For much of the twentieth century, including during the Cold War, Australia faced little imperative to work towards integrating its armed services. Such efforts were constrained after the Second World War by commitments alongside the United States and Britain in Korea, Britain in Borneo and Malaya (later Malaysia), and the United States in Vietnam. In each case, the Army faced a stronger imperative to work with the United States Army and Marines or the British Army than with its sister services. This was because in large-scale coalition wars the RAN and RAAF were best employed as part of the allied naval or air force effort.

The experience of integrated operations alongside British and New Zealand forces helped hone warfighting capabilities and reinforce commonalities in tactics and procedures between Commonwealth forces. The experience of working with US forces in Vietnam, however, proved a marked contrast.

THE ARMY'S 1960S LEGACY

Underlying Australia’s military commitment in Vietnam was ongoing concern over Australia’s strategic vulnerability. Australia’s sense of isolation was confirmed by the Japanese advances of 1942 and reinforced by postwar perceptions of a communist southern thrust. Concern was accentuated when the United States acceded to Indonesian pressure for territorial expansion, allowing Indonesia to take over Dutch-controlled West New uinea in 1963. Australia’s lack of influence in Washington perturbed those in government. Hence, in addition to contributing troops alongside British forces in Malaya and Borneo, Australia wanted to bolster ties with the United States. The most obvious way to do so was to contribute forces alongside Americans. This it did by providing training advisers in Vietnam in 1962. But the scale of Australia’s commitment altered dramatically when it committed combat troops to Vietnam in 1965. These moves and the ending of Confrontation with Indonesia in 1966, eased Australia’s sense of strategic insecurity, and a majority of Australians supported the government’s commitment to Vietnam throughout the 1960s and beyond.