In the early 1960s Australia supported S. Vietnam as the policies of other nations, particularly the United States, to stop communism in Europe and Asia. In 1961 and 1962 Ngo Dinh Diem, leader of the government in South Vietnam needed more securty. Australia eventually responded with 30 military advisers, dispatched as the Australian Army Training Team Vietnam (AATTV). When they arrived in South Vietnam in July and August of 1962 it was the beginning of Australia's direct involvment. In August 1964 the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) sent a flight of transports to the port of Vung Tau.
In 1965 the US escalated the war. By the end of the year it had committed 200,000 troops. U.S. asked friendly countries to help in the region, including Australia. The Australian government dispatched the 1st Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment (1RAR), in June 1965 to serve alongside the US 173d Airborne Brigade in Bien Hoa province.
Eventually the war escalated. However, in the U.S. and Australia, more and more people were protesting against it. By 1969 anti-war protests were getting stronger in Australia. People believed the war was none of their business, saying that it was an internal war. Young people urged each other to "not register". The US started a gradual withdrawal of US forces. During the time of the withdrawing of forces, the activities of the Australians in Phuoc Tuy province shifted to training the South Vietnamese Regional and Popular Forces.
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