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New Zealand's involvement in the Vietnam War was highly controversial, sparking widespread protest at home from anti-Vietnam War movements modelled on their American counterparts. This conflict was also the first in which New Zealand did not fight alongside the United Kingdom, instead following the loyalties of the ANZUS Treaty. New Zealand decided to send troops to Vietnam in 1964 because of Cold War concerns and alliance considerations. The potential adverse effect on the ANZUS alliance of not supporting the United States (and Australia) in Vietnam was key. It also upheld New Zealand's national interests of countering communism in Southeast Asia. The government wanted to maintain solidarity with the United States, but was unsure about the likely outcome of external military intervention in Vietnam. Prime Minister Keith Holyoake decided to keep New Zealand involvement in Vietnam at the minimum level deemed necessary to meet allied expectations. Initial contributions New Zealand's initial response was carefully considered and characterised by Prime Minister Keith Holyoake's cautiousness towards the entire Vietnam question. While it was considered that New Zealand should support South Vietnam, as Holyoake alleged; Whose will is to prevail in South Vietnam? The imposed will of the North Vietnamese communists and their agents, or the freely expressed will of the people of South Vietnam?[1] The government preferred minimal involvement, with other South East Asian deployments already placing a strain on New Zealand's armed forces. From 1961, New Zealand came under pressure from the United States of America to contribute military and economic assistance to South Vietnam, but refused. However, at that time, aircraft were tasked to deliver supplies to Da Nang on the way from RAF Changi to Hong Kong from time to time. In 1962, Australia sent advisors, as the United States had, but again New Zealand refused to make a similar contribution. Civilian Surgical Team In April 1963 New Zealand confined its assistance to sending a civilian surgical team. The surgical team was initially made up of seven men and would eventually grow to sixteen, and remained in the country until 1975. The doctors and nurses who worked there were all volunteers from New Zealand hospitals. The team worked for civilians at the Binh Dinh Province Hospital, in Qui Nhon, an overcrowded, and dirty facility almost completely lacking equipment and bedding. It would be the last New Zealand Government agency to withdraw from Vietnam. New Zealand Army Detachment Vietnam (NEWZAD) Under continuing American pressure, the government agreed during 1963 to provide a small non-combatant military force, but the deteriorating political situation in Saigon led to delays. Not until June 1964 did twenty-five Army engineers from the Corps of Royal New Zealand Engineers arrive in South Vietnam. On the same day of their arrival, a small headquarters unit established in Saigon. Based at Thủ Dầu Một, the capital of Bình Dương Province, the New Zealand Army Detachment Vietnam (NEWZAD) engineers were engaged in reconstruction projects, such as road and bridge building, until July 1965. Non-military Economic Assistance New Zealand non-military economic assistance would continue from 1966 onwards and averaged at US$347,500 annually. This funding went to several mobile health teams to support refugee camps, the training of village vocational experts, to medical and teaching equipment for Hue University, equipment for a technical high school and a contribution toward the construction of a science building at the University of Saigon. Private civilian funding was also donated for 80 Vietnamese students to take scholarships in New Zealand. Military assistance American pressure continued for New Zealand to contribute military assistance, as the United States would be deploying combat units (as opposed to merely advisors) itself soon, as would Australia. Holyoake justified New Zealand's lack of assistance by pointing to its military contribution to the Indonesia-Malaysian Confrontation, but eventually the government decided to contribute. It was seen as in the nation's best interests to do so—failure to contribute even a token force to the effort in Vietnam would have undermined New Zealand's position in ANZUS and could have had an adverse effect on the alliance itself. New Zealand had also established its post-Second World War security agenda around countering communism in South-East Asia and of sustaining a strategy of forward defence, and so needed to be seen to be acting upon these principles. The New Zealand headquarters established in Saigon in 1964 was renamed "Headquarters Vietnam Force" (HQ V Force) on 2 July 1965. The administration of the subsequent New Zealand forces was managed here involving military personnel from all New Zealand branches of service including Military Police. New Zealand Military Police patrolled with Australian Military Police and U.S Military Police as part of security operations of U.S. Naval Support Activity Saigon which was responsible for the protection of U.S personnel and installations in Saigon. The New Zealanders and Australians also protected their own personnel and installations within the security net. On 4 December 1965 a car bomb explosion in Saigon claimed the life of one member of HQ V Force and injured three others. No further HQ V Force members were injured during the remainder of New Zealand's time in Vietnam. Royal New Zealand Artillery (RNZA) On 27 May 1965 Holyoake announced the government's decision to send 161 Battery, Royal New Zealand Artillery to South Vietnam in a combat role. The New Zealand Army Detachment (NEWZAD) engineers were replaced by the Battery in July 1965, which consisted of nine officers and 101 other ranks and four 105 mm L5 pack howitzers (later increased to six, and in 1967 replaced with 105 mm M2A2 Howitzers). U.S 173rd Airborne Brigade 161 Battery was initially under command of the United States Army's 173rd Airborne Brigade which had arrived to Vietnam two months before and was based at Bien Hoa Base Camp northeast of Saigon. 1st Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment, the first of Australia's ground forces, arrived a month before the New Zealanders and were also under command of the 173rd. New Zealand artillery supported U.S. and Australian infantry operations for 12 months. In June 1966 the Australian forces were detached from the 173rd and given their own Tactical area of responsibility and tasked with establishing a base at Nui Dat ("Dirt Hill"), in Phuoc Tuy Province thus becoming the 1st Australian Task Force. 1st Australian Task Force At the same time, the New Zealand government was given the choice of allowing the New Zealand battery to remain at Bien Hoa with the 173rd under U.S. command or integrate with the new Australian task force. It was decided the battery would join 1ATF and serve with Royal Australian Artillery field regiments. .... Discover the Deborah Challinor popular books. Find the top 100 most popular Deborah Challinor books.