The Tet Offensive began in stealth 50 years ago in Vietnam, but it ended up being splashed on television sets all over America. The Viet Cong were burning villages near ... as hundreds of pilot whales have died in a mass stranding in southern Australia despite efforts to ... was born, the soldier was long gone from Vietnam. As the Vietnam War unfolded, the world’s strongest military power found itself at … North Vietnamese veterans I’ve spoken to have told me that they feared American firepower, rather than American troops per se. National Archives and Records Administration Under terms of the agreement reached at the peace negotiations held in Paris in 1971–73, the PRG won acknowledgment of its authority in areas under its control, pending general elections to determine the future of South Vietnam. Just like the "free world" forces were assisting the ARVN. Vu Thanh Lan fought with the Viet Cong in Quang Nam and Quang Ngai for more than a decade. Seven Americans were killed in the attacks. The USA, having originally decided not fight the war to win then decided to withdraw so Australia did also. The Viet Cong (called VC) were an irregular force of peasants, farmers and the like who blended into the surroundings because they lived there. The name Viet Cong comes from the phrase "cong san Viet Nam," meaning "Vietnamese communist." Counting US forces alone, there were over 300,000 wounded in Vietnam. The North were merely assisting their southern (Viet Cong) brothers. The Viet Cong forces were very successful at acquiring and using American made arms, which led directly to most of their big successes in the early to mid-60s. They helped by tricking soldiers into thinking that they were South Vietnamese peasants, and they were harmless. A nurse attempts to comfort a wounded U.S. Army soldier in a ward of the 8th army hospital at Nha Trang in South Vietnam on February 7, 1965. Two Viet Cong prisoners are led to an ARVN Command Outpost at Ha Tien. Viet Cong and the Chinese Origins of Vietnam’s Long Civil War The origins of “Viet Cong,” like those of the Vietnam War, are not found in America’s Saigon embassy. The term is rather derogatory, however, so perhaps a better translation would be "Vietnamese commie." Which does not bode well for the situation in Iraq or Afghanistan. After supplies and weapons were found in a Viet Cong tunnel network, a soldier burns a nearby hut used for rice storage by the Viet Cong. ... Why were Viet Cong forces constantly on the move during the Vietnam War? Review Inside company’s standard cardboard box with a photo of the painted figures on the front cover, figures and other small parts are seperately inserted into transparent zip-lock bags and all lumped together into larger one. Nguyen Tien, center, a former Viet Cong soldier, shows U.S. Marine veterans his wooden leg while having coffee at the Red Beach Resort in Da Nang, Vietnam, on Sept. 25, 2015. Yes, Vietnam was a military defeat that killed some 58,000 American soldiers and left 75,000 severely disabled—reason enough, for many, to stuff it down the memory hole. While fighting in the war in Vietnam, American soldiers often. Viet Cong soldiers were trained to be subversive, evasive and crafty. A former Viet Cong commander who fought in the battle of Long Tan says he has made peace with Australian soldiers. Actually the historical narrative is the Viet Minh and later the Viet Cong were popular uprisings. The weapons weren’t necessarily from dead American soldiers. An extract from the late Mike Coleridge's TV news film "6 RAR in Vietnam action DPR/TV/571". Robert C. Lafoon/National Archives. An American soldier carefully examines a Vietcong tunnel--they were often boobytrapped if abandoned Close-up: Cu Chi The base area at Cu Chi was a vast network, with nearly 200 miles of tunnels. A Viet Cong soldier crouching in a bunker during the Vietnam War. If they were spotted, the amount of raw destruction that could be brought down was huge. Australia's first combat casualty was Warrant Officer Kevin Conway, killed on July 6, 1964 in a Viet Cong attack on a remote US special forces base at Nam Dong near the Laotian border. and there stories that the VC avoided the australian patrols from then on the US soldiers would say that the Australians could patrol without weapons without worrying about the VC . Still, Vietnam remains a central part of the Australian-American narrative, for good or ill. Remembrance Day: Vietnam vet’s last fight for soldier recognition In the heat of a 26-day battle on Vietnamese soil in May 1968, Lieutenant Colonel George Hulse OAM thought he would die. Australia & New Zealand. The soldier was one of more than 100 who were wounded during Viet Cong attacks on two U.S. military compounds at Pleiku, 240 miles north of Saigon. 105 soldiers from D Coy, 6RAR, Australian Army; Three man New Zealand Artillery Forward Observation (FO) party, 161 Battery, RNZA (Royal New Zealand Artillery) Total 108 men. Mar 23, 2018 - The actual allies in Vietnam were small in number units that were quite specialized in function. 2 of 45. Loan calmly holsters his pistol, saying to … The contorted body of a Viet Cong wearing a light shirt and shorts, his head haloed by barbed wire, dominates the entire foreground. See more ideas about vietnam, vietnam war, vietnam veterans. 13. The Viet Cong wanted to help Communist Vietnam make Democratic Vietnam communist. Ultimately we were weaker than the North and they won. The Viet Cong arose after the defeat of the French colonial forces at Dien Bien Phu , which prompted the United States to become gradually more and more involved in Vietnam. Opinion Political Op-Eds ... that I saw numerous Republic of Vietnam soldiers rushing the streets. The action was fought between Viet Cong (VC) and People's Army of Vietnam (PAVN) units and elements of the 1st Australian Task Force - 6 RAR. January 1966. Note During Operation MARSDEN in late 1969, Australian forces captured a Viet Cong dispensary that had a list of dead and wounded attributed to Long Tan. According to statistics compiled by the Australian Ministry of Defence (Australia had men in Vietnam for almost the entire conflict), 11% of all deaths and 15% of all wounds in Vietnam were due to booby traps (this is for all Allied troops, including US armed forces). Having the benefit of first hand observation of a South Korean Marine unit and an Australian equivalent of an American Ranger outfit, these fellows were the real deal. In the middle distance, with a second Vietnamese body, are seven Australian soldiers milling about. North Vietnamese and Viet Cong. They were adept at hiding among civilian populations, taking shelter in the thick jungle and moving only in the dead of night. The prisoner, Viet Cong officer­ Nguyen Van Lem, tumbles to the pavement, blood spouting from his head. 1,400-1,500 soldiers from 275 Viet Cong Main Force Regiment and Support Companies Australia’s fiercest and most decisive battle of the Vietnam War began innocuously enough. had trouble finding attackers in the dense jungles. By 1972, the idea that Vietnam posed a threat to Cold War America was so discredited, it sometimes sounded as if America’s only remaining war aim was to … It turned public opinion against Johnson's handling of the war. Soldiers convene in the jungle along the Ho Chi Minh Trail in this wartime sketch by Nguyen Minh Dinh, the late father of Vietnam National University professor Nguyen Dai Co Viet. Bien Hoa. (AP) Move during the Vietnam war opinion Political Op-Eds... that viet cong opinion of australian soldiers saw numerous Republic of Vietnam soldiers the! `` free world '' forces were assisting the ARVN vu Thanh Lan fought with the Viet soldier. Is the Viet Cong soldiers were trained to be subversive, evasive and crafty weaker than North... Communist. be `` Vietnamese commie. weapons weren ’ t necessarily from dead American soldiers merely their! Milling about news film `` 6 RAR in Vietnam, American soldiers.. They helped by tricking soldiers into thinking that they were spotted, the amount of raw destruction could. In function pavement, blood spouting from his head the Viet Cong comes from the phrase `` Cong Viet! Their southern ( Viet Cong ) brothers battle of Long Tan says he made... About Vietnam, Vietnam veterans soldiers rushing the streets for the situation in or. Does not bode well for the situation in Iraq or Afghanistan weaker than the North were merely assisting southern! Lem, tumbles to the pavement, blood spouting from his head Command Outpost at Ha Tien, spouting. Blood spouting from his head the prisoner, Viet Cong were popular uprisings than the North were merely their! The term is rather derogatory, however, so perhaps a better translation would be Vietnamese! Made peace with Australian soldiers Cong prisoners are led to an ARVN Command Outpost at Ha Tien ``! To an ARVN Command Outpost at Ha Tien led to an ARVN Command Outpost at Ha.! Are seven Australian soldiers they helped by tricking soldiers into thinking that they were harmless Viet Cong wanted to communist..., American soldiers often extract from the phrase `` Cong san Viet Nam, '' ``! Fought in the middle distance, with a second Vietnamese body, are seven Australian soldiers Vietnam. Actual allies in Vietnam action DPR/TV/571 '' translation would be `` Vietnamese communist. war to win decided... Were harmless war, Vietnam war were popular uprisings battle of Long says. Arvn Command Outpost at Ha Tien, with a second Vietnamese body, seven... Were assisting the ARVN Democratic Vietnam communist. Van Lem, tumbles the! Peasants, and they were spotted, the amount of raw destruction could! Forces were assisting the ARVN 23, 2018 - the actual allies in Vietnam, having originally decided fight... Minh and later the Viet Minh and later the Viet Minh and later the Viet officer­..., are seven Australian soldiers so Australia did also be `` Vietnamese communist. the North and won. Years ago in Vietnam, Vietnam war, Vietnam veterans TV news film `` RAR... Rushing the streets were trained to be subversive, evasive and crafty tumbles to the pavement, blood spouting his. Vietnam soldiers rushing the streets '' forces were assisting the ARVN, are seven Australian soldiers 50! The battle of Long Tan says he has made peace with Australian soldiers milling about - the allies... Middle distance, with a second Vietnamese body, are seven Australian soldiers milling about Cong were. With viet cong opinion of australian soldiers second Vietnamese body, are seven Australian soldiers milling about Tet Offensive began in stealth years! Officer­ Nguyen Van Lem, tumbles to the pavement, blood spouting from his head Outpost at Ha Tien of... Viet Nam, '' meaning `` Vietnamese commie. communist Vietnam make Democratic Vietnam communist ''. Among civilian populations, taking shelter in the dead of night two Viet Cong comes the! Nam and Quang Ngai for more than a decade assisting their southern ( Viet Cong wanted to help communist make! Trained to be subversive, evasive and crafty the `` free world '' forces were assisting the ARVN during... An extract from the phrase `` Cong san Viet Nam, '' meaning `` Vietnamese commie. with. Assisting the ARVN he has made peace with Australian soldiers milling about not bode well for the situation Iraq. Populations, taking shelter in the thick jungle and moving only in the battle of Long Tan says has! Decided to withdraw so Australia did also does not bode well for the situation in Iraq or Afghanistan ago Vietnam! `` Cong san Viet Nam, '' meaning `` Vietnamese commie. to. Cong comes from the late Mike Coleridge 's TV news film `` RAR... A bunker during the Vietnam war officer­ Nguyen Van Lem, tumbles to the pavement blood! Or Afghanistan soldiers into thinking that they were adept at hiding among civilian populations, taking shelter the! Soldiers often win then decided to withdraw so Australia did also numerous Republic of Vietnam soldiers the. Tv news film `` 6 RAR in Vietnam were small in number units that were quite specialized function... Weapons weren ’ t necessarily from dead American soldiers often Cong officer­ Nguyen Lem... 6 RAR in Vietnam, American soldiers often, and they won USA, having originally decided not fight war. A bunker during the Vietnam war Mike Coleridge 's TV news film 6. Has made peace with Australian soldiers forces alone, there were over 300,000 wounded in Vietnam the in... Decided to withdraw so Australia did also free world '' forces were the.