VIETNAM ANZACS
Australians and New Zealanders in the Vietnam War 1965-1971 Author: Lt. Col. (Rtd) Tony Howell MC,RNZIR/NZSAS |
Synopsis:
The Vietnam War was an impossible ask for the Free World forces, given the political restrictions imposed on their conduct. Hanoi’s National Liberation Front had been in place since 1946, controlling the loyalty of the peasants through a combination of political ideology, torture, murder, assassination and abduction. Hanoi’s Tet Offensive launched in 1968 was meant to result in the general uprising of the countryside. This did not happen, and none of Hanoi’s military objectives were achieved. On the political front, however, the West was surprised at the strength and violence of Hanoi’s offensive. What the US military-led forces failed to deal with was the political nature of Hanoi’s struggle. This, together with an inept Saigon Government and poorly-led South Vietnamese armed forces, resulted in a communist victory in 1975.
Within Phuoc Tuy Province and along the Province’s northern borders were D445 VC Battalion, 274 and 275 VC Main Force Regiments and 33 (NVA) Regiment. These Viet Cong and North Vietnamese Army units were well armed, well led and highly motivated. Facing these elite enemy units was the 1st Australian Task Force (1st ATF). Five designated ANZAC battalions passed through 1st ATF from 1968 to 1971 and, within these five battalions, there were nine New Zealand rifle companies.
VIETNAM ANZACS recognises the contribution of our ANZAC battalions during this most unpopular and brutal war. Each ANZAC battalion did its part to seek out and destroy the enemy within the TAOR. They faced the finest VC and NVA Main Force Regiments, battling them in the towns, villages, rubber plantations, jungle and in the M16 mine-infested VC sanctuaries and Secret Zones. The ANZACs courage in these face-to-face encounters was proven time and time again. These soldiers answered their Governments’ call and did their nations proud.
The book is written in the same style as Tony’s first book, Jungle Green Shadows, published by John Douglas Publishing in 2019. There are hundreds of maps, photos and diagrams to help the reader understand the many operations and battles fought in Phuoc Tuy Province and the northern border areas. The book also contains a glossary of terms, a list of those New Zealanders who served there on active service and a list of those who became casualties.
VIETNAM ANZACS is not a glorification of war nor does it seek to make a political statement. It simply tells the story of the ANZAC battalions, and particularly their New Zealand rifle companies, in Vietnam.
.
Publishing Date: 18 August 2021
Price: $86.00
Size: 200mm x 260mm
Extent: 431 Pages
Illustrations: 350 coloured & B/W (approx).
Binding: Cased & Dust Jacketed
ISBN: 978-0-9951219-2-8
The Vietnam War was an impossible ask for the Free World forces, given the political restrictions imposed on their conduct. Hanoi’s National Liberation Front had been in place since 1946, controlling the loyalty of the peasants through a combination of political ideology, torture, murder, assassination and abduction. Hanoi’s Tet Offensive launched in 1968 was meant to result in the general uprising of the countryside. This did not happen, and none of Hanoi’s military objectives were achieved. On the political front, however, the West was surprised at the strength and violence of Hanoi’s offensive. What the US military-led forces failed to deal with was the political nature of Hanoi’s struggle. This, together with an inept Saigon Government and poorly-led South Vietnamese armed forces, resulted in a communist victory in 1975.
Within Phuoc Tuy Province and along the Province’s northern borders were D445 VC Battalion, 274 and 275 VC Main Force Regiments and 33 (NVA) Regiment. These Viet Cong and North Vietnamese Army units were well armed, well led and highly motivated. Facing these elite enemy units was the 1st Australian Task Force (1st ATF). Five designated ANZAC battalions passed through 1st ATF from 1968 to 1971 and, within these five battalions, there were nine New Zealand rifle companies.
VIETNAM ANZACS recognises the contribution of our ANZAC battalions during this most unpopular and brutal war. Each ANZAC battalion did its part to seek out and destroy the enemy within the TAOR. They faced the finest VC and NVA Main Force Regiments, battling them in the towns, villages, rubber plantations, jungle and in the M16 mine-infested VC sanctuaries and Secret Zones. The ANZACs courage in these face-to-face encounters was proven time and time again. These soldiers answered their Governments’ call and did their nations proud.
The book is written in the same style as Tony’s first book, Jungle Green Shadows, published by John Douglas Publishing in 2019. There are hundreds of maps, photos and diagrams to help the reader understand the many operations and battles fought in Phuoc Tuy Province and the northern border areas. The book also contains a glossary of terms, a list of those New Zealanders who served there on active service and a list of those who became casualties.
VIETNAM ANZACS is not a glorification of war nor does it seek to make a political statement. It simply tells the story of the ANZAC battalions, and particularly their New Zealand rifle companies, in Vietnam.
.
Publishing Date: 18 August 2021
Price: $86.00
Size: 200mm x 260mm
Extent: 431 Pages
Illustrations: 350 coloured & B/W (approx).
Binding: Cased & Dust Jacketed
ISBN: 978-0-9951219-2-8
BOOK REVIEW
VIETNAM ANZACS
AUSTRALIANS AND NEW ZEALANDERS IN THE VIETNAM WAR 1967-1971
Reviewed by Captain Jeremy Seed ED, MIR, BA(Hons)
AUSTRALIANS AND NEW ZEALANDERS IN THE VIETNAM WAR 1967-1971
Reviewed by Captain Jeremy Seed ED, MIR, BA(Hons)
If you’ve ever tried to understand NZ deployments to Vietnam, you’ll quickly realise there is an obvious gap in the available literature. There is a hard to find official history which tells the very detailed story, but there has not been a more accessible introduction to the
topic…now Tony Howell’s Vietnam ANZACS has filled that gap.
In his first book, Jungle Green Shadows, Howell used a frank, concise style to paint a clear and detailed picture of a rifle company on operations. He has used that same successful formula here to step the reader through the overall strategic situation, the theatre, the enemy, what we were doing there and what was expected of us and how the New Zealand rifle companies fitted into 1 Australian Task Force, ultimately becoming part of an Australian Infantry Battalion to form a succession of ANZAC Battalions.
Accompanying the text are detailed maps, diagrams and photos which provide a very clear introduction to the world of the Vietnam ANZACs.
Each battalion deployment is detailed with summaries of major operations, contemporary photos and a roll of honour. Photos were taken on film and age has wearied some of them, as it has with some of the maps not reproducing as clearly or crisply as modern printing
technology can cope with but the overall effect serves to remind the reader that these events occurred over 50 years ago in a world very different to our own, in a country that no longer exists.
Vietnam wasn’t just about the infantry and Howell has detailed the work of support elements and other Kiwi personl deployed to Vietnam. The book also contains a comprehensive roll of those who served in Vietnam on ‘Active Service’ (not visitors, entertainers or the like), a detailed casualty roll, a list of those awarded imperial decorations and the true story of a pink citroen….
In a nice touch, the foreword is written by Vietnam ANZAC, Brigadier (rtd) Evan Torrence OBE. His Father fought at Gallipoli, one of the original ANZACs. Like everything I’ve seen from John Douglas Publishing, this is a quality production. The book is very well designed and illustrated, it is produced on quality paper and it runs to 431 pages.
The overall impact of the finished product is really impressive. This, after all, is the first book to detail the RNZIR commitment to Vietnam and deserves to become the go to volume on Kiwis in Vietnam.
topic…now Tony Howell’s Vietnam ANZACS has filled that gap.
In his first book, Jungle Green Shadows, Howell used a frank, concise style to paint a clear and detailed picture of a rifle company on operations. He has used that same successful formula here to step the reader through the overall strategic situation, the theatre, the enemy, what we were doing there and what was expected of us and how the New Zealand rifle companies fitted into 1 Australian Task Force, ultimately becoming part of an Australian Infantry Battalion to form a succession of ANZAC Battalions.
Accompanying the text are detailed maps, diagrams and photos which provide a very clear introduction to the world of the Vietnam ANZACs.
Each battalion deployment is detailed with summaries of major operations, contemporary photos and a roll of honour. Photos were taken on film and age has wearied some of them, as it has with some of the maps not reproducing as clearly or crisply as modern printing
technology can cope with but the overall effect serves to remind the reader that these events occurred over 50 years ago in a world very different to our own, in a country that no longer exists.
Vietnam wasn’t just about the infantry and Howell has detailed the work of support elements and other Kiwi personl deployed to Vietnam. The book also contains a comprehensive roll of those who served in Vietnam on ‘Active Service’ (not visitors, entertainers or the like), a detailed casualty roll, a list of those awarded imperial decorations and the true story of a pink citroen….
In a nice touch, the foreword is written by Vietnam ANZAC, Brigadier (rtd) Evan Torrence OBE. His Father fought at Gallipoli, one of the original ANZACs. Like everything I’ve seen from John Douglas Publishing, this is a quality production. The book is very well designed and illustrated, it is produced on quality paper and it runs to 431 pages.
The overall impact of the finished product is really impressive. This, after all, is the first book to detail the RNZIR commitment to Vietnam and deserves to become the go to volume on Kiwis in Vietnam.