Context: Australian Troops we’re already trained in Jungle Warfare Tactics before entering into the Vietnam War, preferred Small Unit Actions rather than the Large-scale Military Operations that the US was doing at the Time
Australian Troops were also far more Self Sufficient than US Troops as was Australian Doctrine at the time
The VietCong 3 Quarters of the Time would Fire First against US Troops, while Firing First in just 6.7 percent of Firefights with Australian Troops
Cerparis on
It seems the American military at this time had a very Aerial focused doctrine.
The army and especially the common foot soldiers were very neglected in terms of innovation.
The lessons of the Korea conflict seemed to indicate to the American military that wars would be won or lost by air power.
Helicopters and air born assaults were being pushed HARD in American doctrine at the time.
Meanwhile Australia’s airforce was very small and conflicts like the Malayan war and the peacekeeping missions in Timor had a primarily army focus.
So it does kind of make sense why the average Aussie soldier was much more well prepared for Vietnam than your average American.
Both militaries were crafted by experiences from very different conflicts under very different circumstances.
Thylacine- on
I’m Australian and I was once having a chat with a Vietnam veteran at an RSL. He essentially said the US had minimal training, and made maximal noise. He said that his unit briefly met up with some US soldiers but were worried for their safety so left. Apparently, the US had a helicopter deliver the soldiers meals in metal tins with metal cutlery and therefore dinner was bloody noise, as well as just a lot of them in the open.
He stated the US strategy was: make your presence known, get fired upon, and then call an air strike. Australia employed more subtle jungle warfare.
Asajajahaha on
Says the one who got defeated by some birds
DaddyInTraining206 on
I heard the the Brits offered to train the Americans in counter-insurgency and anti-guerilla tactics (something they had a lot of experience in from their colonial days) but the Americans declined.
5 Comments
Context: Australian Troops we’re already trained in Jungle Warfare Tactics before entering into the Vietnam War, preferred Small Unit Actions rather than the Large-scale Military Operations that the US was doing at the Time
Australian Troops were also far more Self Sufficient than US Troops as was Australian Doctrine at the time
The VietCong 3 Quarters of the Time would Fire First against US Troops, while Firing First in just 6.7 percent of Firefights with Australian Troops
It seems the American military at this time had a very Aerial focused doctrine.
The army and especially the common foot soldiers were very neglected in terms of innovation.
The lessons of the Korea conflict seemed to indicate to the American military that wars would be won or lost by air power.
Helicopters and air born assaults were being pushed HARD in American doctrine at the time.
Meanwhile Australia’s airforce was very small and conflicts like the Malayan war and the peacekeeping missions in Timor had a primarily army focus.
So it does kind of make sense why the average Aussie soldier was much more well prepared for Vietnam than your average American.
Both militaries were crafted by experiences from very different conflicts under very different circumstances.
I’m Australian and I was once having a chat with a Vietnam veteran at an RSL. He essentially said the US had minimal training, and made maximal noise. He said that his unit briefly met up with some US soldiers but were worried for their safety so left. Apparently, the US had a helicopter deliver the soldiers meals in metal tins with metal cutlery and therefore dinner was bloody noise, as well as just a lot of them in the open.
He stated the US strategy was: make your presence known, get fired upon, and then call an air strike. Australia employed more subtle jungle warfare.
Says the one who got defeated by some birds
I heard the the Brits offered to train the Americans in counter-insurgency and anti-guerilla tactics (something they had a lot of experience in from their colonial days) but the Americans declined.