How Did The Fall Of Saigon Affect Australia

The Fall of Saigon refers to when the Northern Vietnamese forces invaded Saigon (modern-day Ho Chi Minh City), the capital of South Vietnam and the home of the presidential palace. On that day, South Vietnam surrendered to the communist North, signalling the end of the Vietnam War in April 30, 1975. The Fall of Saigon was a significant event that affected the South Vietnamese people socially as it forced them to flee to another country and to adapt to that country’s culture. This meant there was an increase in refugees and many fled to Australia because it was closer than USA. The Fall of Saigon not only affected Vietnam but Australia as well.

Prior to April 30, 1975, Vietnamese civilians were trying to flee the country because they feared what would happen after the South Vietnamese invaded. When America eventually pulled out, a month before the Fall of Saigon, they began transporting orphans to the US and globally. The US evacuated 7000 at risk Vietnamese from the South by helicopter, but many were left behind and they made their own attempt at escape. People who were

This caused a debate on the White Australia Policy. In 1980, 12915 Vietnamese refugees arrived in Australia, the fluctuation in number caused both government to improve financially, according to the Migration Heritage Website. In 1981, 43400 refugees arrived in Australia with most refugees using the resettlement programs,than by boat and the refugee intake was approxiamately 8000 a year for a decade,in the same year the last Vietnamese refugee boat arrived in Australia. In 1982, refugees accepted into Australia were nearly 60000 with most of them travelling by plane. In the late 1980s,it became more difficult to leave Vietnam and several countries limited on how many people are allowed to