Vietnam

The Australian War

By: Paul Ham

Narrated by: Peter Byrne

Length: 31 hrs and 16 mins

Publisher's summary

The definitive account of Australia's involvement in the Vietnam War, by best-selling author of Kokoda.

Seen as the last 'hot' frontline of the Cold War, the 10 year struggle in the rice paddies and jungles of South Vietnam unleashed the most devastating firepower on the Vietnamese nation and visited terrible harm on civilians and soldiers. Yet the Australian forces applied tactics that were very different from those of the Americans. Guided by their commanders' experience of jungle combat, Australian troops operated with stealth, deception and restraint in pursuing a 'better war'.

Drawing on hundreds of accounts by soldiers, politicians, aid workers, entertainers and the Vietnamese people, Paul Ham reconstructs for the first time the full history of our longest military campaign. From the commitment to engage, through the fight over conscription and the rise of the anti - war movement, to the tactics and horror of the battlefi eld, Ham exhumes the truth about this politicians' war - which sealed the fate of 50,000 Australian servicemen and women.

More than 500 soldiers were killed and thousands wounded. Those who made it home returned to a hostile and ignorant country and a reception that scarred them forever. This is their story.

©2008 Paul Ham (P)2008 Bolinda Publishing

Critic reviews

"It is the comprehensiveness of Paul Ham's blockbuster on Vietnam that is both enticing and chilling to the core, in what is uncovered and laid out with precision and compelling evidence." ( The Australian)

a whole new view

most views on the Vietnam War focus on the US military. this opens a whole new view that will change how you look at the war

Insightful

What made the experience of listening to Vietnam the most enjoyable?

The book covers both the tactical and strategic views of the war. I enjoyed the detail of Paul Ham's research.

What was one of the most memorable moments of Vietnam?

I especially appreciated the point of view of a non US author. It seemed to be more objective.

Best history of the war - For Americans too!

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

Having fought in Vietnam in the US Army in 1968-69, I was interested in the Australian view of the war and how they became involved. This book wound up being the best history of the war I've found and I highly recommend it to everyone.

What did you like best about this story?

Not only is the portrayal of the Vietnamese people of both sides and combat very true, this book provides a very clear view of the history leading up to the war, the war itself and the aftermath. Extremely well written and presented.

Have you listened to any of Peter Byrne’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

I have not listened to any other books from Peter Byrne, but he did a fine job and I would certainly gladly listen to others.

What’s the most interesting tidbit you’ve picked up from this book?

The history leading up to the war is complex and I have read several books on the subject. This one explained much I never knew, quickly and in a very interesting way.

Any additional comments?

After serving as a medic with an infantry platoon in '68-69, I wanted to learn how we got there and why, in the end, we abandoned a lot of people that deserved much better. War is very complex, and very messy. I've read many books and watched many documentaries and feel this book finally gets it right. Paul Ham does an excellent job laying out the history of the country, the conflicts that finally snowballed into the war and the people that fought it. While I never worked with the Aussies, I did work in areas discussed in the book between Saigon and the Cambodian border, namely Cu Chi, the Hobo Woods and Iron Triangle. I can still clearly see and smell combat in the Hobo Woods that was exactly 50 years ago now. I also remember my bitterness as the war dragged on into the mid 70's when we finally gave up and abandoned the South Vietnamese. Watching the last choppers leave Saigon leaving all those people to a horrible fate was even worse.

I began trying to learn about the war in an attempt to understand and come to grips with it in my own mind. We had good reasons to get involved. Errors are made in war and no side is without fault. Politicians certainly made it horrible on all sides. The VC and NVA I came to admire very much as determined and very brave fighters. I spent my time in the field with the rural people who just wanted the war to leave them alone so they could raise their rice and kids, but they wanted freedom too. There are and were no easy, good answers.

The Aussies described in this book could have very much been my platoon in the US Army there. The author really captures the reality of the war much better than any account I've come across. I highly recommend this book for anyone that wants to understand Vietnam in particular. I think it also presents clearly the frustration front line ground troops feel with the politicians directing the war from a comfy, safe office. It looks a lot different from the middle of a mine field or in the middle of a firefight.

Looks Dull but is a truly Riveting Read.

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

Definately. It is a fascinating account of a very controversial war, looked at from many perspectives, including the North Vietnamese, the Viet Cong, the US and Australian-New Zealanders, the anti war movements, the draft dodgers, and mainly, and very painfully, the soldiers of both sides and the Vietnamese civilians.
I felt that all of the apsects were dealt with thoroughly and in an intensely interesting manner.

What was the most compelling aspect of this narrative?

The descriptions of the suffering of the civilians, the soldiers, the soldiers families, the boat people, the draft dodgers. The brutal ugliness of the regime which was being defended (the south) and the brutal ugliness of the northern invaders. The lies which we were fed by our politicians, generals, and the communists.
The deliberate treatment by the northern communists of their own Viet Cong soldiers, as cannon fodder, and their disappearance from communist history, was a revelation
The entire book book was compelling. I listened to it day and night, the entire 30 or 40 hours, in 4 days.
Of all of the books about history and war which I have read and listened to (many, in all periods of history, and every continent), this is the most complete and comprehensive decription of the many causes and effects of war. It should be compulsory reading in Australian and New Zealand schools. Americans should read it to see how their friends saw their actions.

What does Peter Byrne bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

His American and Vietnamese accents are pretty funny, but despite that, it does help to put the quotes into perspective.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

It made me very sad. It also stimulates me to read more about Afghanistan, just in case we are not learning the lessons of history and are repeating similar mistakes there.

A really good story, well read

Would you consider the audio edition of Vietnam to be better than the print version?

For me yes. I have difficulty reading full novels as I am usually too tired. Listening to Audiobooks in my car takes the monotony out of driving.

What was the most compelling aspect of this narrative?

Peter has great voice control and makes the story flow.

Which scene was your favorite?

My favorite scene was the the battle of Long Tan

Great book!,

A brilliantly narrated piece of history. Ham presents the lector with a profound and critical view of the little known Australian role in the Vietnam War.

'It could hardly get worse"

This is the Australian experience of Vietnam.
The times, the events, the politics, the personalities, the news items, the photographs, the distress are all familiar to me.
It is said that history is written by the powerful .
Paul Ham does capture a time and does describe the time by direct reference to many who experienced the events of the period and the war. It is especially for that reason I give this 5 stars.

Detailed

This book has it all about the Aussie in Nam, if you thought u knew about our diggers in Nam then read this for a surprise.

Excellent Work of History

If you lived through the sixties in Australia or just a student of the war then this book is excellent. Covers the political, history, battle and people side very nicely without getting too bogged down in the details. Not the only book to read on the subject but and excellent start. If you only read one book on the Vietnam War from the Australian perspective then this is the book.

Brilliant and Entertaining

This is a fascinating book. Certainly it is a book about the Australian Army's war, but it also details the context of Australia's decision to become involved. The book covers the background in Australia including; domestic politics, conscription, the peace movement, families of service personnel, the media, etc. There is a relatively balanced discussion of the the North Vietnamese perspective and and their attitudes to Australia's involvement. The book covers, all of the significant actions, the use of weapons such as napalm, cluster bombs, tanks, and chemical defoliants. There is an excellent chapter on the impact of the service personal and the Vietnamese themselves of these and other chemicals. Overall it is a fascinating book. Some of the stories anger you, frustrate you and others make you laugh. The narration is fantastic. Peter Byrne offers listeners dead-pan statements, lively characterisations and emotive oration all when appropriate. Even thought the material is occasionally dry, the treatment given by both the text and narration make this easy to listen to from start to finish. If you want a book about battles only, you will be skipping forward often. however if you want to know about the war from the perspective of individual soldiers, civilians, prostitutes, politicians, children, etc, you will get a lot out of this book. I recommend it to anyone who lived military history, Australian history or just loves a well written, non-fiction essay about people who's experiences are as amazing as they are so very human.