Conscription in Australia

Compulsory military training for young men began not long after Federation in Australia and various systems operated on and off throughout much of the twentieth century.
Although such schemes were usually politically popular, people were always divided on the issue of conscripts fighting in wars outside Australia’s shores.

This was especially true between 1965 and 1972, when the National Service Scheme operated during the Vietnam War, a conflict that became increasingly unpopular.

Almost sixty five thousand young Australians did National Service, just over fifteen thousand serving in Vietnam. Two hundred ‘nashos’ died there, almost half of Australia’s fatalities.

Guests

Bobbie Oliver, Associate Professor of History, Curtin University, Western Australia

Mark Dapin, Author of The Nashos’ War: Australia’s national servicemen and Vietnam

Peter Edwards, Official historian of Australia’s involvement in the Vietnam War, Author of Australia and the Vietnam War

The program will be repeated at 5.30 am on Monday for insomniacs/early risers, and is accessible now on-line.