<P> Tet had a similar effect on Australian public opinion, and caused growing uncertainty in the government about the determination of the United States to remain militarily involved in Southeast Asia . Amid the initial shock, Prime Minister John Gorton unexpectedly declared for the first time that Australia would not increase its military commitment in Vietnam . The war continued without respite however, and between May and June 1968 1 ATF was again deployed away from Phuoc Tuy in response to intelligence reports of another impending offensive . In May 1968 1 RAR and 3 RAR with armour and artillery support fought off large - scale attacks during the Battle of Coral--Balmoral . Twenty - five Australians were killed and nearly 100 wounded, while the North Vietnamese lost in excess of 300 killed . </P> <P> Later, from December 1968 to February 1969 two battalions from 1 ATF again deployed away from their base in Phuoc Tuy province, operating against suspected communist bases in the Hat Dich area, in western Phuoc Tuy, south - eastern Bien Hoa and south - western Long Khan provinces during Operation Goodwood . The fighting lasted 78 days and was one of the longest out of province operations mounted by the Australians during the war . </P> <P> From May 1969 the main effort of the task force returned to Phuoc Tuy Province . Later in June 1969, 5 RAR fought one of the last large - scale actions of the Australian war, during the Battle of Binh Ba, 5 kilometres (3.1 mi) north of Nui Dat in Phuoc Tuy Province . The battle was unusual in the Australian experience, involving infantry and armour in close - quarter house - to - house fighting through the village of Binh Ba against a combined force of Viet Cong and North Vietnamese Army . For the loss of one Australian killed at the communists lost 107 killed, six wounded and eight captured in a hard fought but one - sided engagement . </P> <P> Due to the losses suffered at Binh Ba forced the NVA to move out of Phuoc Tuy into adjoining provinces and although the Australians did encounter main force units in the years to come, the Battle of Binh Ba marked the end of such clashes . Yet while the Viet Cong had largely been forced to withdraw to the borders of the province by 1968--69, the situation in Phuoc Tuy was challenged on several occasions in the following years, including during the 1968 Tet Offensive, as well as in mid-1969 following the incursion of the North Vietnamese 33rd Regiment, again in mid-1971 with further incursions by the 33rd Regiment and several Viet Cong main force units, and finally during the Easter Offensive in 1972 . Attacks on RF outposts and incursions into the villages had also continued . </P>

Who was australia fighting against in the vietnam war