Canadians Serve

CANADIANS JOIN

Although the government in Ottawa was not technically supporting the US and its allies in the Vietnam war, many Canadian men either enlisted in the US Army and Marines Corps or "allowed" themselves to be drafted into service.

Like everything else about the Vietnam war, numbers and stories vary. Some wildly. Protests were just as furious in Canada as they were in other parts of the world. The difference was many Americans resisting the draft went to Canada where they were, if not welcomed, accommodated. Many still live there today. When then President Gerald Ford announced a "conditional amnesty" shortly after taking office, the offer was looked upon coolly. Ford issued a proclamation on September 16, 1974 a week after giving Richard Nixon a full pardon. Both of these actions were looked upon with suspicion.

Canada was officially a "non-belligerent" in the Vietnam war but did send foreign aid to South Vietnam and did not interfere with its citizens joining American armed forces. There had been a long history of US soldiers serving with Canadians in both World Wars and Korea. US soldiers served with Canada in the World Wars before the US officially declared.

Canadian businesses remained arm's length when they shipped billions of dollars of goods for the American war machine to the US:

 "500 firms sold $2.5 billion of war materials (ammunition, napalm, aircraft engines and explosives) to the Pentagon. Another $10 billion in food, beverages, berets and boots for the troops was exported to the U.S., as well as nickel, copper, lead, brass and oil for shell casings, wiring, plate armour and military transport. In Canada unemployment fell to record low levels of 3.9%"^[4]

In addition, other military supplies and raw materials useful in their manufacture including napalm, Agent Orange and ammunition. As long as the goods were not going directly to Vietnam, they violated no international treaties.

Canadians fought alongside American, Australian, New Zealand, South Korean and other allies in the war against the North Vietnamese. Their return home was no less uncomfortable than their counterparts as anti-war demonstrations were very heated in their homeland.

Since these soldiers and marines were the "property" of the American military, they were not provided with any aid- health or otherwise by their own government. Many stayed in the US while others blended back into Canadian society as best they could.

Canadian Vietnam Veteran's Association (Manitoba) (link)

Eventually groups of veterans joined together and formed support groups. There are several Canadian Vietnam Veteran's memorials across Canada.

Letter Home

It has been very difficult to nail down just how many Canadians served in Vietnam, how many were killed and wounded, how many missing in action and, finally, how many might have been captured and imprisoned by the North. The fact is, all Canadians were serving with US military forces and wearing American uniforms. Some were citizens of Canada and others had become citizens of the US. Regardless, we bow our heads in solemn memory of those boys who died, those who were wounded and those who have survived to suffer along with their brethren. This war did not only tear the American generation of that time in two- it broke hearts across the globe.

To Those Canadians Who Served

Welcome Home

To Those Who Perished

Rest in Peace

Remembering Vietnam Veterans From Australia, New Zealand, and Canada

TO THOSE WHO WENT

**Read through series by clicking on NEWER POST at bottom of pages**

In July and August 1962, at the request of then-US Secretary of State, Dean Rusk- Australia sent 30 military advisers to Vietnam. Because of the experience the Aussies had with jungle warfare and counter-insurgencies in Malaysia and Borneo the Americans regarded their input as invaluable.

"Australia's initial commitment to supporting the American stance in Vietnam consisted of the deployment of a team of military advisers. On 26th July, 1962, the Minister for Defence announced Australia's intention to send 30 instructors to the Republic of South Vietnam, 4 going to the Military Aid Council Vietnam (MACV) Headquarters in Saigon, 22 to regional locations in the Hue area and 4 to Duc My.(1) This team would be headed by Colonel F.P. Serong, previously Commanding Officer at the Jungle Training Center, Canungra, Queensland and would fall under the command of the Australian Army Forces, Far Eastern Landing Forces Headquarters in Singapore.(2) The Australian Army Training Team Vietnam (AATTV) arrived in the Republic of Viet Nam in August, 1962." Quoted from "Australia's Military Involvement in the Vietnam War by Brian Ross  (additional citations below)*

Personnel and aircraft of the Royal Australian Air Force

Deplaning August 1964

Republic of Viet Nam

The Americans and Australians, with their varying types of experiences, possessed very different tactics and fighting styles.

"Whilst American instructors expounded the virtues of the rapid deployment of large numbers of troops, massive fire power, and decisive battles, Australians concentrated on individual marksmanship, the independence of platoons from battalion HQs, small scale patrols and ambushes. These differences frequently brought Australian advisers into conflict with their American superiors. The Australian policy of "economy of effort" was directly opposed to the American idea of "concentration of force".(6)

In addition to ground forces, eventually there would be medical personnel, air force personnel, infantrymen, tankers, and naval forces hailing from Australia and New Zealand. These combined forces were known as ANZACs (Australian and New Zealand Army Corps). This would be the first war which involved New Zealand that did not include forces from Great Britain.

And, although the Canadian Government was not involved politically or militarily, many Canadians joined or allowed themselves to be drafted into the US Military- mainly in the Marine Corps and the US Army.

We will focus our spotlight on each of these nations and their involvement with the war in Vietnam and that includes any and all medical personnel whether military or civilian. We will first begin with the largest contingent to serve in Vietnam, and that would be the folks from Australia whose Army is known as "Diggers". The soldiers from New Zealand, nicknamed "Kiwi" because of the presence of images of their national bird on emblems. The origin of the nickname "Digger" has been widely debated. Knowing that our friends from Oz love a good argument, we will stand by to see their comments!




Attributions: (1) p.8, Australia's Military Commitment to Vietnam, Paper tabled in accordance with the Prime Minister's Statement in the House of Representatives on 13 May 1975. (2) p.1, Horner, D.M., Australian Higher Command in the Vietnam War, Canberra Papers on Strategy and Defence No.10, Strategic and Defence Studies Centre, Australian National Univsersity, 1986. (6) pp.56-58, McNeill, I. "Australian Army Advisers: Perceptions of Enemies and Allies".