Vitenam: ANZAC Division, Korean Division, Philipino Brigade

What if Allied political will allowed tripling Allied suppoort in Vietnam would the outcome of the Vietnam war been different? In order for the ANZAC division to work commonwealth elements based in Singapore Butterworth and Ipoh would have to be replaced by British units. In addition Korean elements would have to be replaced by more United Nations elements Turkey Greece etc.
 
1 ATF consisted of 3 btns, which included 2 Kiwi coys, sometimes as a 5th rifle coy amongst RAR btns but other times as half the btn. Simultaneously Australia maintained a btn in Malaya. To do this Australia had to introduce a selective and unfair form of conscription, and even then was really stretched to keep 3 1/2 btns deployed overseas despite having the RAR expand from 4 to 9 btns. So I think an ANZAC division is an impossibility.

Perhaps a Commonwealth division is a possibility if the Commonwealth could scrape together another 2 brigades amongst themselves.
 

frlmerrin

Banned
British units are not replacing anyone fighting in Vietnam. Britain was, depending upon how you look at diplomatic matters either non-belligerent or neutral. Britain was not allied with either the USA, Australia or NZ in their war against (North) Vietnam. If you want to change this you probably need a POD in the early 60s that ensures no Wilson Labour government gets into power and you also need to ensure the alternative Conservative PM does not have the cojones to stand up to Johnson and American economic pressure.
 
NZ Forces on Paper

1 RNZIR Singapore Battalion Tripled in Size to full brigade RZNAF Squadron of UH-1 ordered forward to Nui Dat instead of 5 C-130H two full Sqadrons used in Support. 16 Field regiment, 5 Mdm, 10 Transport Company, as well as 1 RNZIR 2/1 RNZIR and 2/4 RNZIR (rounded out) 1 GH, National Service extended to Vietnam. Politically it means support from the US to NZ and AU in respect of trade and maybe Britain reviwing 1967 trade directives to AU and NZ in respct of the EU. 1-7 RAR as well as rounded out state militia forming the other two battlions. HMAS Sydney and Melbourne CVA's perhaps with A-4 support (FAA, RAAF and RNZAF manned)
 
POD EU

Britain looks to the Far East and America and less towards the EU? Perhaps Oil is found sooner off the Coast of Malayasia? Perhaps the CVA HMAS Sydney and Melbourne orders are placed in Clyde shippyards? Or perhaps even better with Harland and Wolf in Belfast reducing Northern Ireland unemployment?
 
Last edited:
Top