Economic and social impact of the Vietnam War on Australia?

Question

What was the economic and social impact of the Vietnam War on Australia?
Must concern Australia, so that it can be related to Australian Vietnam veterans and their families.
Thanks

Answer 1

As is the case during any war time period, the economy receives a boos because of additional government spending. Australia was doing fine during the Vietnam war although inflation was always hovering on the edge.

Socially, like the USA there were many people who were opposed to the war. Australia, however, did not have a huge ocean between it and the advancing threat of communism, so if anything the people felt the threat more keenly than did the people of the USA who did not perceive the threat at all and only learned after the war that the 'peace-loving communist people of Vietnam' were in fact far worse than the USA. Even Joan Baez apologized because she felt betrayed by the communists. Australia's peace movement was not nearly as significant as was that which existed in the USA and the call to arms was greater.