Why did it take so long for the Vietnamese Veterans to be recognized in Australia?

When the Vietnam soldiers returned from war, they did not receive a warm and friendly welcome. They were targeted by anti-war protesters as being the enemy. They claimed that they were evil and wrong to fight in a war, which they thought was useless, and none of Australia's business. They thought that all Australia was doing was following America into war. The public all witnessed the daily footage of the war, horrible images of dead …

…public had every right to place blame on the government, but not the men themselves. It wasn't until many years after the soldiers retuned home that a 'Welcome Home Parade' was held in Sydney in 1987. It took 15 years for the Australian Society to recognize and appreciate the Vietnam Veterans. 200,000 people attended along with 25,000 veterans from all over Australia. The veterans saw it as a well -deserved acknowledgement that they should have received many years ago.