New Zealand military involvment in the Vietnam War
A total of 3890 New Zealanders took part in the Vietnam war. And 37 New Zealand soliders died and 187 were wounded. New Zealand sent New Zealand Sevices Medical Team in Apriil 1967 where they served till 1969. They provided surgial assistance to South Vietnamese civilians and encouraging the development of indigenous capacity in this field. The surgicial team operated in Qui Nhon treating injured civilian casualties of the fighting. 26 New Zealanders also served part of the Special Air Services troop in the Vietnam War.
New Zealand Accepting Refugees
Even to a small involvement of New Zealand, it caused big protests within New Zealand. Many New Zealanders opposed the way in which the war was fought by US soldiers and criticised New Zealand Government being allied with the US, supporting the atrocities they are committing.
In 1970, just after a year, New Zealand government withdrawed the soldiers and the involvment of New Zealand was reduced to non-fighting army training teams. And in 1972, when the Labour Party became in-power, lead by Norman Kirk, all personnel were withdrawn immediately.
However, although New Zealand soldiers did not take part in committing the atrocities, New Zealanders were still blamed by the antiwar protestors of being guilty. Because of this, the New Zealand government allowed Refugees (boat people) to migrate into New Zealand. New Zealand assissted in the effort to resettle the frightened Vietnamese refugees from 1976. Initially, New Zealand issued out permanent citizenship to those who were already in New Zealand; diplomats, their families and friends and to the Vietnamese students. In 1977, New Zealand government accepted 412 refugees from Vietnam, and from 1979-1980 approximately 1,500 Vietnamese were warmingly welcomed to New Zealand. And from then, until 2000, every year, few Vietnamese migrated as refugees to join their family and friends.
They welcomed the refugees from Vietnam and provided them with homes and gave them medical care. Many were placed near to their friends or families in respect to the Vietnamese culture of having the mutual support and assisstance from relatives. More opportunities for jobs were established for the Vietnamese by community centres and associations to allow Vietnamese a stable, healthy, new lifestyle.
The hurt memories and experiences will lie permanently in the Vietnamese peoples heart, however, the New Zealand tried it's best to support them to make a new start, and live a better life.