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Australia recognises it's Vietnam Veterans

Yesterday marked the 40th anniversary of the battle at Long Tan. To quote the Australian War Memorial site:

"The battle of Long Tan was a defining event in Australia’s longest war. It was one of the most intensive actions Australian soldiers fought in Vietnam. On 18 August 1966, a rifle company of 108 men, cut off and outnumbered by at least ten to one, withstood repeated, massed Viet Cong attacks for four hours. The bravery and tenacity of the Australian soldiers became legendary."

There were dawn services held around the country, one of which you can read about here.

Little Johny read the following in a parlimentary session on Thursday:

"The sad fact is, Mr Speaker, that those who served in Vietnam were not welcomed back as they should have been at the time. And I think the nation collectively, Mr Speaker, whatever our views may be, and I include those who supported the war as well as those who opposed it, we collectively failed those men at the time, and they are owed our apologies and our regrets for that failure, Mr Speaker. And the very least that we can do on this 40th anniversary is to acknowledge that fact, to acknowledge the difficulties that so many of them have had in coping with the post-war trauma, and the magnificent contribution that they have continued to make to our nation. So this afternoon and tomorrow, Mr Speaker, we will in different ways, and I know in a totally bipartisan fashion, pay proper regard to their bravery and their service, and their commitment. They did what their country lawfully asked them to do at the time, they did it with distinction, with honour, and with bravery, and they should have been more properly honoured some 40 years ago for that."

All I have to say is, it's about bloody time. ANYONE who has fought a war deserves recognition regardless of whether it was their fight to fight, whether you agree or disagree or even whether it was a war that should never have been a war. Despite the reasons, the politics and the shit, these people were prepared to die because their country asked them too. To then basically ignore them and treat them like lepers upon their return home is just unaustralian. I repeat, it's about bloody time this country recognised these people for what they sacrificed, whether that be their lives, or their innocence.