Why was the battle of long tan started?

Answer 1

== == The battle of "Long Tan" occurred in a rubber tree plantation, near a town called "Long Tan", August 18, 1966, involving elements from the Australian's 6th Royal Regiment, which consisted mostly of conscripts (Australian Draftee's); against elements of the North Vietnamese Army and local Viet Cong units, (which no doubt consisted mostly of conscript's also). Communist losses, as has been usual in these cases, is unknown, but historians go from the low 50 casualty number for the enemy, upwards to 250 communist casualties; Australian losses were 18 men killed and 21 wounded. Long Tan was one of the first large Australian battles to take place, and is considered an Australian victory. The Battle of Long Tan was the most famous action fought by the Australian Army during the Vietnam War. It was fought in a rubber tree plantation near the village of Long Tan, about 40km north-east of Vung Tau, South Vietnam on August 18-19, 1966. The action occurred when D Company of the 6th Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment (6RAR), part of the 1st Australian Task Force (1 ATF), encountered the Viet Cong (VC) 275 Regiment and elements of the D445 Local Forces Battalion. D Company was supported by other Australian units, as well as New Zealand and United States personnel. Although veterans of the battle from both sides met many years later, relatively little is known publicly of the Vietnamese side of the battle, due to a reluctance to discuss it, on the part of Vietnamese officials. This battle is frequently taught in Australian officer training, as it is an excellent case study of well-trained and disciplined soldiers; the importance of combining infantry, artillery, armour and aviation; coordination between units and the importance of firepower.