Why Rockets work in a Vacuum

Today I'm gonna give my take on part of a conspiracy theory.
This one deals with the idea of if rockets work in the vacuum of space.

Here are a couple of links for background
http://www.godlikeproductions.com/forum1/message1791934/pg1
http://www.straightdope.com/columns/read/1846/how-do-rockets-work-in-the-vacuum-of-space
http://cluesforum.info/viewtopic.php?f=23&t=1632

The basic idea for the doubters is this.
Space being a virtual vacuum offers nothing for a force to be applied to, as the expanding gas can expand infinitely with no resistance. This makes a situation where no work can be done.
Offered as rebuttal are newtons laws of motion. if you are unfamiliar with these.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Newton's_laws_of_motion

While I agree it is newtons laws of motion being applied, the only thing I found that gave me a reasonable picture of what is happening was the idea of a balloon being inflated, and released. Rockets are a series of explosions, the combustion chamber can be thought of as the balloon. As the gases expand inside the chamber they exert pressure or force on the walls of the chamber. When the chamber is vacated the force is given direction creating trust. So no work is being done against the vacuum, and newtons laws are still being adhered to.

Jack
aka
PanseyBard