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Adelaide’s Moratorium Marches

Did you take part in the moratorium marches in Adelaide from the late 1960s?

An anti-Vietnam War demonstration in Victoria Square, Adelaide, 1971. [National Library of Australia pic-vn4268191]

An anti-Vietnam War demonstration in Victoria Square, Adelaide, 1971. [National Library of Australia pic-vn4268191]

The Vietnam War had its origins in the early 1950s when communist led North Vietnam attempted to re-unite with South Vietnam through military force. In 1960 the United States became involved in the conflict, firstly committing advisers and later sending in thousands of ground troops. It was also in the early 60s that the Australian government decided to join America and commit troops.

In 1964 A new National Service Act required all 20 year old men to register and those selected by a ballot based on birth dates would serve for two years in a regular army unit. The following year the Defence Act was amended to provide that these conscripts could also be required to serve overseas.

Between 1965 and 1972 over 800,000 men were registered for National Service, 63,000 were conscripted by the ballot, and some 19,000 served in Vietnam. There were 496 killed and 2,398 wounded. The first conscript to die in Vietnam, Errol Noack, was from Adelaide

Initially there seemed limited opposition to Australia’s involvement, but in ‘65 when it was announced that conscripts would be required to fight, many Australians found themselves opposed to any involvement in Vietnam and even more objected to the use of the conscripts there.

Early on, I recall that there were a few protests and marches which were small, noisy affairs but as the war dragged on and the number of casualties began to increase, more and more people wanted to demonstrate their opposition to the conflict and began to question the very reason for Australia’s involvement.

The first Vietnam Moratorium took place on 8 and 9 May 1970 and over 200 000 people across Australia took part. In Melbourne, an estimated 100,000 marched, led by prominent politician, Dr Jim Cairns. It was a peaceful demonstration with no arrests made.

It was also a defining moment for many Australians who had never openly declared their support for peace groups. It was a very sensitive and divisive issue, many people went against their families’ and friends’ beliefs to march in the moratoriums – some people even disguised themselves so as not to be recognised.

Here in Adelaide, some pro-war protesters also came out on the day of the first Moratorium. They set Viet Cong flags on fire and threw them in among the marchers.

‘Free draft resistors, free Rob Martin’ Protesters listening to a prisoners speech outside Yatala Prison, SA. [PIC/4002/22 LOC 9081]

‘Free draft resistors, free Rob Martin’ Protesters listening to a prisoners speech outside Yatala Prison, SA. [PIC/4002/22 LOC 9081]

Scuffles between pro and anti- Vietnam groups also broke out.

The second Vietnam Moratorium in September 1970 was smaller, approximately 50,000 people participated and there were violent incidents between police and demonstrators. The third moratorium in June 1971 closed the centre of many of the major cities. By this time public opinion was beginning to turn decisively against conscription and Australian involvement in the war.

In 1972 the ALP, led by Gough Whitlam won government and immediately abolished conscription and freed those who had been imprisoned for resisting it. Whitlam also announced that the last of the Australian troops in Vietnam would come home.

Australian involvement was officially over after ten years.

7 Responses to Adelaide’s Moratorium Marches

  1. Brett Stokes October 7, 2014 at 6:51 pm #

    I have recently stared a FaceBook page DRU history – Draft Resisters Union 1972 Victory Australia – a group for posting recollections and pictures from the Australian struggle against forced Conscription of young men for Military Service during the years 1967 to 1972.

    https://www.facebook.com/groups/1459122694354298/

    • Peter Fenwick November 13, 2016 at 8:25 am #

      Hi Brett,
      Remember me from the Adelaide Uni chapter of the DRU? Keith Ohme and myself were very active.
      Be interested in touching base.
      Regards
      Peter

      • Lindsay July 1, 2017 at 6:40 pm #

        Peter, have a question. The Adelaide chapter of DRU pitched a tent at the Myponga pop festival 1971. I’m looking to communicate with any draft resister who was at that festival. Stories ( or photos ) about their experience on that weekend.
        Cheers
        Lindsay

  2. Brett Stokes October 7, 2014 at 6:51 pm #

    I have recently started a FaceBook page DRU history – Draft Resisters Union 1972 Victory Australia – a group for posting recollections and pictures from the Australian struggle against forced Conscription of young men for Military Service during the years 1967 to 1972.

    https://www.facebook.com/groups/1459122694354298/

  3. Rupa Fitzgerald October 7, 2014 at 9:24 pm #

    The origins of the Vietnam war went back much further than the fifties. And America was interfering long before it officially sent in troops

  4. Steve Wray November 28, 2022 at 1:11 pm #

    I was called up in the late 1960s. We had, of course, never heard of Vietnam when Australia decided to join in in that war. I was a British citizen and never an Australian citizen. They should have given me the option of leaving Australia if I did not serve in the army, but I was trapped in the country.

    I reported for the medical examination and passed it. But my uncle was a freemason and pulled some strings, and I then got a letter saying that I was unfit for service. I remember him saying “We will have to see what can be done about this.”.

    I have never forgiven Australia for doing that to me, and I left permanently on January 1, 1972. I stll have the card that says that I had permission to leave the country.

    Too bad, because life was great in Adelaide when I was there (1954 to 1972) and the education system, primary school through graduate school, was second-to-none.

  5. David HAILSTONE April 2, 2023 at 5:53 pm #

    I was still only 14 in early 1970 and I went to Adelaide to March in the anti Vietnam War Moratorium demonstration. We assembled near what is now the Festival Centre and walked to Victoria Square where there were speakers. I still have the blue with white pattern badge I bought that day amongst my personal memorabilia. It cost 20 cents. I can recall the camaraderie amongst the assembled as we walked. I can also remember the groups of short back and sides hair young men who looked like soldiers out of uniform shouting abuse from the sidewalk as we walked along, calling us communists and traitors. In Victoria Square, in addition to the news people, there were police, and a lot of ‘squares’ in suits who, even as a teenager I picked as undercover police or security men. Those were the days. A rare time when people stood up against Australia being America’s lackey in this region, and the ALP had something less than a US lackey foreign policy.

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