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The Nashos' War: Australia's national servicemen and Vietnam

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The Nashos' War: Australia's National Servicemen and Vietnam by Mark Dapin explores the experiences of Australian national servicemen, known as "Nashos", during the Vietnam War. The book delves into the personal stories of these young men, providing insight into their military service, training, and time in Vietnam, as well as their struggles upon returning home. Through these accounts, Dapin paints a vivid picture of how their service impacted both their lives and Australian society at large.
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You might enjoy this insightful exploration of Australia's national servicemen during the Vietnam War if you're interested in military history and personal stories of young men facing conscription. This work offers a captivating blend of historical analysis and firsthand accounts, providing a unique perspective on Australia's involvement in Vietnam and the individual experiences of those who served.

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Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description

On 10 March 1965, the first nasho's birthdate was drawn from a lottery barrel at the Department of Labour and National Service in Melbourne. Over the next seven years, a total of 63,740 young Australian men would be drafted into the army and face the prospect of being sent to war. The nashos came from all walks of lifeβ€”plumbers and dentists, footballers and musicians, Christians and Jews, willing and unwilling. Some spent their two years square-bashing in Singleton. Others went to Vietnam to fightβ€”and dieβ€”in Australia's bloodiest battles, including the slaughter at Long Tan.

But our ideas of national service contain strange contradictions and inaccuraciesβ€”that the draft was unpopular but militarily necessary; that the nashos in Vietnam all volunteered to go to war; and that they were met by protesters and demonstrations on their return to Australia, rather than the huge welcome-home parades reported at the time. Here, Mark Dapin dramatically deconstructs the folklore of Vietnam and national service.

Drawing on the accounts of over one hundred and fifty former national servicemen, The Nashos' War tells a vastly more personal and nuanced story of national service and Australia's Vietnam War than that previously heard. Most powerfully, it records with extraordinary intensity what it was like to be a bank clerk one day, and fighting for your life in the jungles of Vietnam soon afterwards.

Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9780670078622

Publisher: Penguin Random House Australia

Format: Paperback / softback

Date Published: 17 July 2017

Country: Australia

Imprint: Viking Australia

Audience: General / adult

DIMENSIONS

Spine width: 31.0mm

Width: 130.0mm

Height: 199.0mm

Weight: 364g

Pages: 480

About the Author

Mark Dapin (Author) Mark Dapin is the author of the novels King of the Cross and Spirit House. King of the Cross won the Ned Kelly Award for Best First Fiction, and Spirit House was long listed for the Miles Franklin Literary Award and shortlisted for the Age Book of the Year and the Royal Society for Literature's Ondaatje Prize. His recent work of military history, The Nashos' War, has been widely acclaimed. He is a PhD candidate at the Australian Defence Force Academy. Saskia Adams (Author) Saskia Adams is a freelance writer and editor. She spent ten years working at Penguin Books before her ever-increasing number of rescue animals necessitated a treechange to the Yarra Valley. In 2011 Saskia co-founded Forever Friends Animal Rescue Inc., which has already saved and rehomed over a thousand dogs, cats, puppies and kittens from death row in pounds and shelters. Her previous books include Unconditional Love- PetRescue's Great Animal Stories and PetRescue's Amazing Dog Stories.

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