Imagine yourself in the following scenario:

Transcription

1 You be the judge Imagine yourself in the following scenario: Years have passed since the war s end and it s now The Vietnam Veterans Association of Australia () is combining, in a class action, to sue the Federal Government. In a class action, a number of people sue another party (or parties) over an issue that they all have in common. In this case, the want the government to pay every Vietnam Veteran the sum of $ This sum is compensation for their wartime experiences and the poor treatment they believe the veterans received from the Australian public and government after they returned from the war. This payment would be in addition to general veterans benefits. In this lesson, you read through the transcript of the simulated court case. You consider witnesses from both sides. After you have heard the evidence, you play the role of judge and decide what compensation payout, or any other reparations, the veterans are entitled to receive, based on the evidence that is presented. A suggested approach If you are in a classroom, your teacher may assign roles to different students. This will bring the case alive as you read through the evidence. The roles are: lawyers for the Vietnam Veterans Association of Australia () lawyers for the Australian Government () veteran Gary McMahon veteran Bob Pride a Vietnam nurse veteran Bill Ryan a psychiatrist for the a veteran Michael O Brien a a government Jane Ross Part 2 Australia goes to Vietnam 49

2 Gary McMahon, a veteran Gary McMahon Gary McMahon We call our first witness Gary McMahon, who is a veteran of the Vietnam War. Gary, can you recall your experiences after you returned home from the war in which the Federal Government enlisted Australia? Returning veterans were ignored. Some of us were spat at, called murderer, or baby killer, or asked how come we were stupid enough to go. If we came home blind or missing a limb we were made to feel that it served us right many veterans still carry powerful and disturbing feelings. A lot of us live lives characterised by a great number of medical and psychological problems. Some of us have retreated into a world of disillusionment, anger, grief, and guilt. So what was the cause of these feelings amongst veterans? The bitterness and disillusionment comes from anger towards the society that sent us to Vietnam, and then blamed us for the horrors of the war. When we returned most of us never talked about Vietnam, or even denied that we had been there. We were the unmentionables of Australian society when we came home, and we didn t understand it. Thank you Gary, that can t have been easy. All quotes from Gary McMahon in www4.tpgi.com.au/users/garymcma/ptsd.htm (accessed December 2005) Bob Pride, a veteran Bob Pride Bob Pride We now call our second witness Bob Pride, another Vietnam Veteran. Bob, please tell the court how you were received when you returned home after risking your life in the service of your country? I had this idea of coming home to a brass band and tickertape processions I think we landed at airport at about ten or eleven o clock at night, went through customs, and got our pay. When the doors opened there were these people waving placards and someone was holding up a page out of a newspaper about women and children being killed So what sort of welcome were you expecting? The way it was for the Anzacs and the Second World War guys All quotes from Bob Pride cited in Rintoul S, 1987, Ashes of Vietnam, Heinemann, Melbourne, p Australia in the Vietnam Era

3 A Vietnam nurse Vietnam nurse Vietnam nurse Vietnam nurse Our next witness is a nurse who served in Vietnam. Sister, can you please describe your experiences in Vietnam. Well, most of us served between six and twelve months but many nurses did several tours. The hours were very long, certainly not nine to five, and we were in constant danger. And when you came home? A lot of us just didn t talk about Vietnam because of the bad vibe in Australia about the war and a lot of nurses health suffered from the stress and nerves caused by the war. And how did the government treat you? They didn t even recognise us as veterans and the only assistance that nurses got was basically Workers Compensation. Crowe A, 1999, The Battle After the War, Allen and Unwin,, pp Bill Ryan, a veteran Bill Ryan Bill Ryan We now call to the stand our final veteran Bill Ryan. Bill, can you tell the court about one terrible experience you had in Vietnam? There was one occasion where we were called to repair a broken down tank. On our way out we came across a group of about a dozen Vietnamese, who our sergeant reckoned were Viet Cong, unloading a boat on a riverbank we were ordered to ambush them, even though most of us were tradesmen mechanics, welders, fitters and turners and the like. We never saw ourselves as grunts [infantrymen] or trained killers. The ambush went ahead and most of the nogs were killed outright. One of our blokes was also killed and two were wounded. Some of the Vietnamese bodies floated out into the river and we could not get them to bury them. We went on and repaired he tank. On our way back to base we passed the spot of the ambush and the current had carried a couple of bodies back into the riverbank. We were ordered to remove the bodies from the river and bury them. They had been in the water now for a couple of days and were very bloated. When we tried to pull them on to the bank the bodies just came apart. Do you still have memories of this incident? This has never left me. I still have nightmares about it. Any news report of a drowning is always bad for me and usually triggers nightmares about that incident in Vietnam. We recognise that these witnesses went through very traumatic experiences and we don t want to put them through further suffering. However, we will show later that not all veterans suffered the same reaction when they came home. All quotes from Bill Ryan cited in Crowe A, 1999, The Battle After the War, Allen and Unwin,, p 175. Part 2 Australia goes to Vietnam 51

4 A psychiatrist for the psychiatrist psychiatrist psychiatrist psychiatrist Our next witness is a psychiatrist who has appeared before government inquiries. Sir, can you explain what PTSD is? The letters stand for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. In the case of the Vietnam Veterans, PTSD was linked to psychological effects caused by the war. Symptoms include flashbacks to horrific events, nightmares, feelings of guilt, unexplained bouts of rage, fear of crowds and alcoholism. Is there any statistical evidence to suggest that Vietnam Veterans have suffered from PTSD due to the war? Yes, most definitely. Research has shown that amongst veterans, and we re talking about males here, 3.2 per cent are in the most serious category and have had their lives ruined by PTSD. A further 5.9 per cent have constant mental effects from the war, 12.2 per cent have experienced so many problems that they have been diagnosed with some condition, and 23.5 per cent are in the mildest category and suffer symptoms like depression or anxiety. Before you go Sir, can you tell the court how these figures compare to the general male population? Well, 2.4 per cent of men are in that most serious category, then 4.9 per cent suffer constant problems in their everyday lives, 9.9 per cent have been diagnosed with some symptoms, and 20 per cent are in the mildest category. So in other words, the figures aren t that much lower than the statistics for the veterans. No more questions. Just one last question can you tell the court what the Australian Army medical director, Brigadier Rogers, has said on the subject of the mental health of Vietnam Veterans? Yes, he concluded that the fighting soldier in Vietnam suffered many times more stress than a World War II Veteran (Ambrose 1999). Thank you. All psychological statistics cited in Pemberton G (ed), 2002, Vietnam Remembered, New Holland Publishers,, p 205. An for the Our final witness is an. A lot of veterans returned and commented that, aside, from the protestors, there were many Australians who seemed to adopt a who cares attitude to their service in Vietnam. How many Australians actually served in Vietnam? Well, in total there were about That represented just 0.4 per cent of the population. How did that compare with World War I and World War II? Oh, in World War I, 13.4 per cent of the male population alone in the armed forces, and in World War II, the figure was per cent of the ENTIRE population. 52 Australia in the Vietnam Era

5 So it would be fair to say that the war in Vietnam, therefore, did not have anywhere near the impact on society as the earlier conflicts, particularly World War II when war literally came to Australia. Indeed, it would be fair say that much of the population were quite unconcerned, even disinterested, about the conflict. Most showed little enthusiasm or recognition when veterans returned home, especially as we didn t win this war. This can t have made a soldier feel very good after he had risked his life fighting for his country. I m glad my opponent has brought up the issue of the uniqueness of Vietnam. The has often claimed that their war was different and more stressful than all the others. So, some questions to test this claim of uniqueness have veterans from other wars served in difficult terrain as well? Yes, for example, Kokoda and many other Asian theatres in World War II. Have veterans from other wars served in harsh climates too? Yes, again Asia in World War II, the Western Front in World War I, and Korea was bitterly cold in winter. Could veterans from other wars do a tour of duty for only twelve months and then come home? No, many served for years in both World War I and World War II. No further questions. I have just one question regarding problems encountered by Australian soldiers did those in Vietnam have greater difficulty recognising the enemy? Yes, because South or North, they were all Vietnamese and even young children or old villagers could be working for the Vietcong. Not to mention the booby traps and tunnels. This must have created tremendous anxiety. Yes, it did. Changing the subject, we will now present evidence about protests in Australia during the war. So what was the nature of the protests, not just against the war in Vietnam but also specifically against Australian soldiers? Some protestors displayed very bitter feelings against their own people. Typical posters said things like, Australian soldiers are guilty of war crimes and Australian soldiers are baby killers. What other things did the protestors claim? They accused their fellow countrymen and women of murder, ill treatment of the Vietnamese and deporting villagers during search and destroy missions. Horrifying! Thank you. We have no questions for the witness. We will produce our own witnesses who will remind us that there was also Part 2 Australia goes to Vietnam 53

6 tremendous support for Australia's soldiers. We recognise that there was support for veterans as well. However, it is hard to underestimate the devastating effect on a soldier returning home after risking his life, especially those who were forced to go to war by the government, and then being told he is a BABY KILLER! We rest our case. The case for the government The presented several witnesses who recalled negative experiences when they returned from Vietnam. Our first witness Michael O Brien will tell a different story. Michael, how was your battalion [a military unit] received at their parade in 1968 after coming home? Michael O Brien The battalion marched through... enthusiastically cheered by the crowd and showered with confetti.... The march through the city was an important ceremony for many soldiers, particularly those being discharged from the Army soon afterwards. Thank you Michael. The Government maintains that while there was always opposition to the war, that didn t automatically transfer to the veterans themselves. The Government mentioned that this parade took place in It should be said that the great wave of protest that was to follow only really started after that. Quote from Michael O Brien in O Brien M, 1995, Conscripts and regulars with the Seventh Battalion in Vietnam, Allen & Unwin,, p 142. A Our next witness is a who was at the welcome home parade for the 1st Battalion RAR (Royal Australian Regiment) in June Can you recall the size of the crowd? Nearly half a million Can you describe the atmosphere? It was extremely positive. With all the cheers and applause, you couldn t hear yourself think. Were there any protests? Well, only one. A girl threw some red paint over two soldiers. 54 Australia in the Vietnam Era

7 Source: Welcoming home the 1st Battalion,, 1966 The Australian 9 June 1966 cited in Murphy J, 1993, Harvest of Fear, Allen and Unwin,, p 148. And how did the crowd react to her? She was loudly booed and hissed. Thank you. Now, when was the date of that parade again? June As with the previous witness, this march was fairly early in the war before the public mood started to turn sour. While you re on the stand, do you remember an editorial called, Two kinds of courage, in the Morning Herald in August 1969? Yes I do. It equated the courage of soldiers in Vietnam to Australians who refused to be conscripted into the army? I see. In other words, it was associating ordinary soldiers putting their lives on the line with draft dodgers, some of whom ended up in jail. That can t have made the returning soldiers feel very good. Part 2 Australia goes to Vietnam 55

8 An for the Government The seems insistent in suggesting that positive crowd responses only came early in the war. Our next witness will disprove this remark. We now call the Government to the stand. Miss, can you list some of the welcome home functions during the Vietnam War and the reception that our soldiers received at these functions? Yes, it s quite a long list. There were a lot of activities to welcome the soldiers back. Some were: 1966, although it wasn t a welcome home march, a few Vietnam Veterans did receive a special cheer during the Anzac Day march in 1968, a crowd of 6000 outside Town Hall in cheered some veterans. On that day about 1000 anti-war protested were loudly jeered in 1969, there was a large march in Adelaide, where 200 protesters were attacked by supporters of the veterans in 1970, supporters far outnumbered protesters in veterans parades in, Melbourne and Brisbane again in 1970, the Morning Herald reported that the biggest cheer of all was given to the first of the Vietnam veterans at the ANZAC Day march and even as late in the war as 1971, veterans marched in Townsville to a large rousing heroes welcome according to the Townsville Daily Bulletin. Thank you. There is plenty of evidence then, to suggest that when marches were held, the returning soldiers received a warm welcome and supporters far outweighed protestors. Information on marches cited in Pemberton G (ed), 2002, Vietnam Remembered, New Holland Publishers,, pp Jane Ross, an We now call our final witness. Jane Ross is another. She has written extensively on Australia's military history in the twentieth century. Now we have at least distanced ourselves from the myth of the Hollywood Vietnam returned soldier because it is now acknowledged that the experience of Australian troops was quite different to that of the Americans. Ms Ross, what has emerged from your research? Jane Ross This has not prevented the development of stereotypes about the returned soldier, the dominant one being that of the troubled veteran, as presented by the VVA. The actual typical veteran, in the sense of being the most commonly occurring case, may be somewhat more conventional. He may well be reasonably adjusted, married with two children and a mortgage. He may belong to local organisations, march on Anzac Day and be proud to be part of a tradition going back to Gallipoli. Vietnam may be for him 56 Australia in the Vietnam Era

9 not a problematical issue, but merely one year, a long time ago. Jane Ross So not every veteran has suffered from PTSD? The veterans deal with their memories of the war in many different ways. For some, the full-time veterans, it becomes the defining element in their self-image. Some achieve peace by helping other veterans, a few by revisiting the battlefields in Phuoc Tuy. Some are damaged beyond cure, others live productive lives even though handicapped either physically or emotionally by their service. And for others, perhaps the largest number of veterans, their experience of the war in Vietnam is simply not an issue. For them, there is nothing to confront. Thank you. We rest our case. All quotes from Jane Ross cited in Pemberton G (ed), 2002, Vietnam Remembered, New Holland Publishers,, pp 187, 213. Go to the exercises section and complete Exercises 2.11 to 2.13 as directed by your teacher. Part 2 Australia goes to Vietnam 57