ARmy Rumour SErvice

Originally Posted by Timmypig

Holy crap! Checked the price on the Gary McKay / Graeme Nicholas book Jungle Tracks listed on Amazon. Paperback editions from - FROM - $146.16

The book's well reviewed, but at this price ....

Yeah - unfortunately a lot of the books mentioned on this thread are published in Oz and we pay through the nose for books here.

Somewhere on this forum, is a link to a PDF about Long Tan, very well put together.

Originally Posted by Invicta

Thanks everyone for your replies, I will have a look at your recommendations.

Rock Ape, I read a lot of general history and military history. I do like reading about areas of military history that don't involve the British Army as I've been through a LOT of books involving us. This has led me to read about the French in Indochina & Algeria, the Finns and the 'winter war', the 30 years war, the northern crusades, the list goes on.

My interest in non-US participation in Vietnam was sparked after talking to one of my Mum's NZ relatives who served there.

Might I suggest you take a look at "Our Friends Beneath the Sands" by Martin Windrow? It's about the Legion in France's colonial wars from the 1870's onwards right up to the 1930's, absolutely superb, I couldn't put it down.

Incidentally "The Last Valley" is by the same author and an excellent read it is too.

Originally Posted by scarletto

Somewhere on this forum, is a link to a PDF about Long Tan, very well put together.

Vietnam War 1962

This is the War Memorial site and the following is the documentary site about the battle. Both contain a lot of links.

Battle of Long Tan - Produced By Martin Walsh, Narrated by Sam Worthington

Read it a couple of years ago. Very readable - written by a career journalist, rather than a dry academic. Ham covers the historical background, and the political manoeuvring which led to Australia's involvement. Reading it will give you a better understanding of the difference in outlook between the Australians and their US allies.

For example, Operation BRIBIE (17 Feb 67) saw 6 RAR sustain major casualties before calling on the neighbouring US 2/47 Mechanised Infantry Battalion, who replied, "Indicate Charlie's escape routes and we'll go zap him." Whereupon scores of armoured vehicles and swarms of helicopter gunships appeared from nowhere and blasted the scrub to the east. Although the Australian Task Force was predominantly infantry, incidents like that led to the addition of tanks a year later. Essentially, the Diggers concentrated on keeping the lid on any Vietcong activity, using minimum resources. The Americans went in with overwhelming force at every opportunity.

Cheers,
Cliff

Thanks for all of the help and advice guys, you've given me a lot to dig into. I've downloaded the Paul Hamm book on my shiny new Xmas Kindle and am looking forward to it once I've waded through all the other books that I've bought and been given.

I finished the Paul Ham book on friday and it is excellent, a big thumbs up from me!

I seem to remember a rather good account from a journalist (if you can ever believe them):

Australians in Vietnam by Ian McKay.