The Battle of Long Tan [Import] [Hardcover]

Lex McAulay (Author)

Product Details

• Hardcover: 196 pages
• Publisher: Hutchinson (February 1, 1987)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0091571804
• ISBN-13: 978-0091571801
• Shipping Weight: 15.5 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #4,568,857 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Australia's Rourke's Drift in Vietnam, a facinating read., May 25, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Battle of Long Tan (Hardcover)

A good book for those interested in a historical perspective of the Vietnam war and yet a book that provides an entertaining "ripping yarn". The author, Lex McAulay, is himself a Vietnam Veteran having completed two tours as an Australian Army Intelligence NCO, first with the First Royal Australian Battalion and later with the Australian Task Force in Nui Dat. The Battle of Long Tan saw the understrength Australian infantry coy, "Delta" Coy of the Sixth Royal Australian Regiment, walk into an enemy regimental-sized ambush. Later that evening 18 Australian soldiers lay dead surrounded by over 240 confirmed VC and NVA bodies along with numerous blood trails and body parts of an unknown number of other enemy dead. McAulay provides an interesting account of the battle firstly by supplying actual anecdotes drawn directly from the Australian survivors and secondly by giving us an insight into the enemy commander's decision making process. As the battle develops it becomes clear that the enemy are unaware and unable to clarify the dispositions and strength of the Australian unit it has contacted. McAulay's coverage swings from one side of the battle to the other. One minute we are with the Delta Company Commander, struggling to recover a cut off platoon, and the next we are in the enemy commander's mind attempting to identify and locate the centre of the Australian unit's position through a barrier of shrapnel. McAulay has obviously drawn upon his own knowledge of VC and NVA tactics and doctrine to provide something of an answer to a question still asked by Long Tan survivors. The actual intended purpose of the regimental sized force that Delta Coy stumbled into, is to this day a mystery. Theories have been put forward that the Vietnamese objective was to wipe out an Australian coy and make an example of them. However the ambush was set in place in a hasty fashion and if performed correctly would have annihilated the Australians. The other theory was that the regiment was in fact moving forward to assault the Australian Task Force HQ at Nui Dat and ran into Delta Coy unexpectedly. Regardless, accurate artillery fire from Australian, New Zealand and American batteries crashed down within 200 metres of Delta Coy, literally atomising entire waves of hundreds of assaulting VC and NVA soldiers in full view of the diggers as they frantically poured their small arms fire into the enemies ranks. All this in a rubber plantation, in a monsoon downpour, with one platoon cutoff and about to be overun. At the peak of the fighting, with ammo running low the Regimental Sergeant Major flies in, in an Australian Air Force Huey straight through the monsoon storm and begins throwing out ammo wrapped in blankets at tree top height directly into the coy position. Then just on dusk the cavalry literaly arrives in the form of a squadron of Australian M113 Armoured Personnel Carriers which arrive in the enemy's rear and begin to chew him up with 50 calibre fire, saving the day. The next morning the survivors of Delta Coy search the battlefield to recover their dead. They find their dead mates, conscripts and regulars alike, still propped up clutching their rifles facing their enemy. As one of the survivlors said, it was the most unnerving and yet moving scenes he had ever witnessed. 18 dead men, still in fire positions, fanned out in all round defence. The book reads like a good thriller, but it is a factual account of Delta Coy's stand at Long Tan. If you thought that only Americans fought hard in Vietnam then read this, and think again.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars TRUE AND ACCURATE ACCOUNT OF THE BATTLE, July 10, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: The Battle of Long Tan (Hardcover)

FOR THOSE, PARTICULARLY NON-AUSTRALIANS LOOKING FOR THE ESSENCE OF THE AUSTRALIAN ARMY'S FIGHTING QUALITIES AND THE CLOSE BOND OF MATESHIP DEVELOPED BY AUSTRALIANS IN THE FIELD - THIS BOOK IS FOR YOU. IT SHOWS THE GRASS-ROOTS FOOT SOLDIER'S ("DIGGER") VIEW OF THE BATTLE AS IT WAS FOUGHT IN 1966 AND HOW DIFFERENT THE WAR WAS FOR AUSTRALIANS AS OPPOSED TO AMERICAN TROOPS. IT SHOWS THE VERY DIFFERENT, TACTICS USED BY AUSTRALIANS, HAVING TO HAVE A PATROL AND DEFENSIVE CAPABILITY THAT IS VERSATILE AND SO NECESSARY FOR THE SMALLER UNIT ACTIVITIES CONDUCTED BY 1ATF IN VIETNAM, AND FOR MANOUVRES STILL CONDUCTED BY THE AUSTRALIAN ARMY TODAY (FOR WHICH THEY ARE SO FAMOUS AND RESPECTED) AS AN EX AUSTRALIAN SERVICEMAN I KNOW IT IS A TRUE ACCOUNT.