On Wednesday this week, the Prime Minister, Helen Clark, apologised to soldiers who served in the Vietnam War between 1964 and 1972. She apologised for the way they were treated when they returned from the war and for the pain and suffering they experienced after the war.
When New Zealand sent soldiers to Vietnam to support the Americans fighting there, it was a time of protests and anti-war marches here and in America. Many people did not support the war. Helen Clark herself, when she was young, protested against New Zealand sending soldiers to that war. So when the soldiers returned to New Zealand, they were not treated as heroes. They could not feel proud of serving their country.
It was a National government in 1964 which decided to support America by sending soldiers to fight in Vietnam. When the Labour government won the election in 1972, one of the first things they did was to bring the soldiers home again. About 3,400 soldiers served in Vietnam; 37 died and 187 were injured but many more have become sick since then.
Many soldiers suffered after the war from the chemicals that the Americans used when they sprayed the forests in Vietnam. The main chemical was called Agent Orange. Many soldiers have become sick with cancer and some have died. Sadly some of their children were also born with health problems.
In December 2006, the New Zealand government promised an apology and money for those who had illnesses as a result of the war and for their sick children. On Wednesday, the soldiers were invited to Parliament to hear the apology. After that the government held a function for them.
This weekend, Queens Birthday weekend, the soldiers will hold a special event called Tribute 08. That is why the apology came just before their weekend function. |