How the 'Save Our Sons' movement changed Australia's course in the Vietnam War

In the mid-1960s, Australia, along with other Western countries, became involved in the Vietnam War, a conflict waged against the communist forces of North Vietnam by the United States and its allies.

Prime Minister Robert Menzies set up the National Service scheme on 10 November 1964, which was Australia’s first peacetime conscription.

Shortly after, he sent Australian troops to Vietnam on 29 April 1965. Although National Service began in late 1964, the first conscripts did not arrive in South Vietnam until 24 May 1966, with the 5th Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment.

The 'Save Our Sons' (SOS) movement began in Sydney on 13 May 1965 when about fifteen women, led by Joyce Golgerth and Pat Ashcroft, formed a group to work to end conscription.

In their view, the policy was wrong and unfair, and it put the lives of young men at risk.

The movement quickly spread across Australia. In Melbourne, Jean McLean, Irene Miller, Jo Maclaine-Cross, Frances James, and Kathleen George set up a Victoria branch of Save Our Sons in mid-1965.

There, they held meetings at the State Library of Victoria, handed petitions to the Victorian Parliament and organised protests across Melbourne’s city centre.

Similar branches appeared in Queensland, South Australia, Western Australia, and Tasmania as well.

These women came from diverse backgrounds and political beliefs but were united in their opposition to conscription and the Vietnam War.

The 'Save Our Sons' movement employed a variety of protest techniques, from distributing leaflets and petitions to conducting silent vigils, marches, and public speeches.

They also provided legal and financial assistance to those refusing conscription. Their efforts drew national and international attention to the issue, making it a central topic in the Australian socio-political discourse.

In April 1971, SOS members in Victoria were famously arrested for distributing pamphlets containing information on how to avoid conscription at a Melbourne draft center.

The subsequent trial, known as the 'Fairlea Five' trial, caused a public outcry, further galvanizing opposition to the war and drawing significant media attention to the cause.

The SOS movement was instrumental in mobilizing public opinion against the Vietnam War and conscription in Australia.

Their efforts, along with those of other anti-war organizations, contributed to a shift in public opinion and policy.

The Labor Party, led by Gough Whitlam, who opposed conscription, won the 1972 election, marking the end of the Liberal-Country coalition government that had introduced and supported conscription.

Whitlam promptly abolished conscription and withdrew Australian troops from Vietnam.

The 'Save Our Sons' movement not only played a significant role in Australia's departure from the Vietnam War but also left a lasting impact on Australian society.

It marked an important moment for women's activism in Australia and contributed to the growth of the feminist movement in the country.

Furthermore, it helped establish a tradition of public dissent and civilian involvement in issues of national importance.

Today, the 'Save Our Sons' movement is remembered as a courageous and determined effort by everyday Australians to challenge government policies they believed to be unjust.

The movement remains a poignant reminder of the power of peaceful protest and civic engagement in shaping a nation's history.