By Bob Hall During the Vietnam War, major units such as infantry battalions regularly compiled ‘lessons learned’ documents critically assessing their operations, noting problems that had arisen and suggesting solutions. These ‘lessons’ documents were widely distributed throughout the Army and provide insights into the tactical successes and failures of the campaign. In April 1971, Lieutenant Colonel Peter Scott, CO 3RAR … Read More
Defending the Nui Dat base
By Bob Hall When combat elements of 1ATF were deployed on operations it was essential that the Nui Dat base remained secure. Headquarters 1ATF Standing Operating Procedures set out the requirements for base defence. Under routine circumstances, the Nui Dat base used what was termed ‘unit defence’. This required that each unit within the base was responsible for the security … Read More
Snapshot: The Australian Army 1969/70
By Bob Hall Throughout the Vietnam War the Australian Army remained quite small compared to the other forces involved in the campaign such as the Army of the Republic of Vietnam (ARVN), the US Army and the Army of the Republic of Korea.[1] As of 30 June 1970 the full time duty component of the Australian Army consisted of 27,999 … Read More
The National Intelligence Committee Reports
By Bob Hall In early 1970, Malcolm Fraser, then Minister for Defence in the Gorton-led Coalition government, visited Vietnam to ‘survey the political situation, the prospects of the Saigon Government, and the progress in pacification of the countryside’.[1] According to the Departmental Secretary, Arthur Tange, Fraser was dissatisfied with what he saw. In particular Fraser believed that reporting from Saigon … Read More
Political legitimacy: The 1971 Vietnamese Presidential election
By Bob Hall 3 October 2021 marks the 50th anniversary of the 1971 Presidential election in the Republic of Vietnam (South Vietnam). While debate has swirled around questions of which military strategy was best – Westmoreland’s attrition strategy or Abrams’ pacification strategy[1] – the political strategy has received little attention. Yet the campaign was acknowledged by all participants as essentially … Read More
Artillery Forward Observer at Nui Le
By Greg Gilbert In September 1971 4 RAR/NZ (ANZAC) was engaged on Operation Ivanhoe in the north of Phước Tuy Province. On the morning of 21 September D Company made contact with a bunker system in the vicinity of the Núi Lé feature. We suffered casualties, including one Killed in Action (KIA) from the shrapnel from a Rocket Propelled Grenade … Read More
Tensions: The VC and the NVA
By Ernie Chamberlain “The northerners – who have had considerable infusion of Chinese blood, are noted for their aggressiveness, energy and sense of superiority toward the southerners whom they regard as indolent and inefficient. In the South, the climate is more tropical, there is more rich soil and less population congestion.” See footnote 37. “The VC enjoy eating some vegetables … Read More
Việt Cộng Capture ARVN Soldiers 9 December 1966
By Ernie Chamberlain, The 5th Việt Cộng Division – with an estimated strength 4,500[1], comprised two main force infantry regiments: the 274th (aka 4th) Regiment and the 275th (aka 5th) Regiment. During the Battle of Long Tân against Australian forces on 18 August 1966, the 275th Regiment suffered heavy casualties – over 200 killed.[2] The 274th Regiment – the more … Read More
Việt Cộng Intelligence Report on the “Enemy” in Phước Tuy
By Ernie Chamberlain. In the afternoon of 27 November 1967, 12 Platoon, D Company, 7RAR engaged about 30 Việt Cộng near an unoccupied base camp at YS 336708 – about 10 kilometres north-east of 1 ATF’s Núi Đất base, during Operation Forrest. Casualties in the engagement were reported as one Australian killed and 17 wounded, and three Việt Cộng killed … Read More
Social and economic development: Phuoc Tuy 1966 to 1971
By Bob Hall Over the course of the war between 1966 when the Australian Task Force arrived, to the end of 1971 when the Task Force departed, Phuoc Tuy Province underwent significant changes. Some of these were the direct result of civil affairs projects. Some were indirect results of these projects. Still others were the result of improving security and … Read More