Why was Australia 'All The Way With LBJ'?

Question

Why was Australia so willing to go along with US President Lyndon Baines Johnson's ideas during the Vietnam War?

Also, how did Australia go 'all the way with lbj' during the war. I.E. what did they do to back America?

This is for a history presentation (for year 10) on the topic 'All the way with LBJ'.

Thanks in advance.

Sas xx.

Answer 1

Lyndon Johnson was keen to get 'more flags' in to support his actions in Vietnam, to give them legitimacy. You have to remember this was during the Cold War, and each side tried to gain the moral upper hand over the other in a way that does not happen today.

Australia has always been sycophantic toward great powers that can offer protection from the 'Asian hordes' that, deep down in the country's psyche, are a source of fear. After the British were defeated at Singapore in 1942 Australia threw itself at the feet of the US and Douglas MacArthur. We gave him full control of our armed forces even though he was a mediocre general and had contempt for the fighting ability of Australians.

Australia under Menzies was very fearful of communism and of growing Asian power.  By offering our full unquestioning support of the US, we were buying insurance that we would get help should we even need it. This remains the basis of our foreign policy.

Australia's support in Vietnam reflected the US escalation- we had training teams in Vietnam before 1965, just as the US did. We committed ground forces when the US did, and we began to buy more US equipment (eg, F111 bombers, M16 rifles, M113 personnel carriers).

Holt's comments were made at a time when the Vietnam War was beginning to become unpopular (though at this time it still had massive support). It was an opportune time for him to show his total support for Johnson.

It is important to bear in mind two things- both Australia and the US misunderstood the Vietnam war as being caused by communist China and the USSR- it was not seen as the separate independence movement it actually was.  The second issue to to remember that the war did not become widely unpopular until the early 70s when the commitment was winding down anyway. The war, and Holt's position, had great public support in 1967/68.

Answer 2

Australia sent a small but very very good number of troops to Vietnam, the same way you guys are standing with us today.......

it may have something to do with the fact that in 1942 the Australian Army was in North Africa, fighting the Italians and Germans and the only thing standing between the Japanese conquest of Australia was one brigade of Australians, one brigade of Americans, the US Navy and the indomitable will of your PM and an American general named MacArthur. The ONLY reason Australia was free in 1960's was the blood of Americans and Aussies shed in the 1940's.

Looking north and west from Canberra Harold Holt quite clearly saw ONE BILLION Chinese behind the North Vietnamese and only a very shaky and not well loved dictatorship in Indonesia between you and those aforementioned one billion Red Chinese.....oh yeah.....and the US Army, the United States Marines and the US Navy....

and, as an American admiral who had fought the British in 1814 said, as his (neutral)  ships covered the withdrawal of some RN ships being beat up by a Chinese fort in 1849, "Blood is thicker than water".

Answer 3

That was Harold Holt's idea.

The majority of us cringed every time we heard the phrase.

'All The Way With LBJ' referred to Australia's involvement in the Vietnam War and the fact that Harold Holt was escalating our involvement, as he cow-towed to LBJ.

IMO it was embarrassing and disgusting the way Harold Holt went on, similar to the actions of John Howard with George W Bush. The word sycophant springs to mind.

Yes, it's right to have the USA as an ally but we don't need our leaders demeaning themselves and us in that fashion.

You may already know but Harold Holt was the Prime Minister who disappeared while swimming at Cheviot Beach in Victoria.

Edit:

He sent more of our troops to fight in the Vietnam War and intended to send even more.

(Sometimes, the hand of fate steps in and stops fools from having more power than is good for them or their country.)

Answer 4

The most significant thing Australia did was send troops.

Australia's foreign policy is basically to secure protection by cuddling up to a more powerful friend.  Since WW 2 this has been USA.  Helping USA in conflicts such as Vietnam and Iraq is the price we pay for that protection.

Answer 5

We did not like it, but to be friends of the USA we had to go along.