News — 8 August, 2024 The Vietnam War was the last, longest and most controversial of the five major wars in which New Zealand was involved in the 20th century. A national commemoration for Vietnam Veterans' Day will be held on Sunday 18 August at Pukeahu National War Memorial Park, Wellington.Vietnam Veterans' Day 2024Between June 1964 and December 1972, more than 3000 New Zealand military personnel served in South Vietnam. Thirty-seven died while on active service and 187 were wounded. More than 200 New Zealand civilians also went to help the people of South Vietnam; two lost their lives.The Vietnam War lasted from about 1960 until 1975. Fought between the communist Democratic Republic of Vietnam (North Vietnam) and the US-backed Republic of Vietnam in the south, it ended with the defeat of South Vietnam in April 1975 and the establishment of a unified state, the Socialist Republic of Vietnam (or Việt Nam). The human cost was horrendous: more than 1.4 million military personnel and approximately 2.6 million civilians died.New Zealand initially limited its assistance to a civilian surgical team which arrived in April 1963. This was followed by the arrival, sixty years ago in June 1964, of a 25-strong non-combatant engineer unit (NEWZAD) which worked on reconstruction projects, such as road and bridge building, in Binh Duong province. Combat involvement began a year later. At its peak in 1968, New Zealand’s military force totalled 548 men. Image National Army Museum Te Mata Toa. Reference: 1992.2160-6701 Lance Corporal R. Mita (left) and Lance Corporal W. Williams work on a bridge in South Vietnam, circa 1964. Both men were members of the New Zealand Army Detachment Vietnam (NEWZAD) - an engineer detachment based in Vietnam 1964-1965. Most of New Zealand’s forces were involved in artillery offensives, cordon and search patrols, intelligence gathering and reconnaissance missions. The Kiwi gunners were renowned for their involvement in several intense fire fights, including the Battle of Long Tan on 18 August 1966 when the gunners played a key role in assisting Australian infantry.As the fighting dragged on, Vietnam became highly controversial at home with thousands of New Zealanders marching against the war. Many returning veterans felt a deep sense of frustration that their service – undertaken with characteristic skill and dedication – was regarded with ambivalence or, in some cases, hostility.From late 1970 New Zealand gradually began withdrawing its forces from Vietnam. Combat involvement ended in December 1971, and the army training teams followed 12 months later. The civilian surgical team was the last to leave in March 1975.Vietnam stands apart from New Zealand’s other 20th century military experiences. The conflict had a political and cultural impact that surpassed the numbers involved. For a growing number of young New Zealanders, the country’s participation triggered a re-examination of foreign policy and national identity. Image National Army Museum Te Mata Toa. Reference: 1992.2160-6705 New Zealand Army Detachment Vietnam (NEWZAD) engineers Lance Corporal W. Williams (left) and Craftsman M.E. Bergerson (right) work on a bridge in South Vietnam, circa 1964. Further informationVietnam Veterans’ Day 2024: 60 years since engineers deployed to VietnamVietnam War websiteVietnam War (NZ History)