiers, who have been killed
256
00:13:18,100 --> 00:13:18,340
and here are five men,
and 30 have been wounded
257
00:13:18,340 --> 00:13:20,260
and 30 have been wounded
258
00:13:20,260 --> 00:13:20,500
in an action which will have
and 30 have been wounded
259
00:13:20,500 --> 00:13:23,740
in an action which will have
no influence whatever
260
00:13:23,740 --> 00:13:23,980
in an action which will have
on the outcome of this war?
261
00:13:23,980 --> 00:13:26,940
on the outcome of this war?
262
00:13:26,940 --> 00:13:31,900
And it's quite fair for people
to be asking these questions.
263
00:13:31,900 --> 00:13:32,140
And it's quite fair for people
What did these men die for?
264
00:13:32,140 --> 00:13:33,860
What did these men die for?
265
00:13:33,860 --> 00:13:34,100
What did any of those die for
What did these men die for?
266
00:13:34,100 --> 00:13:40,060
What did any of those die for
that died throughout the commitment?
267
00:13:40,060 --> 00:13:40,300
What did any of those die for
And I think...
268
00:13:40,300 --> 00:13:41,660
And I think...
269
00:13:45,900 --> 00:13:48,100
OK, sorry.
271
00:14:20,420 --> 00:14:25,620
Back in Australia, after 23 years
of Liberal-Country Party rule,
272
00:14:25,620 --> 00:14:25,900
Back in Australia, after 23 years
of Liberal-Country Party rule,
the electorate decided
to change the government.
273
00:14:25,900 --> 00:14:28,420
the electorate decided
to change the government.
274
00:14:29,980 --> 00:14:32,380
Time for loving
275
00:14:32,380 --> 00:14:34,140
Time for giving
276
00:14:34,140 --> 00:14:36,660
Yes, it's time to move
277
00:14:36,660 --> 00:14:37,860
Yes, it's time...
278
00:14:37,860 --> 00:14:38,100
The election of the Labor Party
in December 1972
Yes, it's time...
279
00:14:38,100 --> 00:14:40,380
The election of the Labor Party
in December 1972
280
00:14:40,380 --> 00:14:42,420
meant the end of Australia's
military involvement
281
00:14:42,420 --> 00:14:42,660
meant the end of Australia's
in the Vietnam War.
282
00:14:42,660 --> 00:14:44,260
in the Vietnam War.
283
00:14:44,260 --> 00:14:44,500
in the Vietnam War.
The war of intervention
in Vietnam is ending.
284
00:14:44,500 --> 00:14:47,660
The war of intervention
in Vietnam is ending.
285
00:14:47,660 --> 00:14:50,660
The great powers are rethinking
and remoulding
286
00:14:50,660 --> 00:14:53,220
their relationships
and their obligations.
287
00:14:53,220 --> 00:14:56,620
Australia cannot stand still
at such a time.
288
00:14:58,780 --> 00:15:00,660
MULLINS: Within days of
coming to office,
289
00:15:00,660 --> 00:15:00,900
MULLINS: Within days of
Whitlam had ended conscription,
290
00:15:00,900 --> 00:15:03,140
Whitlam had ended conscription,
291
00:15:03,140 --> 00:15:07,100
and he had ended prosecutions
against those resisting the draft.
292
00:15:07,100 --> 00:15:07,340
and he had ended prosecutions
Instructions have now been given
293
00:15:07,340 --> 00:15:09,620
Instructions have now been given
294
00:15:09,620 --> 00:15:12,380
that all pending prosecutions
are to be withdrawn.
295
00:15:13,860 --> 00:15:16,860
The Commonwealth Police have been
asked to withhold execution
296
00:15:16,860 --> 00:15:17,100
The Commonwealth Police have been
of outstanding warrants...
297
00:15:17,100 --> 00:15:19,020
of outstanding warrants...
298
00:15:19,020 --> 00:15:22,220
Free the people
299
00:15:22,220 --> 00:15:24,140
From the fire...
300
00:15:24,140 --> 00:15:26,700
How do you feel?
I feel tremendous. I feel very good.
301
00:15:28,500 --> 00:15:31,580
EDWARDS: The steps that the new
Whitlam Government took
302
00:15:31,580 --> 00:15:31,820
EDWARDS: The steps that the new
were as much symbolic as actual.
303
00:15:31,820 --> 00:15:34,420
were as much symbolic as actual.
304
00:15:34,420 --> 00:15:39,020
But the big crunch comes and the big
rupture in the relationship comes
305
00:15:39,020 --> 00:15:42,100
of course,
only days after Whitlam is elected,
306
00:15:42,100 --> 00:15:42,340
of course,
and that is on 18 December 1972.
307
00:15:42,340 --> 00:15:46,660
and that is on 18 December 1972.
308
00:15:46,660 --> 00:15:48,260
The Nixon Administration,
309
00:15:48,260 --> 00:15:50,820
frustrated with the
peace negotiations
310
00:15:50,820 --> 00:15:54,660
with the North Vietnamese, the fact
that they're going so slowly,
311
00:15:54,660 --> 00:15:57,300
embark on this massive
bombing campaign
312
00:15:57,300 --> 00:16:01,100
of the major population centres of
North Vietnam - Hanoi and Haiphong.
313
00:16:07,060 --> 00:16:10,660
(THE END OF THE WORLD
BY SKEETER DAVIS PLAYS)
314
00:16:14,020 --> 00:16:20,660
Why does the sun go on shining?
315
00:16:20,660 --> 00:16:20,860
Why does the sea rush to shore?
Why does the sun go on shining?
316
00:16:20,860 --> 00:16:26,780
Why does the sea rush to shore?
317
00:16:26,780 --> 00:16:27,020
CURRAN: They dropped more bombs on
Why does the sea rush to shore?
those two cities in a 12-day period
318
00:16:27,020 --> 00:16:31,100
CURRAN: They dropped more bombs on
those two cities in a 12-day period
319
00:16:31,100 --> 00:16:34,620
than the Allies drop on
the entire European continent
320
00:16:34,620 --> 00:16:36,060
during the Second World War.
321
00:16:36,060 --> 00:16:37,420
Kissinger says, "Mr President,
322
00:16:37,420 --> 00:16:39,900
"we are going to break
every window in Hanoi."
323
00:16:39,900 --> 00:16:42,700
Goodbye.
324
00:16:51,580 --> 00:16:55,180
Now, there is enormous moral
outrage across the world.
325
00:16:55,180 --> 00:16:55,420
Now, there is enormous moral
The Pope attacks the White House.
326
00:16:55,420 --> 00:16:58,180
The Pope attacks the White House.
327
00:16:58,180 --> 00:17:01,860
The two biggest critics though,
in terms of world leaders,
328
00:17:01,860 --> 00:17:04,660
are the Swedish Prime Minister
Olof Palme
329
00:17:04,660 --> 00:17:06,340
and Australian Prime Minister
Gough Whitlam.
330
00:17:07,420 --> 00:17:09,940
WHITLAM: If the bombing
had not been resumed,
331
00:17:09,940 --> 00:17:12,980
relations between the present
Australian government
332
00:17:12,980 --> 00:17:14,780
and the United States government
would be better
333
00:17:14,780 --> 00:17:17,820
than they had ever been
since the Second World War
334
00:17:17,820 --> 00:17:21,380
between any Australian government
and any American administration.
335
00:17:22,500 --> 00:17:27,460
What did Australia gain from going
all the way with LBJ in Vietnam?
336
00:17:27,460 --> 00:17:30,020
Especially when you consider
that all the major decisions
337
00:17:30,020 --> 00:17:34,020
were taken without prior
consultation with Australia
338
00:17:34,020 --> 00:17:34,260
were taken without prior
as an ally.
339
00:17:34,260 --> 00:17:35,820
as an ally.
340
00:17:35,820 --> 00:17:38,940
The real question is,
what is there to suggest
341
00:17:38,940 --> 00:17:42,820
that anything will be different this
time, once the hazy mist lifts?
342
00:17:42,820 --> 00:17:44,700
We are now in the position
where we are
343
00:17:44,700 --> 00:17:47,820
locked into America's
strategy in Asia
344
00:17:47,820 --> 00:17:48,060
locked into America's
to counter a rising China.
345
00:17:48,060 --> 00:17:50,300
to counter a rising China.
346
00:17:50,300 --> 00:17:52,020
To what extent are
we really confident
347
00:17:52,020 --> 00:17:54,940
that we will get anything better
in terms of consultation,
348
00:17:54,940 --> 00:17:57,900
in terms of decisions that America
takes in its own interests?
349
00:18:02,540 --> 00:18:06,020
Australia's participation
in the war formally ended
350
00:18:06,020 --> 00:18:07,980
in January 1973.
351
00:18:10,140 --> 00:18:15,700
The final act came in April 1975,
with the fall of Saigon
352
00:18:15,700 --> 00:18:19,380
and the utter collapse
of the South Vietnamese regime.
353
00:18:28,500 --> 00:18:31,300
The last Australian servicemen
left Vietnam
354
00:18:31,300 --> 00:18:31,540
The last Australian servicemen
when our embassy was evacuated.
355
00:18:31,540 --> 00:18:33,460
when our embassy was evacuated.
356
00:18:38,220 --> 00:18:40,260
NEWSREEL: During the last few days
it was inevitable
357
00:18:40,260 --> 00:18:43,860
that the Australians would
close down completely in Saigon.
358
00:18:43,860 --> 00:18:46,860
Officially the embassy is
being closed temporarily,
359
00:18:46,860 --> 00:18:50,020
but no-one on the staff is really
sure if they'll ever be back.
360
00:18:51,460 --> 00:18:54,580
MAN: The last week or so,
when really Saigon was surrounded,
361
00:18:54,580 --> 00:18:54,860
they sent a team of four of us
to the embassy
MAN: The last week or so,
when really Saigon was surrounded,
362
00:18:54,860 --> 00:18:57,860
they sent a team of four of us
to the embassy
363
00:18:57,860 --> 00:19:01,300
to protect the ambassador's staff.
364
00:19:01,300 --> 00:19:01,500
to protect the ambassador's staff.
We went out to the airfield.
365
00:19:01,500 --> 00:19:03,740
We went out to the airfield.
366
00:19:03,740 --> 00:19:06,820
The last two Hercs would have
come in late that afternoon.
367
00:19:06,820 --> 00:19:07,060
The last two Hercs would have
370
00:19:18,660 --> 00:19:23,340
DAINER: Possessions of embassy staff
were loaded onto that last aircraft,
371
00:19:23,340 --> 00:19:29,500
carpets, bottles of wine,
ceramic statues.
372
00:19:29,500 --> 00:19:31,460
The pilot came out and spoke to
373
00:19:31,460 --> 00:19:33,220
the officer in charge
of that operation, he said,
374
00:19:33,220 --> 00:19:33,460
the officer in charge
"What about these four blokes?"
375
00:19:33,460 --> 00:19:35,380
"What about these four blokes?"
376
00:19:35,380 --> 00:19:40,860
And he said, "Oh, um, there's no
room. We'll send another aircraft."
377
00:19:47,100 --> 00:19:49,980
So, they left, and the four of us
sat there for,
378
00:19:49,980 --> 00:19:52,300
I don't know, it must have been
getting dark I think
379
00:19:52,300 --> 00:19:52,540
I don't know, it must have been
before that last Herc did turn up.
380
00:19:52,540 --> 00:19:55,380
before that last Herc did turn up.
381
00:19:55,380 --> 00:19:57,860
And we were quite confident
one would come,
382
00:19:57,860 --> 00:20:02,300
but, you know, after a couple of
hours you do start to wonder.
383
00:20:02,300 --> 00:20:05,260
And sort of late, very
late afternoon, it arrived
384
00:20:05,260 --> 00:20:07,780
and the last four of us
left Vietnam.
385
00:20:14,100 --> 00:20:17,020
It probably puts a nice full stop
to the whole war, doesn't it?
386
00:20:17,020 --> 00:20:19,900
That someone thought that some
carpets were a bit more important
387
00:20:19,900 --> 00:20:20,140
That someone thought that some
than four Australian airmen.
388
00:20:20,140 --> 00:20:21,940
than four Australian airmen.
389
00:20:21,940 --> 00:20:24,860
And you wonder that 15 years of war
390
00:20:24,860 --> 00:20:28,100
and 500 young Australian lives,
391
00:20:28,100 --> 00:20:28,340
50-something-thousand Americans,
and 500 young Australian lives,
392
00:20:28,340 --> 00:20:30,940
50-something-thousand Americans,
several million Vietnamese,
393
00:20:30,940 --> 00:20:33,460
and we're having an argument
over a carpet.
394
00:20:33,460 --> 00:20:36,740
Um... (LAUGHS) What do you say?
396
00:20:47,060 --> 00:20:49,740
NEWSREEL: When they returned,
the nation rejoiced,
397
00:20:49,740 --> 00:20:52,660
perhaps just as much for the end
of an unhappy chapter
398
00:20:52,660 --> 00:20:56,820
of Australian history as for the
safe return of its fighting men.
399
00:20:56,820 --> 00:20:57,060
of Australian history as for the
Well, all except 500 of them anyway.
400
00:20:57,060 --> 00:20:59,660
Well, all except 500 of them anyway.
401
00:21:17,260 --> 00:21:20,940
Around 60,000 Australians
served in Vietnam.
402
00:21:20,940 --> 00:21:25,260
For many, coming home wasn't
as peaceful as they'd hoped.
403
00:21:29,460 --> 00:21:33,900
DAPIN: When national servicemen
were demobbed,
404
00:21:33,900 --> 00:21:34,180
they were demobbed very quickly
and unemotionally.
DAPIN: When national servicemen
were demobbed,
405
00:21:34,180 --> 00:21:40,020
they were demobbed very quickly
and unemotionally.
406
00:21:40,020 --> 00:21:40,260
they were demobbed very quickly
and unemotionally.
It was a very sudden break
407
00:21:40,260 --> 00:21:43,060
It was a very sudden break
408
00:21:43,060 --> 00:21:47,220
from a life that was alien
to them anyway,
409
00:21:47,220 --> 00:21:47,460
from a life that was alien
to a life in a society that,
410
00:21:47,460 --> 00:21:49,500
to a life in a society that,
411
00:21:49,500 --> 00:21:49,740
you know, to some extent,
to a life in a society that,
412
00:21:49,740 --> 00:21:51,300
you know, to some extent,
had changed around them.
413
00:21:54,700 --> 00:21:57,460
You just thought you were going to
pick up from where you left off,
414
00:21:57,460 --> 00:21:57,740
but that wasn't the case,
you were at a different level.
You just thought you were going to
pick up from where you left off,
415
00:21:57,740 --> 00:22:00,980
but that wasn't the case,
you were at a different level.
416
00:22:00,980 --> 00:22:02,340
And so...
417
00:22:02,340 --> 00:22:05,540
But that wasn't... Didn't discover
that until you got home.
418
00:22:05,540 --> 00:22:05,820
But that wasn't... Didn't discover
that until you got home.
People don't know what to ask,
don't know what to say.
419
00:22:05,820 --> 00:22:09,460
People don't know what to ask,
don't know what to say.
420
00:22:09,460 --> 00:22:09,700
You know, um...
People don't know what to ask,
don't know what to say.
421
00:22:09,700 --> 00:22:10,940
You know, um...
422
00:22:12,380 --> 00:22:15,700
The children want to know
if you've killed somebody,
423
00:22:15,700 --> 00:22:15,940
The children want to know
if you've killed somebody,
and what was your weapon like?
424
00:22:15,940 --> 00:22:18,340
and what was your weapon like?
425
00:22:18,340 --> 00:22:20,740
And the adults are often stumped.
426
00:22:22,060 --> 00:22:23,980
What do they...
427
00:22:23,980 --> 00:22:27,940
"What am I going to ask?" You know,
"Did you have a nice time?"
428
00:22:30,820 --> 00:22:32,580
Trying to reintegrate,
429
00:22:32,580 --> 00:22:36,060
many Vietnam servicemen trod
a traditional path
430
00:22:36,060 --> 00:22:38,380
and rocked up at
their local RSL club.
431
00:22:39,820 --> 00:22:42,540
A lot of veterans' reflections
about coming home,
432
00:22:42,540 --> 00:22:45,060
they talk about being flown in
at the dead of night
433
00:22:45,060 --> 00:22:46,340
to avoid protesters,
434
00:22:46,340 --> 00:22:46,580
to avoid protesters,
that they didn't have
welcome home parades,
435
00:22:46,580 --> 00:22:48,260
that they didn't have
welcome home parades,
436
00:22:48,260 --> 00:22:50,540
that they were abused
by anti-war protesters,
437
00:22:50,540 --> 00:22:52,780
and that they were excluded
from the RSLs.
438
00:22:54,100 --> 00:22:56,340
And what's interesting
about this is that
439
00:22:56,340 --> 00:22:59,060
for three of those four,
440
00:22:59,060 --> 00:23:02,180
there's just not the evidence
to back it up.
441
00:23:02,180 --> 00:23:02,420
there's just not the evidence
Now, the last of these, um...
442
00:23:02,420 --> 00:23:05,260
Now, the last of these, um...
443
00:23:05,260 --> 00:23:08,220
..so-called memory myths is
actually not a myth at all.
444
00:23:08,220 --> 00:23:10,620
Veterans were excluded
from the RSLs.
445
00:23:10,620 --> 00:23:12,900
And initially they were
excluded from the RSLs
446
00:23:12,900 --> 00:23:15,180
on the grounds that
Vietnam was a conflict,
447
00:23:15,180 --> 00:23:15,420
on the grounds that
or a police action, and not a war.
448
00:23:15,420 --> 00:23:17,300
or a police action, and not a war.
449
00:23:20,420 --> 00:23:25,220
MAN: So, I joined in 1971,
but I was never made welcome.
450
00:23:25,220 --> 00:23:25,500
They didn't think that we were real
soldiers and they didn't think
MAN: So, I joined in 1971,
but I was never made welcome.
451
00:23:25,500 --> 00:23:27,900
They didn't think that we were real
soldiers and they didn't think
452
00:23:27,900 --> 00:23:31,500
that we were worthy of
being RSL members.
453
00:23:34,860 --> 00:23:38,820
Yeah, well, my brother took me
into the RSL.
454
00:23:38,820 --> 00:23:39,100
I was in full uniform,
on walking sticks,
Yeah, well, my brother took me
into the RSL.
455
00:23:39,100 --> 00:23:42,900
I was in full uniform,
on walking sticks,
456
00:23:42,900 --> 00:23:47,460
and, uh...got a beer
off the barmaid.
457
00:23:47,460 --> 00:23:49,380
And she said,
458
00:23:49,380 --> 00:23:52,340
"You shouldn't have been over there
in the first place."
459
00:23:52,340 --> 00:23:54,100
And that hit me really hard.
460
00:23:56,300 --> 00:23:58,260
I wasn't a war hero.
461
00:23:58,260 --> 00:24:02,060
I never joined the army voluntarily,
462
00:24:02,060 --> 00:24:02,300
it was just something
I never joined the army voluntarily,
463
00:24:02,300 --> 00:24:04,060
it was just something
thrust upon me.
464
00:24:05,300 --> 00:24:09,660
There was also a problem
with our Aboriginal soldiers.
465
00:24:09,660 --> 00:24:14,220
I mean, I know of
one instance in Bourke
466
00:24:14,220 --> 00:24:20,500
where two Aboriginal soldiers
in uniform
467
00:24:20,500 --> 00:24:23,660
went to the RSL and were told
they weren't allowed in.
468
00:24:25,420 --> 00:24:31,100
MAN: The RSL in Bourke in those days
was called the Bourke-Oxley RSL.
469
00:24:32,980 --> 00:24:37,180
A big arsehole, he said,
"Where are you blokes going?"
470
00:24:37,180 --> 00:24:39,980
I said, "In here."
He said, "No, you're not."
471
00:24:39,980 --> 00:24:40,260
I said, "In here."
He said, "No, you're not."
It was quite absolutely
disgraceful.
472
00:24:40,260 --> 00:24:43,260
It was quite absolutely
disgraceful.
473
00:24:43,260 --> 00:24:47,820
And for that reason,
some veterans to this day
474
00:24:47,820 --> 00:24:57,100
still have a dislike and an anger
directed towards the RSL
475
00:24:57,100 --> 00:24:59,900
because of the way
they were treated.
476
00:24:59,900 --> 00:25:07,020
But it's interesting now to know
that Vietnam-era blokes are now,
477
00:25:07,020 --> 00:25:07,260
But it's interesting now to know
and have been for some time,
478
00:25:07,260 --> 00:25:09,100
and have been for some time,
479
00:25:09,100 --> 00:25:11,740
the strength of the RSL
across Australia.
480
00:25:11,740 --> 00:25:11,980
the strength of the RSL
482
00:25:19,900 --> 00:25:21,820
Never before in Australia's history
483
00:25:21,820 --> 00:25:25,500
have her armed forces
engaged in a conflict overseas
484
00:25:25,500 --> 00:25:28,020
received such a mixed
reception at home
485
00:25:28,020 --> 00:25:30,540
and so much outright opposition.
486
00:25:30,540 --> 00:25:30,780
Well, now the last
and so much outright opposition.
487
00:25:30,780 --> 00:25:33,020
Well, now the last
troops have returned,
488
00:25:33,020 --> 00:25:35,380
it's a fair enough welcome,
but it's a far cry
489
00:25:35,380 --> 00:25:39,260
from the national rejoicing
that greeted earlier returns.
490
00:25:40,500 --> 00:25:44,860
While many units had marched in the
streets on their returns from war,
491
00:25:44,860 --> 00:25:47,820
there was a strong feeling
among Vietnam veterans
492
00:25:47,820 --> 00:25:50,820
that Australia had not respected
their service.
493
00:25:52,020 --> 00:25:55,220
The veteran community began
to organise a fitting
494
00:25:55,220 --> 00:25:57,260
welcome home parade.
495
00:25:57,260 --> 00:25:59,780
There'd been these growing
sort of organic welcome home parades
496
00:25:59,780 --> 00:26:02,540
all over the United States
in the early '80s.
497
00:26:02,540 --> 00:26:05,860
And that inspires veteran
activists in Australia
498
00:26:05,860 --> 00:26:06,940
to have their own
welcome home parade
499
00:26:06,940 --> 00:26:07,180
to have their own
on the anniversary of Long Tan.
500
00:26:07,180 --> 00:26:08,620
on the anniversary of Long Tan.
501
00:26:09,820 --> 00:26:15,340
In October 1987, 22,000 veterans
marched in Sydney.
502
00:26:16,740 --> 00:26:22,660
We had no idea whether people
would throw stones or stuff at us
503
00:26:22,660 --> 00:26:22,900
We had no idea whether people
or whether they'd clap.
504
00:26:22,900 --> 00:26:24,660
or whether they'd clap.
505
00:26:26,180 --> 00:26:29,940
NEWSREEL: This was the scene that
brought it home to Australians -
506
00:26:29,940 --> 00:26:36,220
504 flags, one for every Australian
who gave their life in Vietnam.
507
00:26:39,380 --> 00:26:43,140
It was a turning point
for the veteran movement
508
00:26:43,140 --> 00:26:43,380
It was a turning point
and I think for Australia generally.
509
00:26:43,380 --> 00:26:45,620
and I think for Australia generally.
510
00:26:45,620 --> 00:26:49,020
I left my heart to
the sappers round Khe Sanh...
511
00:26:50,820 --> 00:26:55,140
NEWSREEL: More than 25,000 of the
Australians who fought in Vietnam
512
00:26:55,140 --> 00:26:55,380
NEWSREEL: More than 25,000 of the
were marching again.
513
00:26:55,380 --> 00:26:56,740
were marching again.
515
00:26:59,820 --> 00:27:04,620
An estimated 110,000 people
thronged the streets of Sydney
516
00:27:04,620 --> 00:27:07,100
to give them the welcome home
many had missed.
517
00:27:08,380 --> 00:27:12,340
# She was like so many more
from that time on
518
00:27:14,340 --> 00:27:18,180
Their lives were all so empty
till they found...
519
00:27:18,180 --> 00:27:21,780
What was so obvious, that this march
520
00:27:21,780 --> 00:27:24,700
just was irrelevant.
521
00:27:24,700 --> 00:27:24,940
What happened was all these men
finding each other,
just was irrelevant.
522
00:27:24,940 --> 00:27:30,340
What happened was all these men
finding each other,
523
00:27:30,340 --> 00:27:34,060
finding their group and
talking to each other and sobbing.
524
00:27:35,020 --> 00:27:39,300
And...I remember saying,
"Well, what's going on?
525
00:27:39,300 --> 00:27:40,580
"Why is this happening?"
526
00:27:40,580 --> 00:27:42,500
And yet it was sort of obvious
527
00:27:42,500 --> 00:27:46,820
that they hadn't been able
to do that until then.
528
00:27:53,060 --> 00:27:55,820
MAN: The great thing about that,
for me,
529
00:27:55,820 --> 00:27:56,100
was meeting a lot of
my diggers again.
MAN: The great thing about that,
for me,
530
00:27:56,100 --> 00:27:59,060
was meeting a lot of
my diggers again.
531
00:27:59,060 --> 00:28:01,940
Uh...that was what it was
all about for me.
532
00:28:03,380 --> 00:28:06,900
There was a walk down a street,
but, you know, who cares?
533
00:28:06,900 --> 00:28:07,140
There was a walk down a street,
I wanted to be with my diggers.
534
00:28:07,140 --> 00:28:09,060
I wanted to be with my diggers.
535
00:28:09,060 --> 00:28:11,100
I wanted to meet them again,
I hadn't seen many of them
536
00:28:11,100 --> 00:28:11,340
I wanted to meet them again,
for a long time.
537
00:28:11,340 --> 00:28:12,940
for a long time.
538
00:28:12,940 --> 00:28:13,180
So it was a great opportunity
for a long time.
539
00:28:13,180 --> 00:28:16,580
So it was a great opportunity
to get back with them.
540
00:28:16,580 --> 00:28:16,820
So it was a great opportunity
I've never seen so many diggers
541
00:28:16,820 --> 00:28:20,900
I've never seen so many diggers
542
00:28:20,900 --> 00:28:22,660
have so much dust in their eyes,
543
00:28:22,660 --> 00:28:25,500
because a lot of blokes
were marching down that street,
544
00:28:25,500 --> 00:28:25,740
because a lot of blokes
brushing it out.
545
00:28:25,740 --> 00:28:27,860
brushing it out.
547
00:28:29,820 --> 00:28:32,540
It was an emotional time
548
00:28:32,540 --> 00:28:35,500
and a very warm and forgiving time.
549
00:28:38,140 --> 00:28:40,380
The best part about
being here today,
550
00:28:40,380 --> 00:28:43,900
and hopefully everyone will think
the same, is if we're all together.
551
00:28:46,220 --> 00:28:48,420
EARLE: I never went to it.
552
00:28:48,420 --> 00:28:50,380
Too little too late.
553
00:28:52,900 --> 00:28:54,860
The damage had been done.
554
00:29:05,660 --> 00:29:07,180
Alright, how have you been going?
555
00:29:07,180 --> 00:29:08,900
Yeah, alright.
Yeah?
556
00:29:08,900 --> 00:29:10,460
Yeah, I just came back
from Malta about...
557
00:29:11,460 --> 00:29:13,100
..oh, six months ago.
558
00:29:13,100 --> 00:29:14,300
Yeah?
559
00:29:14,300 --> 00:29:16,620
Went to see my clan over there.
560
00:29:18,900 --> 00:29:23,180
CROSBIE: I was drinking at
my local hotel.
561
00:29:23,180 --> 00:29:27,020
When I was drinking there, I just
clammed up, didn't say anything,
562
00:29:27,020 --> 00:29:30,340
because you're worried about
what people might think.
563
00:29:30,340 --> 00:29:31,620
Are you gonna have a shot?
Yeah.
564
00:29:33,340 --> 00:29:35,540
CROSBIE: And, so, you, um...
565
00:29:37,100 --> 00:29:40,300
..you're scared,
because if you do go out,
566
00:29:40,300 --> 00:29:43,380
and you go out for a dinner
with a group of people,
567
00:29:43,380 --> 00:29:43,620
and you go out for a dinner
and somebody annoys you,
568
00:29:43,620 --> 00:29:46,020
and somebody annoys you,
569
00:29:46,020 --> 00:29:48,620
you know, it's very embarrassing
just to get up and say,
570
00:29:48,620 --> 00:29:48,860
you know, it's very embarrassing
"I'm leaving, I'm out of here."
571
00:29:48,860 --> 00:29:50,620
"I'm leaving, I'm out of here."
572
00:29:50,620 --> 00:29:50,860
What you would do, you'd go to
"I'm leaving, I'm out of here."
573
00:29:50,860 --> 00:29:53,460
What you would do, you'd go to
the toilet and don't come back.
574
00:29:55,380 --> 00:29:59,260
So... (LAUGHS) ..you'd find
a way of leaving.
575
00:29:59,260 --> 00:29:59,500
So... (LAUGHS) ..you'd find
And it would appear...
576
00:29:59,500 --> 00:30:01,460
And it would appear...
577
00:30:01,460 --> 00:30:03,140
There you go.
578
00:30:03,140 --> 00:30:03,380
..I've got a good grouping
There you go.
579
00:30:03,380 --> 00:30:05,620
..I've got a good grouping
but not the bullseye.
580
00:30:05,620 --> 00:30:08,500
Yeah, hopeless as ever.
581
00:30:08,500 --> 00:30:10,940
Some things never change.
582
00:30:12,620 --> 00:30:18,460
CROSBIE: In 1992,
there was a dedication
583
00:30:18,460 --> 00:30:21,900
to opening up the Vietnam
Memorial in Canberra.
584
00:30:23,020 --> 00:30:29,140
And at the hotel, we had a darts
competition and I had to indicate
585
00:30:29,140 --> 00:30:32,860
that I would not be there
for a few days.
586
00:30:32,860 --> 00:30:35,820
And they said, "Well, what for?"
587
00:30:35,820 --> 00:30:38,300
And a little bit more detail
and it turns out
588
00:30:38,300 --> 00:30:41,180
that I divulge why I was going.
589
00:30:41,180 --> 00:30:47,220
And they ended up saying,
"Well, I was a veteran too."
590
00:30:47,220 --> 00:30:49,260
And the other guy said,
"Well, so was I."
591
00:30:50,620 --> 00:30:54,940
And all this time we hadn't
ever discussed it
592
00:30:54,940 --> 00:30:59,140
or known of each other's involvement
in the military.
593
00:31:00,180 --> 00:31:01,620
So, this was a bit of a shock.
594
00:31:02,660 --> 00:31:07,100
We were the second-last aircraft
to take off from Vung Tau.
595
00:31:07,100 --> 00:31:07,340
We were the second-last aircraft
We had 39 on board our Herc.
596
00:31:07,340 --> 00:31:09,780
We had 39 on board our Herc.
597
00:31:09,780 --> 00:31:12,820
They flew us from there
to Butterworth.
598
00:31:12,820 --> 00:31:14,060
From there to Darwin.
599
00:31:14,060 --> 00:31:17,340
Landed in Darwin one o'clock
in the morning.
600
00:31:17,340 --> 00:31:17,580
Landed in Darwin one o'clock
Did they?
601
00:31:17,580 --> 00:31:18,340
Did they?
602
00:31:18,340 --> 00:31:22,660
There was two of us in the end,
10 hours later, got off at Richmond.
603
00:31:22,660 --> 00:31:24,260
And that was the big fanfare
coming home.
604
00:31:24,260 --> 00:31:25,980
Yeah.
605
00:31:25,980 --> 00:31:26,220
Yeah.
CROSBIE: After the event,
606
00:31:26,220 --> 00:31:27,340
CROSBIE: After the event,
607
00:31:27,340 --> 00:31:30,420
we sort of opened up a bit
to each other about it all,
608
00:31:30,420 --> 00:31:32,940
and then we realised
that we were home.
609
00:31:32,940 --> 00:31:35,460
But it took a long time.
610
00:31:35,460 --> 00:31:37,940
Yeah, I'll see you soon.
Yeah, will do.
611
00:31:37,940 --> 00:31:39,380
OK.
Cheers.
612
00:31:41,380 --> 00:31:45,820
In later years, we discovered that
there was a price to be paid.
613
00:31:45,820 --> 00:31:46,060
And, uh...
there was a price to be paid.
614
00:31:46,060 --> 00:31:47,700
And, uh...
615
00:31:47,700 --> 00:31:49,860
Yeah, that was, uh...
616
00:31:51,420 --> 00:31:54,820
..that was when we started to
find out that we
617
00:31:54,820 --> 00:31:59,260
really hadn't escaped
unscathed from the war.
618
00:32:03,460 --> 00:32:06,100
BARTLEY: Well, we all had
our own demons.
619
00:32:06,100 --> 00:32:06,340
BARTLEY: Well, we all had
What I did, I medicated on alcohol.
620
00:32:06,340 --> 00:32:09,380
What I did, I medicated on alcohol.
621
00:32:09,380 --> 00:32:11,620
It dulls a pain,
622
00:32:11,620 --> 00:32:14,340
and when you sleep,
you might have dreams,
623
00:32:14,340 --> 00:32:17,820
but you don't have them as bad
as if, you know, you're awake.
624
00:32:20,740 --> 00:32:24,500
WALKER: The problem is
that when you're in a war,
625
00:32:24,500 --> 00:32:29,300
your survival instinct revs you up
and you become hyper alert.
626
00:32:29,300 --> 00:32:29,540
your survival instinct revs you up
Now, when you come home,
627
00:32:29,540 --> 00:32:31,380
Now, when you come home,
628
00:32:31,380 --> 00:32:34,660
your survival instinct
simply won't believe
629
00:32:34,660 --> 00:32:34,900
your survival instinct
that you're no longer in danger.
630
00:32:34,900 --> 00:32:37,420
that you're no longer in danger.
631
00:32:37,420 --> 00:32:37,660
A soldier on the battlefield
that you're no longer in danger.
632
00:32:37,660 --> 00:32:41,180
A soldier on the battlefield
is thinking,
633
00:32:41,180 --> 00:32:44,620
"When I get home, all this anxiety
I'll leave behind
634
00:32:44,620 --> 00:32:49,180
"and have a leisurely,
lovely, relaxed life.
635
00:32:49,180 --> 00:32:53,420
"And, you know, my loved ones,
my family and everything,
636
00:32:53,420 --> 00:32:58,940
"I'll be able to rekindle
my relationships with them."
637
00:33:00,420 --> 00:33:03,940
The other thing is
to survive in the battlefield...
638
00:33:05,460 --> 00:33:10,900
..a soldier has to suppress
both fear and grief.
639
00:33:12,020 --> 00:33:16,940
The problem is that suppressing
any emotion like that
640
00:33:16,940 --> 00:33:17,180
The problem is that suppressing
is to suppress them all.
641
00:33:17,180 --> 00:33:18,300
is to suppress them all.
642
00:33:22,380 --> 00:33:26,740
This lady that I married,
just special person ever...
643
00:33:28,540 --> 00:33:31,060
..she used to come around
knocking on my door.
644
00:33:31,060 --> 00:33:33,180
I'd know she'd come around
a couple of times a week
645
00:33:33,180 --> 00:33:33,420
I'd know she'd come around
at half past four.
646
00:33:33,420 --> 00:33:34,540
at half past four.
647
00:33:34,540 --> 00:33:36,900
I would be at home
before I went up to the pub,
648
00:33:36,900 --> 00:33:38,300
and I'd turn the radio off,
649
00:33:38,300 --> 00:33:42,820
and I'd put them in my ear
so she wouldn't think that I'm home.
650
00:33:42,820 --> 00:33:45,220
I wouldn't open the door.
651
00:33:45,220 --> 00:33:47,140
I just didn't want to...
652
00:33:47,140 --> 00:33:51,220
What's this bird coming around
wanting to interfere in my life?
653
00:33:51,220 --> 00:33:53,260
Why does she want to
get into MY life?
654
00:33:53,260 --> 00:33:53,500
Why does she want to
I've got a terrible life.
655
00:33:53,500 --> 00:33:54,900
I've got a terrible life.
656
00:33:54,900 --> 00:33:57,020
You know, I don't want to put
all this onto her.
657
00:34:00,020 --> 00:34:04,660
I can tell you when it
first bowled me over.
658
00:34:04,660 --> 00:34:07,620
I'd taken a team of golfers
up to Townsville
659
00:34:07,620 --> 00:34:07,860
I'd taken a team of golfers
to play in an event...
660
00:34:07,860 --> 00:34:09,060
to play in an event...
661
00:34:10,740 --> 00:34:12,940
..and there was a log on the ground,
662
00:34:12,940 --> 00:34:15,980
in the background in some bush,
663
00:34:15,980 --> 00:34:19,380
and my world stopped then.
664
00:34:24,420 --> 00:34:29,460
I was at a point where I really
wasn't functioning well at all
665
00:34:29,460 --> 00:34:31,980
and had no real idea why,
666
00:34:31,980 --> 00:34:34,620
until I could find out
what this log was.
667
00:34:34,620 --> 00:34:38,860
Well, it came back that
it was another operation
668
00:34:38,860 --> 00:34:41,580
that we were on, it was
called the Battle of Bribie.
669
00:34:43,460 --> 00:34:44,660
It was a...
670
00:34:47,100 --> 00:34:49,500
..a shambles,
should I say that?
671
00:34:51,660 --> 00:34:55,460
They told us that they'd got
all the wounded and dead out
672
00:34:55,460 --> 00:34:55,700
They told us that they'd got
from the afternoon before.
673
00:34:55,700 --> 00:34:56,740
from the afternoon before.
674
00:34:57,820 --> 00:35:02,300
I walked maybe 10 metres,
stepped over a log,
675
00:35:02,300 --> 00:35:04,100
and there was
a dead Australian soldier
676
00:35:04,100 --> 00:35:05,260
on the other side of the log.
677
00:35:06,340 --> 00:35:08,020
You don't leave people out there.
678
00:35:09,020 --> 00:35:14,220
So, that was
a traumatic experience.
679
00:35:14,220 --> 00:35:17,580
But having stepped over that log
and seen this dead soldier
680
00:35:17,580 --> 00:35:20,100
and just said, "Oh, no,
OK, keep going..."
681
00:35:21,540 --> 00:35:23,300
..it had gone.
682
00:35:23,300 --> 00:35:26,540
I saw a log in the bush
40 years later...
683
00:35:28,700 --> 00:35:31,780
..and it brought back that day,
684
00:35:31,780 --> 00:35:33,420
and it was a shit of a day.
685
00:35:34,940 --> 00:35:37,180
The day before was
a shit of a day...
686
00:35:39,500 --> 00:35:42,740
..and I'd forgotten all about it.
687
00:35:44,220 --> 00:35:45,460
Or I'd buried it.
688
00:35:47,620 --> 00:35:50,340
There is no cure for PTSD.
689
00:35:50,340 --> 00:35:53,060
You have to manage it,
you have to live with it.
690
00:35:53,060 --> 00:35:56,500
And one of the ways of doing it
is talking to other veterans.
691
00:35:59,700 --> 00:36:01,220
MAN: I'd never heard of it before.
692
00:36:01,220 --> 00:36:01,420
I'd never heard of PTSD.
MAN: I'd never heard of it before.
693
00:36:01,420 --> 00:36:03,860
I'd never heard of PTSD.
694
00:36:03,860 --> 00:36:08,820
I'd heard of shell shock
in World War II and World War I,
695
00:36:08,820 --> 00:36:09,060
I'd heard of shell shock
in World War II and World War I,
and I understood that,
696
00:36:09,060 --> 00:36:11,660
and I understood that,
697
00:36:11,660 --> 00:36:14,020
but I'd never heard of PTSD.
698
00:36:14,020 --> 00:36:17,620
Well, PTSD was only named
in about 1980.
699
00:36:19,260 --> 00:36:23,860
Previously it had been thought
700
00:36:23,860 --> 00:36:24,100
that people were predisposed
Previously it had been thought
701
00:36:24,100 --> 00:36:30,420
that people were predisposed
to these war neuroses and so on.
702
00:36:30,420 --> 00:36:32,860
But post-traumatic stress
703
00:36:32,860 --> 00:36:38,260
is not dependent on a person's
strength or weakness.
704
00:36:38,260 --> 00:36:38,500
My bronzed Anzac image was shattered
is not dependent on a person's
strength or weakness.
705
00:36:38,500 --> 00:36:41,980
My bronzed Anzac image was shattered
706
00:36:41,980 --> 00:36:46,900
when I realised, you know,
I had post-traumatic stress.
707
00:36:46,900 --> 00:36:47,180
when I realised, you know,
I had post-traumatic stress.
I don't like to use the word
'disorder' because I feel that...
708
00:36:47,180 --> 00:36:49,980
I don't like to use the word
'disorder' because I feel that...
709
00:36:52,460 --> 00:36:56,260
..suffering from post-traumatic
stress is normal.
710
00:36:58,540 --> 00:37:03,940
Another invisible legacy of the war
was exposure to chemical defoliants.
711
00:37:05,700 --> 00:37:09,700
NEWSREEL: In the late '60s and early
'70s, more than 11 million gallons
712
00:37:09,700 --> 00:37:14,460
of a herbicidal cocktail known as
Agent Orange were dumped on Vietnam.
713
00:37:14,460 --> 00:37:17,340
It was the front-line weapon
in a decade of chemical warfare
714
00:37:17,340 --> 00:37:19,660
waged on the jungle
by the Americans.
715
00:37:22,340 --> 00:37:24,340
It was very mysterious, this...
716
00:37:24,340 --> 00:37:28,980
It was, you know, a big area
and it was just quiet.
717
00:37:28,980 --> 00:37:30,940
There were no birds
and so on in there,
718
00:37:30,940 --> 00:37:34,580
and just these grey tree trunks,
719
00:37:34,580 --> 00:37:37,180
and there seemed to be a lot
of this grey powder around.
720
00:37:38,900 --> 00:37:42,140
SIMPSON: That we all worried about
was Agent Orange
721
00:37:42,140 --> 00:37:47,580
because we used to see aircraft
going over, spewing this stuff out,
722
00:37:47,580 --> 00:37:50,740
and we all thought, as you do,
"Oh, it must be OK,
723
00:37:50,740 --> 00:37:50,980
and we all thought, as you do,
"otherwise they wouldn't do it."
724
00:37:50,980 --> 00:37:52,420
"otherwise they wouldn't do it."
725
00:37:52,420 --> 00:37:55,380
And, obviously, it did affect
many of people.
726
00:37:55,380 --> 00:37:59,300
There's been a lot of men
die of cancer.
727
00:37:59,300 --> 00:38:03,180
Now it's quite clear
that those herbicides
728
00:38:03,180 --> 00:38:08,300
were very dangerous chemicals and
could cause all sorts of effects.
729
00:38:10,740 --> 00:38:16,220
WALKER: They have never been able
to establish an exposure index.
730
00:38:16,220 --> 00:38:18,420
There are too many
factors involved.
731
00:38:18,420 --> 00:38:21,180
There are too many ways
you can be exposed.
732
00:38:21,180 --> 00:38:27,140
What they had to do was to make
an arbitrary time in Vietnam
733
00:38:27,140 --> 00:38:32,140
for somebody to be said to have
been exposed, which was 30 days.
734
00:38:32,140 --> 00:38:38,180
So, now if you have been
in Vietnam for 30 days,
735
00:38:38,180 --> 00:38:42,660
it is accepted you have been exposed
to Agent Orange and other chemicals.
736
00:38:42,660 --> 00:38:47,420
It's very, very important
that it was a legal issue
737
00:38:47,420 --> 00:38:47,660
It's very, very important
as well as a scientific one.
738
00:38:47,660 --> 00:38:50,220
as well as a scientific one.
739
00:38:50,220 --> 00:38:57,100
So, if a veteran had been exposed to
Agent Orange and they got cancer,
740
00:38:57,100 --> 00:39:00,700
the veteran gets the benefit
of that doubt.
741
00:39:01,700 --> 00:39:05,420
The Vietnam Veterans Association
lobbied for recognition
742
00:39:05,420 --> 00:39:05,660
The Vietnam Veterans Association
and compensation.
743
00:39:05,660 --> 00:39:07,380
and compensation.
744
00:39:07,380 --> 00:39:10,460
NEWSREEL: Former sheep shearer and
Vietnam conscript Richard Gibson
745
00:39:10,460 --> 00:39:10,700
NEWSREEL: Former sheep shearer and
said he and two other soldiers
746
00:39:10,700 --> 00:39:12,020
said he and two other soldiers
747
00:39:12,020 --> 00:39:12,260
had had their uniforms
said he and two other soldiers
748
00:39:12,260 --> 00:39:14,540
had had their uniforms
soaked with spray.
749
00:39:14,540 --> 00:39:17,300
They sprayed herbicides from
the back of a truck onto
750
00:39:17,300 --> 00:39:17,540
They sprayed herbicides from
and near the perimeter barbed wire
751
00:39:17,540 --> 00:39:19,340
and near the perimeter barbed wire
752
00:39:19,340 --> 00:39:21,620
of the Australian base camp
at Nui Dat.
753
00:39:21,620 --> 00:39:24,220
Gibson said that halfway through
the operation,
754
00:39:24,220 --> 00:39:27,060
the men's eyes started watering
and they got severe headaches.
755
00:39:27,060 --> 00:39:29,300
He said he did not report
these symptoms
756
00:39:29,300 --> 00:39:31,820
but the operations were
suddenly halted.
757
00:39:31,820 --> 00:39:35,740
They succeeded in getting
a royal commission set up.
758
00:39:35,740 --> 00:39:36,020
They succeeded in getting
a royal commission set up.
The royal commission,
where the chemical companies
759
00:39:36,020 --> 00:39:38,900
The royal commission,
where the chemical companies
760
00:39:38,900 --> 00:39:41,860
were represented by
highly experienced
761
00:39:41,860 --> 00:39:42,100
were represented by
and expensive barristers,
762
00:39:42,100 --> 00:39:44,340
and expensive barristers,
763
00:39:44,340 --> 00:39:48,220
were able to tear apart
that sort of evidence.
764
00:39:48,220 --> 00:39:52,780
The royal commissioner said, "But
there are all sorts of other things
765
00:39:52,780 --> 00:39:56,180
"for which the veterans
should be compensated."
766
00:39:56,180 --> 00:40:01,780
That many of the ailments
were caused by PTSD,
767
00:40:01,780 --> 00:40:05,740
but also alcohol was supplied
to the troops in Vietnam,
768
00:40:05,740 --> 00:40:08,260
or smoking, and cigarettes
were supplied.
769
00:40:08,260 --> 00:40:11,540
So, they should have been
compensated for all those things.
770
00:40:11,540 --> 00:40:14,140
But instead, because
they concentrated so much
771
00:40:14,140 --> 00:40:18,260
on Agent Orange,
it created this terrible situation
772
00:40:18,260 --> 00:40:18,500
on Agent Orange,
where they were not compensated
773
00:40:18,500 --> 00:40:20,980
where they were not compensated
774
00:40:20,980 --> 00:40:24,980
or adequately treated
for too long a time
775
00:40:24,980 --> 00:40:28,580
for the problems that they had,
776
00:40:28,580 --> 00:40:32,020
because Agent Orange
was only responsible for
777
00:40:32,020 --> 00:40:32,260
because Agent Orange
a certain proportion of them.
778
00:40:32,260 --> 00:40:34,220
a certain proportion of them.
779
00:40:35,940 --> 00:40:38,660
Returning service personnel
were not the only people
780
00:40:38,660 --> 00:40:42,380
to encounter hardship and loss
on leaving Vietnam.
781
00:40:50,820 --> 00:40:53,540
WOMAN: From the very moment
that you leave your country even,
782
00:40:53,540 --> 00:40:53,780
WOMAN: From the very moment
it's all about losing things.
783
00:40:53,780 --> 00:40:55,820
it's all about losing things.
784
00:40:55,820 --> 00:40:56,060
It's about grief, and the grief
it's all about losing things.
785
00:40:56,060 --> 00:40:58,700
It's about grief, and the grief
that lasts a very long time.
786
00:41:05,100 --> 00:41:07,780
I don't think it was
an easy time for refugees.
787
00:41:07,780 --> 00:41:08,020
There was a lot of racism.
I don't think it was
an easy time for refugees.
788
00:41:08,020 --> 00:41:09,420
There was a lot of racism.
789
00:41:09,420 --> 00:41:11,900
There wasn't necessarily
an understanding
790
00:41:11,900 --> 00:41:16,180
of why Vietnamese refugees
were leaving their homeland.
791
00:41:16,180 --> 00:41:18,660
NEWSREEL: With town after town
falling to the communists
792
00:41:18,660 --> 00:41:21,980
and more of the map of Vietnam
being shaded red,
793
00:41:21,980 --> 00:41:25,780
the trickle of refugees
flowing south became a flood.
794
00:41:25,780 --> 00:41:30,140
As many as 100,000 of them
stretched for over 100 miles
795
00:41:30,140 --> 00:41:34,500
back up Route 7, the only road
from the north open to Saigon.
796
00:41:36,660 --> 00:41:41,860
MAN: In the 1970s Australia,
it had started to become
797
00:41:41,860 --> 00:41:44,260
more multicultural,
more mixed, right?
798
00:41:44,260 --> 00:41:46,540
But racially, it's still white.
799
00:41:46,540 --> 00:41:50,140
But I suppose that's what marks
the Vietnamese
800
00:41:50,140 --> 00:41:50,380
But I suppose that's what marks
who came after the fall of Saigon,
801
00:41:50,380 --> 00:41:52,620
who came after the fall of Saigon,
802
00:41:52,620 --> 00:41:59,060
that we were the first significant
intake of Asians to Australia.
803
00:42:12,620 --> 00:42:16,340
My father came from the North,
from this region in the north,
804
00:42:16,340 --> 00:42:16,580
My father came from the North,
my mother came from the South.
805
00:42:16,580 --> 00:42:18,340
my mother came from the South.
806
00:42:18,340 --> 00:42:21,060
So many of the differences
between North and South
807
00:42:21,060 --> 00:42:25,220
I can see illustrated, you know,
in the history of my family.
808
00:42:25,220 --> 00:42:28,580
My maternal grandfather
was apparently very upset
809
00:42:28,580 --> 00:42:28,820
My maternal grandfather
when my parents fell in love
810
00:42:28,820 --> 00:42:30,740
when my parents fell in love
811
00:42:30,740 --> 00:42:33,860
because, you know, from his point
of view he couldn't understand
812
00:42:33,860 --> 00:42:37,500
why his daughter had to fall in love
with a North Vietnamese.
813
00:42:37,500 --> 00:42:40,100
Why couldn't she fall in love
with a South Vietnamese?
814
00:42:41,180 --> 00:42:45,460
1975 would have been terrible for my
parents, especially for my father
815
00:42:45,460 --> 00:42:50,540
because he'd already left the North,
like many other northerners.
816
00:42:50,540 --> 00:42:53,820
And so, they really invested
all their hopes
817
00:42:53,820 --> 00:42:56,940
for an independent Vietnam
in South Vietnam.
818
00:42:56,940 --> 00:42:59,460
They'd actually experienced
communism in the North.
819
00:42:59,460 --> 00:43:01,700
The problem with people
in the South
820
00:43:01,700 --> 00:43:04,060
was that they hadn't actually
experienced communism.
821
00:43:04,060 --> 00:43:08,100
So, a million people were
sent to re-education camps.
822
00:43:08,100 --> 00:43:09,900
Another million people
were forcibly relocated
823
00:43:09,900 --> 00:43:13,300
to the so-called
new economic zones in rural areas.
824
00:43:13,300 --> 00:43:17,900
And the communist regime in the
postwar years was extremely harsh.
825
00:43:17,900 --> 00:43:18,140
And the communist regime in the
Children denouncing their parents,
826
00:43:18,140 --> 00:43:20,940
Children denouncing their parents,
827
00:43:20,940 --> 00:43:23,020
neighbours denouncing neighbours.
828
00:43:23,020 --> 00:43:23,260
And this is why, you know, the major
neighbours denouncing neighbours.
829
00:43:23,260 --> 00:43:26,260
And this is why, you know, the major
refugee waves didn't actually
830
00:43:26,260 --> 00:43:26,500
And this is why, you know, the major
happen in '75.
831
00:43:26,500 --> 00:43:27,460
happen in '75.
832
00:43:27,460 --> 00:43:30,380
Yes, there were people who left
in those final terrible days
833
00:43:30,380 --> 00:43:30,620
Yes, there were people who left
when Saigon fell,
834
00:43:30,620 --> 00:43:32,020
when Saigon fell,
835
00:43:32,020 --> 00:43:36,020
but the large refugee waves
occurred three years
836
00:43:36,020 --> 00:43:37,460
after the communist takeover.
837
00:43:37,460 --> 00:43:40,860
And why? Because people had
been through 30 years of war.
838
00:43:40,860 --> 00:43:44,620
And one of the great tragedies
of that exodus
839
00:43:44,620 --> 00:43:48,460
is that we still don't actually know
how many people died in the process.
840
00:43:48,460 --> 00:43:50,140
The boat people themselves
believed that
841
00:43:50,140 --> 00:43:52,700
for every boat that made it,
one didn't.
842
00:43:52,700 --> 00:43:55,580
And nearly a million made
it to refugee camps,
843
00:43:55,580 --> 00:43:58,100
so they believed that a million died
in the attempt.
844
00:43:59,340 --> 00:44:02,740
In the late 1970s,
Prime Minister Malcolm Fraser
845
00:44:02,740 --> 00:44:05,860
took a compassionate,
humanitarian approach
846
00:44:05,860 --> 00:44:06,100
took a compassionate,
to the Vietnam refugee exodus.
847
00:44:06,100 --> 00:44:09,100
to the Vietnam refugee exodus.
848
00:44:09,100 --> 00:44:13,660
Fraser did something rather
remarkable because he opened
849
00:44:13,660 --> 00:44:17,540
the doors to Vietnamese refugees,
and he did so without the support
850
00:44:17,540 --> 00:44:17,780
the doors to Vietnamese refugees,
of the Australian people,
851
00:44:17,780 --> 00:44:19,180
of the Australian people,
852
00:44:19,180 --> 00:44:22,100
because certainly Australians
weren't putting up their hands,
853
00:44:22,100 --> 00:44:24,820
saying, "We should open the doors
to all these Vietnamese refugees
854
00:44:24,820 --> 00:44:25,060
saying, "We should open the doors
"arriving in this country."
855
00:44:25,060 --> 00:44:26,220
"arriving in this country."
856
00:44:37,780 --> 00:44:43,060
We were in Japan, in Tokyo, in 1975.
My father was the ambassador.
857
00:44:43,060 --> 00:44:46,180
And when the fall
of Vietnam happened,
858
00:44:46,180 --> 00:44:46,420
And when the fall
we obviously lost everything.
859
00:44:46,420 --> 00:44:48,660
we obviously lost everything.
860
00:44:48,660 --> 00:44:51,460
So, we found ourselves
stateless and homeless.
861
00:44:51,460 --> 00:44:51,700
So, we found ourselves
And so in the final days of Saigon,
862
00:44:51,700 --> 00:44:56,220
And so in the final days of Saigon,
863
00:44:56,220 --> 00:45:00,100
Australia did have an embassy
in Saigon.
864
00:45:00,100 --> 00:45:03,500
The ambassador's name
was Geoffrey Price,
865
00:45:03,500 --> 00:45:08,060
and he pleaded with the Whitlam
Government to give him permission
866
00:45:08,060 --> 00:45:12,380
to evacuate his Vietnamese staff
and their families.
867
00:45:12,380 --> 00:45:12,620
to evacuate his Vietnamese staff
And that permission was denied.
868
00:45:12,620 --> 00:45:15,220
And that permission was denied.
869
00:45:15,220 --> 00:45:19,740
And this decision really haunted
him for the rest of his life.
870
00:45:19,740 --> 00:45:21,740
All these people were abandoned.
871
00:45:24,900 --> 00:45:26,340
I actually discovered my family
872
00:45:26,340 --> 00:45:28,420
in the National Archives
of Australia,
873
00:45:28,420 --> 00:45:32,980
a list of names of Vietnamese
refugees that had been accepted
874
00:45:32,980 --> 00:45:37,020
for entry into Australia by the then
foreign minister Don Willesee.
875
00:45:37,020 --> 00:45:42,100
And Whitlam went through that list
and put no next to most names.
876
00:45:44,580 --> 00:45:47,700
You can see his writing
in blue in the margins.
877
00:45:47,700 --> 00:45:49,860
And the only reason
our family made it in
878
00:45:49,860 --> 00:45:53,500
was he put 'possible'
next to my father's name.
879
00:45:56,140 --> 00:45:59,420
NEWSREEL: Various voluntary
organisations were at full stretch
880
00:45:59,420 --> 00:46:02,220
caring for thousands of babies
and young children
881
00:46:02,220 --> 00:46:05,820
who'd been orphaned or abandoned
by fleeing parents.
882
00:46:05,820 --> 00:46:10,060
Australian, American and European
bodies all offered to fly them
883
00:46:10,060 --> 00:46:13,300
to new homes, but the Vietnamese
authorities refused
884
00:46:13,300 --> 00:46:13,540
to new homes, but the Vietnamese
mass applications.
885
00:46:13,540 --> 00:46:15,100
mass applications.
886
00:46:15,100 --> 00:46:17,820
Eventually recognising
that many children would be
887
00:46:17,820 --> 00:46:18,060
Eventually recognising
better off anywhere but Saigon,
888
00:46:18,060 --> 00:46:20,100
better off anywhere but Saigon,
889
00:46:20,100 --> 00:46:21,700
the Thieu Government relented
890
00:46:21,700 --> 00:46:24,220
and mercy flights began to
leave the country.
891
00:46:26,540 --> 00:46:30,940
In 1975, Western nations
conducted a mass evacuation
892
00:46:30,940 --> 00:46:31,180
In 1975, Western nations
of babies from Vietnam.
893
00:46:31,180 --> 00:46:33,740
of babies from Vietnam.
894
00:46:33,740 --> 00:46:36,300
The operation was dubbed Babylift.
895
00:46:38,260 --> 00:46:41,060
NEWSREEL: An act of mercy
or an act of conscience?
896
00:46:41,060 --> 00:46:44,380
Either way the arrival of
this Qantas jumbo at Sydney
897
00:46:44,380 --> 00:46:48,660
bearing 215 Vietnamese war orphans
was indeed a touching affair.
898
00:46:52,940 --> 00:46:54,820
NEWSREEL: They came by the armload,
899
00:46:54,820 --> 00:46:57,300
many too small to know
what was going on.
900
00:46:58,500 --> 00:47:02,300
Some social workers argued it was
wrong to uproot the children,
901
00:47:02,300 --> 00:47:06,260
others that the orphans' only hope
lay in escape and adoption.
902
00:47:07,340 --> 00:47:10,620
Children were basically just swept
off the beds and put into cardboard
903
00:47:10,620 --> 00:47:12,340
boxes and put on the plane.
904
00:47:14,500 --> 00:47:17,860
MAN: They literally
filled up 707s with cots,
905
00:47:17,860 --> 00:47:18,100
MAN: They literally
little baby capsules on seats,
906
00:47:18,100 --> 00:47:20,620
little baby capsules on seats,
907
00:47:20,620 --> 00:47:24,020
strapped in, and flew hundreds
of children out of the country.
908
00:47:24,020 --> 00:47:27,460
(SIRENS WAIL)
909
00:47:32,340 --> 00:47:35,100
REPORTER: We were at the airport
filming an Australian Hercules
910
00:47:35,100 --> 00:47:38,540
leaving for Australia,
also loaded with orphans.
911
00:47:38,540 --> 00:47:40,780
We just turned around and there
was this massive pool
912
00:47:40,780 --> 00:47:43,220
of black, thick smoke.
913
00:47:43,220 --> 00:47:45,700
Then we saw helicopters coming in
and soldiers picking up
914
00:47:45,700 --> 00:47:47,660
what looked like the remains
of small children.
915
00:47:47,660 --> 00:47:50,060
They carried them on their backs
into ambulances,
916
00:47:50,060 --> 00:47:51,460
then afterwards
we heard the full story.
917
00:47:51,460 --> 00:47:54,300
The Galaxy had come down
shortly after take-off.
918
00:47:54,300 --> 00:47:54,540
The Galaxy had come down
Apparently it had lost power
919
00:47:54,540 --> 00:47:55,780
Apparently it had lost power
920
00:47:55,780 --> 00:47:58,540
and during a turn to get
back down to the airport
921
00:47:58,540 --> 00:47:59,660
had crashed.
922
00:47:59,660 --> 00:48:01,820
Some of the first eyewitnesses
to get to the crash site
923
00:48:01,820 --> 00:48:04,340
said the crash was spread
over hundreds of metres.
924
00:48:04,340 --> 00:48:06,660
Apparently there are two decks
in the aircraft.
925
00:48:06,660 --> 00:48:09,700
The lower deck,
including many American wives
926
00:48:09,700 --> 00:48:11,700
and other women taking
the children back to Manila
927
00:48:11,700 --> 00:48:14,580
and then onto the States,
were killed.
928
00:48:14,580 --> 00:48:18,620
First estimates say as many as
80 people may have survived.
929
00:48:18,620 --> 00:48:22,140
Australian volunteers
Margaret Moses and Lee Makk
930
00:48:22,140 --> 00:48:24,100
were aboard the aircraft.
931
00:48:24,100 --> 00:48:27,860
They were the last two Australian
women killed in the war.
932
00:48:36,940 --> 00:48:39,500
MAN: Most people don't want
to leave their homelands.
933
00:48:39,500 --> 00:48:42,020
It's not like it was
an easy decision
934
00:48:42,020 --> 00:48:43,980
for my parents to leave Vietnam.
935
00:48:45,340 --> 00:48:47,300
So, they'd put up with quite a lot.
936
00:48:47,300 --> 00:48:50,500
But I think what they
couldn't put up with
937
00:48:50,500 --> 00:48:50,740
is the realisation
But I think what they
couldn't put up with
938
00:48:50,740 --> 00:48:53,780
is the realisation
939
00:48:53,780 --> 00:48:54,020
that their kids would never
is the realisation
940
00:48:54,020 --> 00:48:56,460
that their kids would never
have a future in Vietnam.
941
00:48:57,820 --> 00:49:00,540
That's the stress
my parents still live with.
942
00:49:04,100 --> 00:49:07,100
NEWSREEL: More than 20 boatloads
have now arrived in Australia,
943
00:49:07,100 --> 00:49:10,180
having braved thousands of miles
of open sea across the equator.
944
00:49:12,420 --> 00:49:15,140
Their boats are flimsy,
the supplies not enough,
945
00:49:15,140 --> 00:49:18,420
and no-one knows how many
did not last the voyage.
946
00:49:18,420 --> 00:49:21,220
They're greeted not with praise
but with protest and doubt,
947
00:49:21,220 --> 00:49:24,020
and that they'll be allowed to stay
is by no means certain.
948
00:49:30,460 --> 00:49:33,420
HUYN: We were told that we could
impersonate Chinese Vietnamese
949
00:49:33,420 --> 00:49:38,260
and we'd have a relatively easy
trip outside of Vietnam.
950
00:49:42,580 --> 00:49:46,340
I was two years old.
I was a very feeble child.
951
00:49:48,300 --> 00:49:52,300
So, there was some talk of
leaving me behind with my mum
952
00:49:52,300 --> 00:49:53,780
and my brother and my...
954
00:50:00,500 --> 00:50:02,140
It's hard to talk about.
955
00:50:08,940 --> 00:50:11,180
Just give me a moment.
It must happen now and then.
956
00:50:14,420 --> 00:50:17,940
What an incredible choice
my parents had to make.
957
00:50:19,260 --> 00:50:20,900
Who would go and who would stay.
958
00:50:26,260 --> 00:50:30,540
My parents, with a bit
of help from my grandmother,
959
00:50:30,540 --> 00:50:33,780
they made that awful decision
that if we were going to go,
960
00:50:33,780 --> 00:50:36,220
we'd go together,
and if we didn't make it,
961
00:50:36,220 --> 00:50:36,460
we'd go together,
then we wouldn't make it together.
962
00:50:36,460 --> 00:50:38,060
then we wouldn't make it together.
963
00:50:42,700 --> 00:50:45,540
I was really very weak.
964
00:50:46,780 --> 00:50:49,660
I had some unknown illness,
965
00:50:49,660 --> 00:50:53,300
spewing, shitting all over
the place, not for just a day,
966
00:50:53,300 --> 00:50:55,820
not for just a few hours,
I'm talking eight days
967
00:50:55,820 --> 00:50:58,060
towards we even got on the boat.
968
00:50:58,060 --> 00:51:02,340
And my father,
something snapped in him,
969
00:51:02,340 --> 00:51:05,820
and he thought that we'd made
the wrong decision
970
00:51:05,820 --> 00:51:06,060
and he thought that we'd made
and that I shouldn't go any further.
971
00:51:06,060 --> 00:51:10,420
and that I shouldn't go any further.
972
00:51:10,420 --> 00:51:14,500
So, he went to the lady who owned
the place where we were staying
973
00:51:14,500 --> 00:51:14,740
So, he went to the lady who owned
and he said, um...
974
00:51:14,740 --> 00:51:17,220
and he said, um...
975
00:51:17,220 --> 00:51:17,460
He said, "I'll find you some money,
and he said, um...
976
00:51:17,460 --> 00:51:22,220
He said, "I'll find you some money,
but my son's not going to make it.
977
00:51:22,220 --> 00:51:22,460
He said, "I'll find you some money,
"Can you..."
978
00:51:22,460 --> 00:51:23,620
"Can you..."
980
00:51:38,100 --> 00:51:42,020
So, he goes to the landlady
and he says,
981
00:51:42,020 --> 00:51:45,100
"Look, my son's not
going to make it.
982
00:51:47,420 --> 00:51:52,300
"I'll find some money,
my mum will pay you,
983
00:51:52,300 --> 00:51:56,580
"can you wait a little while
and you take care of him?
984
00:51:56,580 --> 00:51:58,300
"You'll be saving his life.
985
00:51:58,300 --> 00:52:02,180
"And you can take him back
to his grandmother in Saigon,
986
00:52:02,180 --> 00:52:02,420
"And you can take him back
"in Ho Chi Minh City."
987
00:52:02,420 --> 00:52:04,860
"in Ho Chi Minh City."
988
00:52:04,860 --> 00:52:07,580
I remember my dad telling me this,
and he said...
989
00:52:09,580 --> 00:52:14,260
And he said in a really
casual way, but it stuck with me,
990
00:52:14,260 --> 00:52:18,060
he said, "Sometimes I still
think about that at night."
991
00:52:24,300 --> 00:52:26,540
Yeah, "Sometimes I still think
about that at night."
992
00:52:32,100 --> 00:52:33,900
I think that's why
my dad hasn't slept
993
00:52:33,900 --> 00:52:37,460
for more than three or four
hours in the last 50 years.
994
00:52:37,460 --> 00:52:42,740
You can imagine the trauma from
that sort of...that decision.
995
00:52:45,780 --> 00:52:52,180
As it turns out, the woman was
very principled and upright.
996
00:52:52,180 --> 00:52:56,860
She didn't know if she could,
in good conscience, take me.
997
00:52:59,180 --> 00:53:02,020
So, we left...we left all together.
998
00:53:06,260 --> 00:53:08,700
And I suppose we were really lucky,
but it's not the right term, is it?
999
00:53:08,700 --> 00:53:12,300
I don't know. It could have gone
any way, that's the whole thing.
1000
00:53:12,300 --> 00:53:12,540
I don't know. It could have gone
It could have gone any way.
1001
00:53:12,540 --> 00:53:14,940
It could have gone any way.
1002
00:53:17,660 --> 00:53:19,900
But I'm certainly glad
it went the way it did.
1003
00:53:24,860 --> 00:53:27,100
Not much is really known
about where I'm from at all.
1004
00:53:27,100 --> 00:53:27,340
Not much is really known
It's sort of a mystery.
1005
00:53:27,340 --> 00:53:28,380
It's sort of a mystery.
1006
00:53:31,180 --> 00:53:34,140
And it is for a lot of other people
like me from the Vietnam War
1007
00:53:34,140 --> 00:53:34,380
And it is for a lot of other people
that were in orphanages.
1008
00:53:34,380 --> 00:53:36,220
that were in orphanages.
1009
00:53:40,500 --> 00:53:44,700
My adoptive mother had
this amazing blond hair.
1010
00:53:44,700 --> 00:53:47,340
She had miniskirts,
she looked very beautiful
1011
00:53:47,340 --> 00:53:47,580
She had miniskirts,
and very out of place in Vietnam.
1012
00:53:47,580 --> 00:53:49,220
and very out of place in Vietnam.
1013
00:53:49,220 --> 00:53:52,220
And when she went over there,
all the other children cried
1014
00:53:52,220 --> 00:53:54,540
when apparently they saw
this white woman.
1015
00:53:54,540 --> 00:53:54,820
And I was the only one
that didn't cry and I just sort of
when apparently they saw
this white woman.
1016
00:53:54,820 --> 00:53:56,620
And I was the only one
that didn't cry and I just sort of
1017
00:53:56,620 --> 00:53:58,820
looked at her like, "OK,
what are you doing here?"
1018
00:53:58,820 --> 00:54:01,540
And, "You look nice,"
so made a connection that way.
1019
00:54:05,060 --> 00:54:08,780
Growing up in Australia
was both really, really wonderful
1020
00:54:08,780 --> 00:54:11,500
and full of people
that were very compassionate,
1021
00:54:11,500 --> 00:54:14,420
and then, on the other side of that,
there was a lot of racism.
1022
00:54:14,420 --> 00:54:17,620
So, while having this
ultimate kindness from people
1023
00:54:17,620 --> 00:54:21,420
that have no reason to be kind to
you, there are also a lot of people
1024
00:54:21,420 --> 00:54:23,460
that were extremely hostile.
1025
00:54:23,460 --> 00:54:28,580
And my mother,
she had a bomb threat to our house.
1026
00:54:28,580 --> 00:54:33,460
And pretty much from when I was
five, I had racism regularly.
1027
00:54:33,460 --> 00:54:33,700
And pretty much from when I was
As a teenager, I had it daily.
1028
00:54:33,700 --> 00:54:35,500
As a teenager, I had it daily.
1029
00:54:35,500 --> 00:54:39,100
It was something that I grew up with
and I still feel it now strongly.
1030
00:54:41,340 --> 00:54:44,500
As a child that was adopted
from the Vietnam War,
1031
00:54:44,500 --> 00:54:48,780
I feel the weight of that
for a lifetime.
1032
00:54:48,780 --> 00:54:49,020
I feel the weight of that
Every time I look in the mirror,
1033
00:54:49,020 --> 00:54:50,700
Every time I look in the mirror,
1034
00:54:50,700 --> 00:54:53,700
I wonder who I am,
what happened to my family.
1035
00:54:53,700 --> 00:54:56,460
Are they OK? Why me?
1036
00:54:56,460 --> 00:55:00,580
What about people that experienced
racism as a teenager
1037
00:55:00,580 --> 00:55:02,420
and they didn't find that
inner resilience?
1038
00:55:02,420 --> 00:55:02,660
and they didn't find that
Not everybody makes it through.
1039
00:55:02,660 --> 00:55:04,220
Not everybody makes it through.
1040
00:55:14,300 --> 00:55:18,380
MAN: Probably every night
when I put my head down,
1041
00:55:18,380 --> 00:55:23,060
I just think about
my soldiering days,
1042
00:55:23,060 --> 00:55:25,580
because it was a big part
of my life.
1043
00:55:27,220 --> 00:55:28,860
It's constantly there.
1044
00:55:30,900 --> 00:55:33,260
It's a big thing.
1045
00:55:36,380 --> 00:55:38,580
You know, that's always...
1046
00:55:39,660 --> 00:55:42,780
It's not a great feeling, you know,
when you're a loser.
1047
00:55:42,780 --> 00:55:43,020
It's not a great feeling, you know,
Not for me. I like to win, you know.
1048
00:55:43,020 --> 00:55:44,860
Not for me. I like to win, you know.
1049
00:55:46,380 --> 00:55:50,260
Particularly in a war, I think, that
you're on the wrong side of history.
1050
00:55:50,260 --> 00:55:50,500
Particularly in a war, I think, that
you're on the wrong side of history.
Would I do it again?
1051
00:55:50,500 --> 00:55:51,420
Would I do it again?
1052
00:55:53,580 --> 00:55:55,060
Absolutely. Yeah, I think I would.
1053
00:55:56,540 --> 00:55:57,860
Strange, isn't it?
1054
00:56:00,860 --> 00:56:03,220
Would I go if called?
1055
00:56:03,220 --> 00:56:06,620
If I was young,
I probably would, yes.
1056
00:56:09,340 --> 00:56:11,020
GRAHAM EDWARDS: I'd probably
do the same again.
1057
00:56:12,980 --> 00:56:16,700
You know, you've just gotta
take life as it comes.
1058
00:56:16,700 --> 00:56:16,940
You know, you've just gotta
I did what I believed was...
1059
00:56:16,940 --> 00:56:19,620
I did what I believed was...
1060
00:56:21,020 --> 00:56:22,660
..right at the time.
1061
00:56:24,180 --> 00:56:26,420
I can't ever go back
and change that...
1062
00:56:27,980 --> 00:56:29,900
..but with hindsight, of course...
1063
00:56:31,660 --> 00:56:34,580
..I would never have
supported the war.
1064
00:56:34,580 --> 00:56:38,940
It was a bad war.
It was a political war.
1065
00:56:40,060 --> 00:56:45,100
Many young Australians,
for the price they paid,
1066
00:56:45,100 --> 00:56:45,340
Many young Australians,
was with their lives.
1067
00:56:45,340 --> 00:56:46,500
was with their lives.
1068
00:56:46,500 --> 00:56:49,300
Sadly, we did the same in Iraq.
1069
00:56:49,300 --> 00:56:53,820
And it's time Australia
woke up to itself.
1070
00:56:55,420 --> 00:56:56,860
Well past that time.
1071
00:57:01,300 --> 00:57:06,500
MAN: I was really angry for all
the things that I believed in,
1072
00:57:06,500 --> 00:57:06,740
MAN: I was really angry for all
to see the North Vietnamese tanks
1073
00:57:06,740 --> 00:57:09,700
to see the North Vietnamese tanks
1074
00:57:09,700 --> 00:57:09,940
crashing through the wall of
to see the North Vietnamese tanks
1075
00:57:09,940 --> 00:57:13,900
crashing through the wall of
the president's palace in Saigon.
1076
00:57:13,900 --> 00:57:14,180
I knew the things that
had happened... (COUGHS)
crashing through the wall of
the president's palace in Saigon.
1077
00:57:14,180 --> 00:57:17,260
I knew the things that
had happened... (COUGHS)
1078
00:57:17,260 --> 00:57:17,500
I knew the things that
..pardon me...
1079
00:57:17,500 --> 00:57:18,980
..pardon me...
1080
00:57:20,900 --> 00:57:23,860
..to those South Vietnamese people
1081
00:57:23,860 --> 00:57:26,460
that worked with the Allied forces.
1082
00:57:26,460 --> 00:57:28,860
What was going to happen to them?
1083
00:57:28,860 --> 00:57:30,860
Everybody just deserted
these people...
1084
00:57:33,060 --> 00:57:35,740
..after all these years and
1085
00:57:35,740 --> 00:57:39,220
all the blood, sweat and tears
that blokes like me
1086
00:57:39,220 --> 00:57:43,540
and all the others that have gone
through to save these people.
1087
00:57:45,060 --> 00:57:46,220
And it was...
1088
00:57:47,380 --> 00:57:51,340
They just...you know, the
Allied forces just walked away.
1089
00:58:05,860 --> 00:58:08,900
GRAHAM EDWARDS: The Vietnam War
was a tragedy
1090
00:58:08,900 --> 00:58:11,660
visited on Australia and America,
1091
00:58:11,660 --> 00:58:15,500
but it was a greater tragedy
visited on the country of Vietnam.
1092
00:58:17,700 --> 00:58:19,700
You know, Australia paid a price...
1093
00:58:21,580 --> 00:58:25,180
..the Vietnamese country
and the Vietnamese people
1094
00:58:25,180 --> 00:58:25,420
..the Vietnamese country
paid a bigger price.
1095
00:58:25,420 --> 00:58:26,700
paid a bigger price.
1096
00:58:29,220 --> 00:58:30,700
That's the horror of war.
1097
00:58:40,900 --> 00:58:46,980
The Vietnam War was a criminal act
by the Australian government
1098
00:58:46,980 --> 00:58:47,220
The Vietnam War was a criminal act
and by the American government.
1099
00:58:47,220 --> 00:58:48,540
and by the American government.
1100
00:58:51,460 --> 00:58:53,700
VASSELLA: My making.
1101
00:58:53,700 --> 00:58:56,460
I learnt more in Vietnam
1102
00:58:56,460 --> 00:58:56,660
than I ever have since,
I learnt more in Vietnam
1103
00:58:56,660 --> 00:58:58,900
than I ever have since,
1104
00:58:58,900 --> 00:59:00,980
about how life operates,
1105
00:59:00,980 --> 00:59:03,900
how it works,
and how I should work.
1106
00:59:07,220 --> 00:59:09,980
MAN: For me, it was
a bloody big wake-up call.
1107
00:59:16,020 --> 00:59:19,620
Well, for me it was military
advancement,
1108
00:59:19,620 --> 00:59:22,700
for Australia
it was an embarrassment,
1109
00:59:22,700 --> 00:59:22,980
and for many of those taking part,
it was a tragedy.
for Australia
it was an embarrassment,
1110
00:59:22,980 --> 00:59:26,220
and for many of those taking part,
it was a tragedy.
1111
00:59:29,380 --> 00:59:33,180
Vietnam, to me,
was the best part of my life
1112
00:59:33,180 --> 00:59:33,420
Vietnam, to me,
and the worst part of my life.
1113
00:59:33,420 --> 00:59:35,100
and the worst part of my life.
1114
00:59:37,300 --> 00:59:39,700
EARLE: A disaster,
1115
00:59:39,700 --> 00:59:41,260
waste of effort.
1116
00:59:44,220 --> 00:59:45,740
Shouldn't have been there.
1117
00:59:57,500 --> 01:00:00,020
And I don't know if I should
say this or not,
1118
01:00:00,020 --> 01:00:00,260
And I don't know if I should
but I think surely,
1119
01:00:00,260 --> 01:00:04,140
but I think surely,
1120
01:00:04,140 --> 01:00:08,220
just saying, "I respect
your service" is not enough.
1121
01:00:11,900 --> 01:00:14,260
Can't say that to Errol Noack,
can you?
1122
01:00:16,260 --> 01:00:22,220
And the 500-odd other guys
that lost their lives over there
1123
01:00:22,220 --> 01:00:29,460
or carry injuries, wounds,
psychiatric conditions, yeah.
1124
01:00:31,980 --> 01:00:34,940
Uh...I hope I don't
offend anyone with that.
1125
01:01:13,300 --> 01:01:15,300
Captions by Red Bee Media
1126
01:01:15,300 --> 01:01:17,500
Copyright Australian
Broadcasting Corporation
96479
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