Secondary School Education Program

Education programs can be customized to meet the needs of individual school groups. Programs are designed with a curriculum focus to fit the duration of your visit and are most suited to students in Years 9 – 12.

In 2024, courtesy of a grant generously provided by the Victorian State Government, administered by the Vietnam Veterans Association of Australia (Vic) secondary school History classes may visit the museum free of charge. Some schools could even have their transport cost covered.

Our Education Program can include the following:

• 20-minute holographic Light and Sound Show presentation — an overview of the conflict in Vietnam and Australia’s involvement in it.
• tour of the Museum with a guide, including the Conscription barrel, weapons, helicopters and vehicles, artwork created by a soldier with PTSD, models, and photographs.
• a chance to handle equipment and uniforms issued to Vietnam forces.
• participation in a Mock Conscription — your students’ birthdates and our replica of the Birthday Ballot Barrel can be used in a role-play that will enhance their understanding of the random nature of the process and why it provoked such strong reactions within Australian society.
• general browsing time to look at other exhibits and revisit items of interest.

Extra resources for schools

Here are some links to short videos and articles about aspects of the war in Vietnam that we thought might enrich your understanding and be useful in your studies:

https://www.youtube.com/c/HistoricMilitaryInterviews

The series called Australia’s Participation in the Vietnam War consists of more than 10 short interviews with Vietnam veterans, many of them were recorded here at NVVM.

Interviews on the street in 1965 revealing a range of attitudes to involvement in the war in Vietnam.

(1 min 15 sec)

Public reactions to sending troops to Vietnam War – 10 (History) (abc.net.au)

The Birthday Ballot in operation, 1965. (1 min 50 sec)

Luck of the draw: the Vietnam ‘birthday ballot’ – 10 (History) (abc.net.au)

Story of conscientious objector Bill White, 1966. (4 min 48 sec)

Fighting conscription, 1966 – 10 (History) (abc.net.au)

Interview with conscientious objector Michael Matteson. At the time of this television appearance, he was evading arrest. (7 min 27sec)

This Day Tonight: Draft Dodger (1971) – YouTube 

Three short excerpts from the Super-8 Soldiers documentary featuring two veterans who are also volunteers at National Vietnam Veterans Museum.

Video Overview Super 8 Soldiers (1991) on ASO – Australia’s audio and visual heritage online

Short interviews with veterans from a range of services on a variety of issues, including PTSD, Agent Orange, nurses, combat, counter insurgency, loss and families.

Vietnam war stories – Anzac Portal (dva.gov.au)

This article by the Assistant Curator of the Australian War Memorial is an evidence-based discussion (with further links) of how images of the war impacted public attitudes.

https://theconversation.com/the-photographers-war-vietnam-through-a-lens-8759

This is a scholarly reflection on the Domino Theory, the Cold War and Australia’s involvement in Vietnam.

Keith Payne was awarded the Victoria Cross for valour in the Vietnam War. Here he explains the action that led to his award and then discusses the PTSD he has suffered. ABC News