The wars in Indo-China and the subsequent political upheaval are an area of twentieth century history that is little understood despite the fact that after 1960 the war became a "television war", watched every evening by millions of viewers. The struggle in Indo-China affected not only the region of South East-Asia but also had serious consequences for the nations f the western world. The two main western countries involved, France and the USA, were heavily committed in Indo-China and, as a result, the implications for their foreign and domestic policies were extensive. Australian involvement, although not as extensive, also created an atmosphere of division within the country and led to a period of extreme social and political upheaval. Australia was forced to recognise that it was a geographical and political part of Asia.
Harpur, J 1995, War without end: conflict in Indo-China, 2nd ed., Longman, Melbourne.
For an overview from the perspective of the Australian Government, you can use this resource from the Department of Veteran's Affairs: Australian involvement in South East Asian conflicts.