From
1962 to 1972 Australia joined the United
States in fighting a communist inspired
insurgency war in the jungles of South
Vietnam against infiltrators who sought to
overthrow the local government. Over 50,000
Australians served in Vietnam, 519 lost
their lives, and the conflict ended
ignominiously in the insurgents' victory.
Over 30 years later, Australia again finds
itself joined with the United States in a
struggle against an insurgency, this time in
the deserts of Iraq and the mountains of
Afghanistan. Although now in the past, the
Vietnam War resonates with lessons for the
Australian Army as it strives to defeat not
Communism but Terrorism. Australian Military
Operations in Vietnam highlights some of the
successes and failures of an earlier
generation of officers for the benefit of
today's leaders.
The soldier on
the cover is Wayne Binns of 5RAR and
the book contains a number of photographs of
5RAR Soldiers. Click on the thumbnails below
to view a larger version.
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