Changes

For several weeks prior to the battle, Australian field intelligence had tracked a radio transmitter moving south but were unsure about what unit it belonged to. Aggressive patrolling failed to find this unit.

For several weeks prior to the battle, Australian field intelligence had tracked a radio transmitter moving south but were unsure about what unit it belonged to. Aggressive patrolling failed to find this unit.

On the night of 17-18 August, the Viet Cong 275th Regiment fired over 100 mortar rounds into the 103 Battery area and 22 Australian soldiers were wounded, one later dying from his wounds. B Company 6 RAR was sent out early on the morning of the 18th to find the VC heavy weapons. D Company (to which was attached three New Zealand Army personnel) relieved B Company at midday. The commander of B Company, Major Noel Ford, briefed the D Company commander, Major Harry Smith, and B Company returned to base. After discussing the situation with the 6 RAR battalion commander, Lt Col. Colin Townsend, D Company moved to the east towards the limit of their covering artillery range.

On the night of 17–18 August, the Viet Cong 275th Regiment fired over 100 mortar rounds into the 103 Battery area and 22 Australian soldiers were wounded, one later dying from his wounds. B Company 6 RAR was sent out early on the morning of the 18th to find the VC heavy weapons. D Company (to which was attached three New Zealand Army personnel) relieved B Company at midday. The commander of B Company, Major Noel Ford, briefed the D Company commander, Major Harry Smith, and B Company returned to base. After discussing the situation with the 6 RAR battalion commander, Lt Col. Colin Townsend, D Company moved to the east towards the limit of their covering artillery range.

The battle is often used in Australian officer training as an example of the importance of combining and coordinating infantry, artillery, armour and military aviation.

The battle is often used in Australian officer training as an example of the importance of combining and coordinating infantry, artillery, armour and military aviation.

==Body count==

==Body count==

Both sides tried to evacuate the injured in the darkness, although several wounded Australians spent a long and terrifying night on the battlefield while the female VC medical platoon (''Mrs Phuong's Medical Evacuation Unit'') moved around them. The morning light revealed the full extent of the horror. 50-245 Viet Cong bodies were found in the battle area and it was thought that many more were removed in the night. 18 Australians were killed at Long Tan and 24 wounded – over one third of the initial force engaged. 188 enemy killed and wounded is the figure formally declared by the CO and 6 RAR in his initial report on 19 August.<ref>"Enemy casualties [were] 188 and 3 Viet Cong captured". (See 6th RAR War Diary, available online)]</ref>The platoon under Second Lieutenant Eric Andrews reported a body count of about fifty killed on 20 August.<ref>["50 enemy bodies buried in [D] company location." (6th RAR War Diary, available online)</ref>   

Both sides tried to evacuate the injured in the darkness, although several wounded Australians spent a long and terrifying night on the battlefield while the female VC medical platoon (''Mrs Phuong's Medical Evacuation Unit'') moved around them. The morning light revealed the full extent of the horror. 50-245 Viet Cong bodies were found in the battle area and it was thought that many more were removed in the night. 18 Australians were killed at Long Tan and 24 wounded – over one third of the initial force engaged. 188 enemy killed and wounded is the figure formally declared by the CO and 6 RAR in his initial report on 19 August.<ref>"Enemy casualties [were] 188 and 3 Viet Cong captured". (See 6th RAR War Diary, available online)]</ref> The platoon under Second Lieutenant Eric Andrews reported a body count of about fifty killed on 20 August.<ref>"50 enemy bodies buried in [D] company location." (6th RAR War Diary, available online)</ref>   

The official Australian Army history ''To Long Tan'', by the Australian military historian Ian McNeill, lists the number of Vietnamese killed in action as 245 and three enemy captured. However, new research shows that Australian claims about 245 enemy soldiers killed in the battle may be highly inflated. <ref>''"The VC divisional planners estimated that four to six labourers would be needed for every wounded soldier requiring evacuation. A 30 percent casualty rate at Long Tan would mean a force of 1,200 would take 360 casualties. Using an 80:20 split for the casualties, 288 would be wounded and 72 killed. To get the seriously wounded and dead off the field, a labour force of something like 800 would be needed. If the casualty figures were increased to 245 dead, the wounded would be 980. Under the 30 per cent rule that would mean an attacking force of just over 4,000, plus a clearance labour force of 3,500. These are unimaginable numbers ..."'' (Vietnam: The Complete Story Of The Australian War,  Bruce Davies,  Gary McKay,  Allen & Unwin, 2013)</ref>

The official Australian Army history ''To Long Tan'', by the Australian military historian Ian McNeill, lists the number of Vietnamese killed in action as 245 and three enemy captured. However, new research shows that Australian claims about 245 enemy soldiers killed in the battle may be highly inflated.<ref>''"The VC divisional planners estimated that four to six labourers would be needed for every wounded soldier requiring evacuation. A 30 percent casualty rate at Long Tan would mean a force of 1,200 would take 360 casualties. Using an 80:20 split for the casualties, 288 would be wounded and 72 killed. To get the seriously wounded and dead off the field, a labour force of something like 800 would be needed. If the casualty figures were increased to 245 dead, the wounded would be 980. Under the 30 per cent rule that would mean an attacking force of just over 4,000, plus a clearance labour force of 3,500. These are unimaginable numbers ..."'' (Vietnam: The Complete Story Of The Australian War,  Bruce Davies,  Gary McKay,  Allen & Unwin, 2013)</ref>

==Controversies and conclusions==

==Controversies and conclusions==

Both the Vietnamese and Australian militaries have disputed each other’s version. The first North Vietnamese communiqué claimed that: ''"Liberation Fighters ... wiped out almost completely one Battalion of the Australian Mercenaries in an ambush in the Long Tan Village."''

Both the Vietnamese and Australian militaries have disputed each other’s version. The first North Vietnamese communiqué claimed that: ''"Liberation Fighters ... wiped out almost completely one Battalion of the Australian Mercenaries in an ambush in the Long Tan Village."''

There have also been accusations that the Australians also exaggerated enemy casualties. Casualty figures for the Viet Cong ranged from the 245 reportedly found dead on the field of action to the often quoted American Intelligence Officer's high count of 800 Vietnamese killed,<ref>Vietnam – The Australian War, Paul Ham, p 245 and p 704, HarperCollins 2007</ref>with some 6 RAR veterans<ref>[http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/nation/helicopter-pilot-cliff-dohle-cited-for-gallantry-in-mission-to-resupply-long-tan-diggers/story-e6frg6nf-1225792091865 Helicopter pilot Cliff Dohle cited for gallantry in mission to resupply Long Tan diggers, http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/...]</ref>accepting the reinforced 275th Regiment's count of fifty killed and one-hundred wounded. Australian Military Historians Bruce Davies and Gary McKay  say claims citing the US Army Intelligence Officer's record purportedly showing that 800 Vietnamese were killed in the battle are wrong for the report does not exist. <ref>"Unfortunately, the diary or parts of it have never been produced. It is also difficult to understand why such an important document was not sent to the combined Document Exploitaton Centre, from where translated copies would have been despatched to all intelligence commanders." (Vietnam: The Complete Story Of The Australian War, Bruce Davies,  Gary McKay,  Allen & Unwin, 2013)</ref>

There have also been accusations that the Australians also exaggerated enemy casualties. Casualty figures for the Viet Cong ranged from the 245 reportedly found dead on the field of action to the often quoted American Intelligence Officer's high count of 800 Vietnamese killed,<ref>Vietnam – The Australian War, Paul Ham, p 245 and p 704, HarperCollins 2007</ref> with some 6 RAR veterans<ref>[http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/nation/helicopter-pilot-cliff-dohle-cited-for-gallantry-in-mission-to-resupply-long-tan-diggers/story-e6frg6nf-1225792091865 Helicopter pilot Cliff Dohle cited for gallantry in mission to resupply Long Tan diggers, http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/...]</ref> accepting the reinforced 275th Regiment's count of fifty killed and one-hundred wounded. Australian Military Historians Bruce Davies and Gary McKay  say claims citing the US Army Intelligence Officer's record purportedly showing that 800 Vietnamese were killed in the battle are wrong for the report does not exist.<ref>"Unfortunately, the diary or parts of it have never been produced. It is also difficult to understand why such an important document was not sent to the combined Document Exploitaton Centre, from where translated copies would have been despatched to all intelligence commanders." (Vietnam: The Complete Story Of The Australian War, Bruce Davies,  Gary McKay,  Allen & Unwin, 2013)</ref>

Terry Burstall, a private in the 12 Platoon section guarding D Company HQ during the battle, has contradicted Australian official accounts of Vietnamese losses:{{cquote|When I returned to the battlefield the day after the battle, there were bodies lying all through the area ... Would a shell-shocked digger count an arm, a trunk and a leg scattered over several metres as one body or three bodies? Nobody knew or cared at the time, and certainly not the people doing the counting. ...Looking back I don't really think that I would have seen more than 50 bodies and I spent three days in the area.<ref>Terry Burstall, A Soldier Returns, University of Queensland Press, Brisbane, 1990, pp 77-79</ref>}}

Terry Burstall, a private in the 12 Platoon section guarding D Company HQ during the battle, has contradicted Australian official accounts of Vietnamese losses:{{cquote|When I returned to the battlefield the day after the battle, there were bodies lying all through the area ... Would a shell-shocked digger count an arm, a trunk and a leg scattered over several metres as one body or three bodies? Nobody knew or cared at the time, and certainly not the people doing the counting. ...Looking back I don't really think that I would have seen more than 50 bodies and I spent three days in the area.<ref>Terry Burstall, A Soldier Returns, University of Queensland Press, Brisbane, 1990, pp 77-79</ref>}}