Australia’s involvement in the Vietnam War is contributed by multiple factors. Some of the reasons are undoubtedly for the wellbeing of the people while others is a mix between his personal subjectivity against communism and the struggle as he “fighting in fear”, which has led him to launch a joined attack with the US to attack this country in its path to national unity.
Australia joined the war for the well being of its people, to protect them from repeating the horror of the Second World War. After the second world war, the Australians suffered a recent loss of devastating degree and do not wish to repeat the chaos that was left after the last large scale war, in an attempt to avoid such horror from unfolding again, Robert Menzies decided to launch pre-emptive attacks on the countries, which is currently being invaded by communist forces. Menzies supported the idea of the domino theory; it stated that if Vietnam were to be allowed to become communist then Laos, Cambodia, Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore and Indonesia would fall ‘like dominos’ to communism and eventually Australia will be next. He was convinced his nation was under direct threat of the communist invasion that if he does not stop the spread of communism then Australia will certainly fall leading him to send men in a fight to secure freedom.
To secure US as an ally and to prove our worth, Menzies joined the war for the security of the people’s freedom and their welfare for the battle against communism and years to come. The war in Vietnam provides a great opportunity to present ourselves to the Americans as a valuable ally. Menzies was willing to proclaim that Australia would go all the way with LJB. Our participation in the war is thus a seen as a proclamation of our loyalty towards US.
Despite the popular idea of domino theory putting Australia in direct threat of the communist invasion it is also inevitable that if we entered the war there are no guarantee for our success in winning the war....