Learning about conscription and national service in Australia

 

Conscription and national service (compulsory military service) have been contentious issues throughout Australian history. National service required young men to undergo military training. During World War II, the scheme extended to serving in Australia and its overseas territories. In the post-1945 period, conscription and national service were a product of the global and regional conflicts facing Australia. Later schemes required men to train and serve in Australia. Some also served in Borneo, Malaya, Korea, Papua New Guinea and in the Vietnam War. Our teaching resources explore the diverse experiences of national servicemen. Their stories will help you bring this historic issue to life in the classroom.

Extension resources

The extension category includes useful resources containing detailed content that may require more advanced literacy skills. These resources could be used for independent research tasks and extension activities or be modified to meet your teaching needs.

National service in Australia – our webpage

Conscription and the birthday ballot – our Vietnam War webpage

About our resources

Our conscription free educational resources for Australian schools include:

  • classroom activities and lessons
  • interactive online activities
  • printable worksheets to consolidate learning
  • source analysis for primary and secondary sources
  • short films and videos
  • workbooks and books.

Education specialists and qualified historians design our resources so they:

  • are historically accurate
  • build knowledge, understanding and skills
  • engage your students.

Primary and secondary resources have classroom-ready content. Adapt them to cover topics broadly or in detail.

Conscription and national service topics include:

  • Universal Service Scheme: compulsory military training: 1911 to 1929
  • World War I: the conscription debate 1916 to 1917
  • World War II: compulsory military service for duty in Australia and the South-West Pacific Area
  • National Service Training Scheme 1951 to 1959: compulsory military training
  • The National Service Scheme 1965 to 1972: service in Australia and overseas in Papua New Guinea, the Indonesian Confrontation and the Vietnam War
  • Australian society's response to conscription throughout the 20th century
  • National Service: Vietnam,a collection of online interviews and activities from our In Their Own Words series
  • impacts of national service on individuals.

To bring history to life, we have included oral histories that capture veterans' stories and experiences.

Get in touch

To ask about our teaching resources or request a free printed book, contact us.


Last updated:

Cite this page

DVA (Department of Veterans' Affairs) ( ), Learning about conscription and national service in Australia, DVA Anzac Portal, accessed 1 October 2025, https://anzacportal.dva.gov.au/classroom/teaching/conscription
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