VIETNAM WAR – MEMORIES OF THE 1960'S
We used manual typewriters in those days. One original
and four copies of everything we typed. I don’t know how many blouses I ruined
because I got ink on the sleeves from changing the typewriter ribbon or the
black stuff off the carbon paper.
During this time the Vietnam War loomed in the
background. The Australian government introduced conscription. It was in the
form of a ballot, or the death lottery as many called it. All twenty year old
males had to register, their birth dates were put into a barrel and a certain
number were drawn out, and those young men had to report to the army and subsequently
many of them were sent to Vietnam. This of course caused severe bitterness and
division in the community, and even though the government denied it, was
subject to abuse and unfairness. Rich men kept their sons at university so they
didn’t have to go. Conscientious
objectors were thrown into prison. Only sons were called up, yet families with
two or three eligible males didn’t have any of their boys called up.
I only had one brother, and I can clearly remember my
father (a World War 2 veteran) vowing, that if his son got called up, he would
protest on the steps of the parliament with a placard on his back.
There were protests marches, anti-war demonstrations,
and things often turned violent. Not that I went to any of the protest marches,
but a cousin of mine did and got trampled by a police horse. A very turbulent
time in our history and I was right in the middle of it.
BLURB: MAKE LOVE NOT WAR
Make love, not war was the catch cry of the 1960’s.
Against a background of anti-war demonstrations, hippies and free love,
Caroline’s life is in turmoil. Her soldier brother is on his way to the jungles
of Vietnam. She discovers she is pregnant with her wealthy boss’ baby, and her
draft dodger friend is on the run and needs her help.
BIO: Margaret Tanner is a multi-published award
winning Australian author. She loves delving into the pages of history as she
carries out research for her historical romance novels, and prides herself on
being historically accurate. No book is too old or tattered for her to trawl through, no
museum too dusty, or cemetery too overgrown. Many of her novels have been
inspired by true events, with one being written around the hardships and
triumphs of her pioneering ancestors in frontier Australia.
As part of her research she
has visited the World War 1 battlefields in France and Belgium, a truly
poignant experience.
Margaret is married with three grown up sons, and two
gorgeous little granddaughters.
Outside of her family and friends, writing is her
passion.
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