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Remembering and fighting for their own: Vietnam veterans and the Long Tan cross

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journal contribution
posted on 2018-01-01, 00:00 authored by Lorinda CramerLorinda Cramer, Andrea WitcombAndrea Witcomb
On the third anniversary of the Battle of Long Tan on 18 August 1969, a simple but distinctive concrete cross was planted on the site of the battle to remember the eighteen Australian lives lost. The memorial cross was later toppled, lost and recovered but its physical form was never forgotten. In Australia, veterans made it a focus for their commemoration of all who served and died in the Vietnam War, replicating it across the country. This article analyses the complex motivations behind this process, revealing the Long Tan cross as a deeply personal symbol for Vietnam veterans and part of their fight for recognition in the aftermath of the war.

History

Journal

Australian historical studies

Volume

49

Issue

1

Pagination

83 - 102

Publisher

Taylor & Francis

Location

Abingdon, Eng.

ISSN

1031-461X

eISSN

1940-5049

Language

English

Grant ID

ARC DP1094418

Publication classification

C1 Refereed article in a scholarly journal

Copyright notice

[2018, Taylor & Francis]