#australiaarmyvietnam Profile photo for Ian Lowery Ian Lowery · Follow Studied Physics (Graduated 1971)Nov 23 Were Australians better soldiers than US troops in Vietnam? North Vietnam ran an official enquiry into the battle of Long Tan to determine how 108 Australians managed to defeat a Vietcong force of 2,300 men. The enquiry concluded that the Vietcong had made the mistake of assuming that the Australians were as incompetent and poorly trained in jungle warfare as the Americans.
There are no jungles in the USA in North America, nor in Canada or Mexico. In order to defend itself the USA does not need to use jungle warfare, consequently, after WW2, the knowledge gained from fighting in the jungles in the war was shelved, filed away or left in people's memories.
Australia on the other hand, realised that if it were ever invaded, it would be through the jungles of Queensland or the islands to the north, including Papua New Guinea, Bougainville and the Solomon Islands. Consequently, the Australian defence forces reviewed all the knowledge of jungle warfare gained during WW2 and developed jungle warfare strategies based on it. They fought the Communists in Malaya for 8 years, a period in which Australia tested its jungle warfare strategies and refined them.
Australia invented modern jungle warfare, and by the time of the Vietnam War', Australia led the world in jungle war. The US had essentially no knowledge of jungle warfare.
Ian Lowery
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Studied Physics (Graduated 1971)Nov 23
Were Australians better soldiers than US troops in Vietnam?
North Vietnam ran an official enquiry into the battle of Long Tan to determine how 108 Australians managed to defeat a Vietcong force of 2,300 men. The enquiry concluded that the Vietcong had made the mistake of assuming that the Australians were as incompetent and poorly trained in jungle warfare as the Americans.
There are no jungles in the USA in North America, nor in Canada or Mexico. In order to defend itself the USA does not need to use jungle warfare, consequently, after WW2, the knowledge gained from fighting in the jungles in the war was shelved, filed away or left in people's memories.
Australia on the other hand, realised that if it were ever invaded, it would be through the jungles of Queensland or the islands to the north, including Papua New Guinea, Bougainville and the Solomon Islands. Consequently, the Australian defence forces reviewed all the knowledge of jungle warfare gained during WW2 and developed jungle warfare strategies based on it. They fought the Communists in Malaya for 8 years, a period in which Australia tested its jungle warfare strategies and refined them.
Australia invented modern jungle warfare, and by the time of the Vietnam War', Australia led the world in jungle war. The US had essentially no knowledge of jungle warfare.
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