US serviceman and girls, Kings Cross, 1970–71

Silver gelatin photoprint

PXE 858/18

A4280018

Respite

By the end of the US Government's Rest and Relaxation scheme’s first year in 1967 the number of R & R flights to Sydney had doubled. From then until 1971 when the program was ended, over 300,000 United States service personnel spent their R & R in Australia enjoying respite the Vietnam War.

Concerns

In July 1967 the United States Government requested that Sydney be added to the list of cities available to American servicemen on Rest & Relaxation leave from the Vietnam War. Australia’s agreement was forthcoming, though not without reservations. There were concerns about  a negative public reaction to the presence  of US soldiers from an  unpopular war, about racism towards African Americans and sexually transmitted diseases.