Battle of long tan, may not be familiarised with by the people outside australia. While the author brings a first hand account of the battle to the reader, he also offers insight into the life and times of an australian soldier of the era. On the afternoon of 18 august 1966, a rubber plantation near long tan, in phuoc tuy province, south vietnam, became the stage for one of the bloodiest battles of the vietnam war involving australian troops and one of the most significant battles during the vietnam war for the australian task force. All guts and no glory is a soldiers account of the battle of long tan and the viet nam war, detailed and captivating right through to the return to australia on the vung tau ferry. Camerons most popular book is the battle of long tan. Click to see all battle of long tan danger close books. Australian soldiers in vietnam were part of the yankee genocidal extermination force which invaded vietnam for no good reason other than on a theory of the domino can expect to go into their former foes country without let or hindrance to celebra. Battle of long tan vietnam war battle of long tan a reappraisal by f fairhead this reappraisal draws on several new sources including recently declassified signal intelligence records and translations of vietnamese unit histories. Official website of the battle of long tan which took place on 18 august 1966 during the vietnam war. The action was fought between australian forces and viet cong and north vietnamese army units after the this is a book that every australian should read. Maj harry smith oc d coy, 6rar, 2lt dave sabben commander. Long tan, the start of a lifelong battle published by big sky publishing, rrp. The author, fred fairhead, is a vietnam veteran with.
Ironically, on june 26, 2004, 38 years after the battle of long tan, the australian government agreed to let the 22 veterans of battle of long tan to accept the medals of gallantry once offered by the south vietnam which now has ceased to exist click on white thumbnail pic for media release from aussie governor general. The battle of long tan 18 august 1966 took place in a rubber plantation near long tan. The true, detailed, fully researched account of a dispersed c. The battle of long tan took place on august 18 th, 1966 in phuoc tuy province, south vietnam, during the vietnam war. Fifty years after the battle of long tan, the truth is. In august 1966, in a vietnamese rubber plantation called long tan, 108 young and inexperienced australian and new zealand soldiers are fighting for their lives against 2500 north vietnamese and viet cong soldiers. Battle of long tan blog a true story of ordinary boys. Given his obviously key role in the battle i would imagine this book will prove to be an. Robert grandin was a helicopter pilot and in this book describes the key role the helicopters played in supplying the men directly involved in the battle of long tan.
After attacks on their base at nui dat, 108 men from d company of 6rar were patrolling in. A true story of 108 ordinary soldiers who fought and defeated an enemy. Troops in a clearing in the rubber plantation examine some of the viet cong weapons captured by d company, 6th battalion, the royal australian regiment 6rar, after the long tan battle. New book by harry smith lifts lid on long tan conspiracy.
I know little about battle of long tan before, i know of the battle existed, and australian involvement, thats it. So i was pleasantly surprised by this book about long tan, a battle that is little known outside australia though its anniversary is australian vietnam veterans. Aug 16, 2015 harry smiths medals are displayed in the long tan display in the vietnam gallery at the australian war memorial. Aug 22, 2016 australian soldiers in vietnam were part of the yankee genocidal extermination force which invaded vietnam for no good reason other than on a theory of the domino can expect to go into their former foes country without let or hindrance to celebra. But war veterans, writers and filmmakers have often cited casualty figures that are far higher, including in a blurb ahead of the screening of the battle of. From 1962 to 1973 almost 60,000 australians served in vietnam during the second indochina war, commonly known as the vietnam war. A compelling account of australias bloodiest and most significant battle of the vietnam war, in time for the battles 50th anniversary. World book map in a monsoon rain, smiths force fought the viet cong. Johnson in june 1966, holt coopted johnsons 1964 campaign slogan, pledging that.
They share, in their own words, the story of battle of long tan and their subsequent fight for recognition back home. D company was on a company patrol named operation vendetta that remained in place until approximately 2300 hours 18 august 1966. Fyi there is a forthcoming book by harry smith, long tan. The battle of long tan 18 august 1966 took place in a rubber plantation near long tan, in phu. While the battle of long tan is obviously pivotal to this book of lieutenant colonel harry smith sg mc, there is so much more. This is the first book ever written about the battle of long tan and it is a fantastic read and resource. The battle of long tan bob grandin 9781741141993 allen. The battle of long tan paperback import, 1987 by lex mcaulay author. This account of the most famous australian battle of the vietnam war features the recollections of the six australian and one new zealander commanders of the units that made up delta company, the australian fighting force. A fine work of military and social history, weekend australian a riveting read, daily telegraph. Praise for david camerons the battle for lone pine.
Apr 21, 2016 australian soldiers during the battle of long tan in vietnam. May 21, 2014 battle of long tan late line abc tv 17 aug 2006 vietnam war duration. I will list some details of the event that this book details to show the enormity of the situation these soldiers found themselves in. The battle of long tan documentary late afternoon august 18, 1966 south vietnam for three and a half hours, in the pouring rain, amid the mud and shattered trees of a rubber plantation called long tan, major harry smith and his dispersed company of 108 young and mostly inexperienced australian and new zealand soldiers are. Battle of long tan documentary vietnam war from the. Harry smiths medals are displayed in the long tan display in the vietnam gallery at the australian war memorial. Pb ratios below 1 indicate that a company could be undervalued with respect to its assets and. Fifty years after the battle of long tan, the truth is still. Rules of engagement the battle of long tan author david cameron compares tactics in vietnam. Aug 10, 2019 the battle of long tan is portrayed in danger close in almost real time and takes the audience on to the ground, into the mud, the noise, the confusion, the adrenaline of battle. Australian war memorial the battle of long tan lasted just one afternoon, but it came to symbolise australias 10year. Sorry, the book that you are looking for is not available right now. The documentary offers an investigation into the catandmouse game of intelligence and counterintelligence which both sides engaged in. The battle of long tan portrays the wrenching, visceral experience of a man who has fought lifelong battles, in a story that he is only now able to tell.
Remembering long tan, australias costliest vietnam battle. Col harry smith sg mc retd, former officer commanding of delta company, 6rar during the battle of long tan has released his own book. Thus this is a minute by minute account of the happenings during the battle of long tan 18th of august 1966. What impressed me was the simple but effective manner in which the author described the situation leading up to, during and after the battle from the battalion.
Jan 01, 1987 the battle of long tan 18 august 1966 took place near the village of long tan, in phuoc tuy province, south vietnam during the vietnam war. Battle of long tan a reappraisal australian vietnam war. See all formats and editions hide other formats and editions. The battle of long tan in a rubber plantation in south vietnam in 1966 could have been an australian military disaster, but is instead remembered as a. The battle of long tan 18 august 1966 took place near the village of long tan, in phuoc tuy province, south vietnam during the vietnam war.
The battle of long tan hardcover january 1, 1987 by lex mcaulay author. Battle of long tan, the internet movie firearms database. The official name of the holiday is vietnam veterans day, but many aussies still call it long tan day after the location of australias bloodiest battle since the korean war. The other contributors to this book harry smith, geoff kendall, bob buick, dave sabben, morrie stanley, and adrian roberts are commanders actively involved in the battle who. Battle of long tan late line abc tv 17 aug 2006 vietnam war duration. In 1986, an excellent book was written about the battle of long tan by lex mcaulay. This book is really well written and makes you fell like you were there with those aussies in the most of a situation that in all honestly they were lucky to escape alive but like many australian war history book that i have read it shows that the idea of not letting your mates down has never left t. It contained a simple yet comprehensive account of the leadup, conduct and aftereffects of the battle and included accounts by many of the participants of all ranks. The outer circle are the battle honours awarded to the australian servicemen and women. Aug 19, 2015 long tan a lifelong battle portrays the wrenching, visceral experience of a man who has fought lifelong battles, in a story that he is only now able to tell. American and australian forces supported smiths company with artillery fired from the base at nui dat.
The battle of long tan took place on 18 august 1966 in phuoc tuy province, south vietnam. New book by long tan commander harry smith battle of long. A true story of 108 ordinary soldiers who fought and defeated an enemy force of 2,500 and became extraordinary heroes. At a different level, it could serve as a tactics guide for infantrymen. The battle of long tan is a 2006 abc documentary made by red dune films. This is the book written by the seven long tan commanders. On the eve of the 50th anniversary of the battle of long tan, vietnam veteran, former history teacher and author don tate asks whether this was really a legendary battle, or just military smoke and mirrors binh gia, 1964 a small village of about 6,000 people not far from where the australian army would set up its task force base in nui dat just a year later, was a. The start of a lifelong battle, due out in august 2015 from big sky publishing. Battle of long tan intelligence background this is an extract from the book.
August 18, 2016, marks the 50th anniversary of the battle of long tan, australias first major conflict in the vietnam war. Cameron has 15 books on goodreads with 483 ratings. His compelling account commemorates the men who fought in the rubber plantation of long tan and those who did not come home. Mr smith and two fellow officers will get top gallantry awards for the 100odd men of d company 6 rar who on august 18, 1966, fought against 1500 north vietnamese regular troops and viet cong guerillas. The start of a lifelong battle big sky publishing, august 2015. A compelling account of australias bloodiest and most significant battle of the vietnam war, in time for the battle s 50th anniversary, by criticallyacclaimed war writer david cameron. Aug 18, 2015 the battle of long tan lasted just four hours on august 18 in 1966, but for colonel smith, delta d companys commander, the torment of his memories and a fight against those who managed the. Half a century after the battle of long tan, colonel harry smith alleges his superiors lied to receive gallantry awards, despite his soldiers being the ones in. I was too bloody busy to be frightened the defining battle of the vietnam war is now the subject of. The truth about the battle that came to define our vietnam war fr.
Cameron, 9780143786399, available at book depository with free delivery worldwide. With this book, david ventured into the reality of being able to talk to the veterans who were actually present at the battle. The battle of long tan is one of the most savage and decisive engagements in anzac history, earning both the united states and south vietnamese presidential unit citations for gallantry along with many individual awards. The author, fred fairhead, is a vietnam veteran with experience as a 6rar.
My deepest respect for all the fallen and survivors of that day worthy of the anzac name and vietnams war that they fought in so well and did not receive all the. That the total number of vc killed in the battle was well in excess of 1,000. We did a search for other books with a similar title, and found some results for. With travis fimmel, toby blome, alexander england, aaron glenane. It adds greatly to the records relating to this difficult, but important part of australias 20th century military heritage. This year, in addition to vietnam veterans day celebrations across australia, a group of australian veterans was scheduled to hold a lowkey service at the battle site itself before a friendship dinner with vietnamese veterans and a memorial concert. Narrated by sam worthington of avatar fame, and employing a mixture of veteran interviews, archival footage and dramatic reenactments, it tells the story of the events of 18 august 1966, when d company of the 6th battalion, royal australian regiment fought a fierce battle with local vietcong forces at the. Aug 18, 2016 a memorial called the long tan cross marks the site of the battle. On the obverse in the centre circle is the long tan cross with a single poppy of remembrance and the words lest we forget and 18th august 1966 to commemorate the battle of long tan. In that battle, a small group of soldiers from australia and new zealand defeated a much larger enemy force.
In the battle of long tan, caulfield takes us through that hellish day in the long tan rubber plantation, combining gripping firsthand accounts from eleven of the men who fought with an authoritative overview of the battle itself from headquarters to the men in the field. The battle of long tan sample history unit introduction this sample history unit focus es on the battle of long tan, which was a key battle in the vietnam war. The battle of long tan, the company commanders story by harry. New book by long tan commander harry smith battle of. Footnote vc defector in 1969, ex sgt loc of d445 bn, battle of long tan, a guide and interpreter with 6 rar stated that most casualties were caused by artillery. Harry can still hear the gunfire and smell the blood spilt at long tan.
Fortytwo years after the battle of long tan, harry smiths long campaign for due recognition for his men is over. Aug 18, 2016 the battle of long tan in a rubber plantation in south vietnam in 1966 could have been an australian military disaster, but is instead remembered as a decisive victory. It was a provincial engagement that changed nothing by both usaustralian standard nor to vietnam. However, formatting rules can vary widely between applications and fields of interest or study. As though we were all at a ladies tea party in downtown. Excellent history of long tan and the overall struggle the diggers went through i read another account of the battle just as gripping and enthralling a story of typical australian soldiers grit and determination against all odds. I have read every book on offer in relation to the battle of long tan and being an amateur military historian i have visited nui dat and walked the long tan battle site on 3 occasions. The task force then commenced operation smithfield the battle of long tan occurred in the late afternoon of 18 august 1966 in a rubber plantation some 4500. So i was pleasantly surprised by this book about long tan, a battle that is little known outside australia though its anniversary is australian vietnam veterans day but which demonstrated the courage and ability of the aussies didnt end with ww2.
Occurring in august 1966, a patrol of the 6th royal australian rifles rar surprised a large force of viet cong nlf moving to attack the australian base at nui dat. Overhere, however, it was seen as the iconic battle for australian, in the same effect as in galipoli in ww1, kokoda campaign in ww2 or kapyong in korea. Marking the battles 50th anniversary, and drawing on unpublished firsthand accounts, david cameron brings to life the events of this famous battle as it unfolded minute by minute, hour by hour and reveals the deeds of heroism and mateship now part of australias vietnam war story. Jan 15, 2012 the ensuing battle of long tan becomes one of the most savage and decisive engagements in anzac history, earning both the united states and south vietnamese presidential unit citations for. Battle of long tan blog a true story of ordinary boys who. Written in partnership with awardwinning journalist toni mcrae, long tan a lifelong battle is also harrys life story and portrays his many personal battles, from failed marriages to commandostyle killing. The action was fought between viet cong vc and peoples army of vietnam pavn units and elements of the 1st australian task force 1 atf. The ensuing battle of long tan becomes one of the most savage and decisive engagements in anzac history, earning both the united states and south vietnamese presidential unit citations for.
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