From 1914 to 1918, over 324,000 Australians served overseas in the First World War, with two-thirds becoming casualties. Their experiences had long-lasting effects on them, their families and society.

Almost a million Australians served during the Second World War from 1939 to 1945. Australia’s proximity to the war in the Pacific forced us to question our relationships with the rest of the world.

To support our US allies, Australia sent almost 60,000 service personnel to South Vietnam from 1962 to 1975 to fight the spread of communism. Conscription forced many of these troops to serve.

The Cold War was a period of tension between the United States and the Soviet Union from 1945 to 1991. In Australia it was marked by political stand-offs, the space race, spy rings and defections.

Since the First World War, the Australian military has developed, tested and used defence equipment and weapons. During the Cold War, Australia allowed nuclear weapons testing and launched a satellite.