The Cold War
What were the names of two major opposing powers during the cold war?
The United States of America (USA) who are Nationalists, and the Soviet Union (USSR) who were communist until their fall in 1991.
What year did Australia first send combat troops to Vietnam?
In 1965, Australia sent the first combat troops to Vietnam.
What was the name of the military alliance formed by the United States and its Western European allies to counter the Soviet Union?
NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organisation) is a military alliance formed in 1949 between North American and European countries to provide collective defence against aggression.
Which branch of the Australian military first sent troops to fight in Vietnam?
The Australian Army in Vietnam was deployed from 1965 to 1972, conducting combat operations, patrols, and support missions alongside US forces against the North Vietnamese and Viet Cong.
Which crisis in 1962 brought the world the closest it has come to nuclear war?
The Cuban Missile Crisis was a 13-day standoff in 1962 between the United States and the Soviet Union over Soviet nuclear missiles in Cuba, bringing the world close to nuclear war.
What was the main reason Australia joined the Vietnam War?
Australia joined the Vietnam War primarily to support the United States and stop the spread of communism in Southeast Asia.
What was the term for the border that separated Soviet-controlled Eastern Europe from Western Europe during the Cold War?
The Iron Curtain was a political and ideological barrier that separated the Soviet-controlled countries of Eastern Europe from the Western democracies during the Cold War.
Which type of warfare were Australian soldiers heavily involved in during the Vietnam War?
Australian forces in Vietnam specialised in jungle warfare, using small-unit patrols, ambushes, and tracking skills to counter the Viet Cong’s guerrilla tactics in dense, difficult terrain.
Which 1948–49 event saw the Soviet Union block access to a divided European city, prompting Western Allies to supply it by air?
The Berlin Blockade was the Soviet attempt to cut off Allied access to West Berlin, and the Western Allies responded with the Berlin Airlift, supplying the city by air to bypass the blockade.
Why did Australians enlist to fight in Vietnam, and how were they selected or conscripted to serve?
Many volunteered due to patriotism, anti-communism, or a sense of duty, while others were conscripted through the National Service scheme (lottery based on birthdates).