Update Gregory, in the comments, reminds me that ANZAC Day was this week (April 25th, to be precise). A belated salute to the Australian armed forces, our brave comrades in arms for over a hundred years.
Tuesday, April 28, 2020
More on the Battle of Long Tan
Here's an interesting article on the Australian troops who fought off a superior force of Viet Cong in 1966 (follow-up to the post I did a while back on the movie, Danger Close).
Update Gregory, in the comments, reminds me that ANZAC Day was this week (April 25th, to be precise). A belated salute to the Australian armed forces, our brave comrades in arms for over a hundred years.
Update Gregory, in the comments, reminds me that ANZAC Day was this week (April 25th, to be precise). A belated salute to the Australian armed forces, our brave comrades in arms for over a hundred years.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
8 comments:
Yes. Interesting to note that we were also involved at the same time in other SE Asia conflicts defending British interests:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Military_history_of_Australia_during_the_Indonesia–Malaysia_confrontation
Our love-hate thing with neighbour Indonesia continued up to John Howard's invasion of East Timor in 1999, but we are 'friends' now. (Obama's mother living in Indonesia when they were our enemy struck me as bizarre - I don't believe the official story).
Those who squawked about 'US Imperialism' conveniently ignore that Australia sees its own interests in the region too, or did until the rise of China. Where we go now is anyone's guess.
But while staunch allies, we are no more 'US puppets' than say Israel. People forget this.
Thanks for sharing this story, Paco. We've just marked ANZAC Day, our tribute to our fallen soldiers, but alongside its losses Australia needs to remember its victories as well. Long Tan and Milne Bay were until recent years not a part of the national consciousness.
Gooday Paco
I enjoyed Danger Close, but as with most movies it was loosely based on truth. I would be very surprised if the families of the senior officers were happy.
There is a good Youtube film called "The Battle of Long Tan" with a poignant interview with the 5 sisters of Paul Large.
Also a great book of the same name by Lex Macauley.
Regards.
Mick
Battle of Long Tan Documentary (By Producer of Danger Close movie) - Vietnam War
To all our friends down under, we raise a glass for your fallen, and a round for your diggers. May we always remain strong allies. God bless.
Thanks for all the viewing and reading suggestions.
Bruce, how accurate is the wiki listing?
Deborah, I know we were in Malaya (as then known) same time as Vietnam because I know a guy who was there. Funnily enough he goes on about 'US imperialism' himself, and I say, 'Wait a minute, what did Malaya have to do with the US?', and he looks embarrassed and changes the subject (he is a staunch ALP fanatic).
Also I kind of remember all that but I was very young. In the 1960s we were divided beyween the UK and US in our loyalties. One of my best friends' father was a nuclear scientist who worked on the British nuke program at Woomera, or so they said - he had died (radiation? who knows?).
The Wiki page (and the Oz military history series it's part of) is probably pretty accurate overall but as always details may be disputed.
There is an official history which you can compare, but it gets so detailed it may be hard to follow, so the Wiki is a useful summary:
https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/accessing-records-at-the-memorial/findingaids/chronological-guide/malaya
Thanks for the tip, Mick! I believe I've found the documentary you were talking about. Looks fascinating.
Oh, I see Mike_W already linked it. Thanks, Mike.
Post a Comment