Experiences of Australian Soldiers - Annotated Bibliography Example

Experiences of Australian soldiers Name Institution Date Introduction Many Australian soldiers experienced the worst time of their lives during the Vietnam War. This war fought between the South Vietnam forces of the government and the communists Vietnamese from the North, lasted for nine years. America employed its troops to stop the wide spread communism in Vietnam; however the American efforts did not yield the desired outcome. It kicked off in the year 1961 and continuing until the 1970. The period was long enough to impose worst experiences that can ever be recorded in a soldier`s lifetime during wartime. This essay focuses on the experiences that resulted from Australian soldiers` involvement in the war in Vietnam. Australian soldiers showed a great deal of bravery. The fought until the last minute of war, and on a daily basis, they survived the mental torture of the terrifying sounds from gun shots, bombs and the cry of the fellow tope members who cried as they died in pain. Australian soldiers had the frightening experiences at the time of war. They could not believe what they saw with their own eyes and the stress that surrounded them every day of war. They had very different feelings which later they even failed to tell why they had such feelings. Studies show that many of them were haunted even after the war ended. Many of them fall victims of psychiatric disorders at very alarming rates, alcoholism, heart diseases and suicidal attempts (Pizarro, Silver and Prause, 2006). Many others felt that they had lost the affections and detachment they had with their family members after they returned from war (Peach, 2006). Their reception after they came back from Vietnam was also not promising and to some it proved no meaning to continue leaving and serving in bodies that do not recognize your efforts. This is the reason a number of the soldier fall victims of suicide (Davies, 2012). The way the media covered them during the war time portrayed an aspect of betrayal to the soldiers (Stevens, 2006). Reports tend to reveal that the soldiers were denied adequate medical assistance (Waller and McGuire, 2011). This was necessary to help them recover fully from all sorts of physical injuries and mental problems that the already acquired. Essay plan Australian soldiers showed their bravery throughout the period in which the Vietnam War lasted. They struggled with their alliance against the Americans who were difficult. They survived the terrifying war sounds from gun shots and bombs. They also watched their fellow Australian soldiers being killed brutally with bullets and fires. The conditions of survival were tough. They survived in fear of being ambushed any minute and so they had to be watchful and alert at all times. The surrounding environment was full of dangerous snakes and insects. There were also hidden pits that could easily break a leg after falling. The nature of the conflict forced the Australian troops to remain under combat conditions for longer periods of time. The combat engagements were tough and very risky for teams involved. They led to many of the soldiers suffering from battle fatigue. This was challenge since were to be active throughout. The soldiers suffered from physical symptoms. They believed that this was a result of the extensive use of herbicides in the war regions. An example of the herbicide was the Agent Orange. It is believed that this contributed to the build up of physical health problems among the Australian soldiers. The soldiers fall victim of stress and other psychiatric disorders. Many of them felt the emotional detachment from their families not known how they were fairing on. The scary part was watching while passing over the dead bodies of fellow men. They were also to take care of the wounded. The Australian soldiers return back home marked a moment for the beginning of readjustments in their lives. The soldiers never received a warm welcome back home. This was not good for them after all they had experienced. Some of them found their relatives and friends already moved on with life. Many soldiers fall victims of psychiatric disorders after returning home. Other problems include alcoholism, heart diseases and suicide. Many failed to show love and affection and felt emotionally detached from their families. According to Coxon (2008), Majority of them suffered from post traumatic stress disorders (PTSD) later in their lives. The Australian soldiers received negative portrayals from the media people who covered the scenes that took place during the Vietnam War. According to Stevens the Australian newspapers are said to have depended on the sources from other syndicated news services. These services depicted the aspect of betrayal to the soldiers. Annotated bibliography Keating, G. (2007). A Tale of the Three Battalions: Combat Morale and Battle Fatigue in the 7th Australian Infantry Brigade, Bougainville, 1944-1945. Canberra: Land Warfare Studies. This is a secondary article in which the author focuses majorly on the experiences of Australian soldiers that remain always remain untold. This paper is a trace of the fortunes of the brigade`s battalions and also offers an assessment of the relevant experiences. The author focuses of the combats and their morale. He also talks about the battle fatigue, which in most cases undermines the effectiveness of any troop that is out on a war mission. To obtain a clue on the first hand information about soldiers` own experiences, the author reads through the diaries of the brigade commander, commanding officers of two units and a private soldier. This memoirs offer him a glimpse (which is rare to come by) of what operation during war time are like and the realities of extended hours of combat life. The tale of this selected memoirs, as believed by the author, provides an insight into the combat nature, the necessity of boosting and maintaining the soldiers` morale and also the effectiveness of fighting during war times. This is a relevant article since the author find information drafted by the soldiers themselves in their memoirs thus telling us what a soldiers` life is about. Stevens, R. (2006). Captured by Kindness: Australian Press Representations of the Vietnam War, 1965-1970. History Australia 3(2): pp. 45.1-45.17. This is secondary source where the author (Stevens Rachael) offers an analysis of the new representations of the three periods of Vietnam War. The sources the author uses to gather information are both primary and secondary sources. This article revolves majorly on the news reports developed by primary sources such as the Age, Australian, New York Times and the Washington Post. The analysis developed in this article, tends to focus on the different ways in which the soldiers were portrayed back in their countries and more so around the whole world. This is with regard to the news that was brought on board by news reporters who covered the Vietnam War. In actual sense this analysis employs semiotic elements, critical theories and discourse analysis in the examination of the representations of news, with the inclusion of texts and visuals in terms of photographs. The generalized information here, with regard to what the soldiers went through and the ultimate experiences, is that the news representations betrayed them. The soldiers faced betrayal from the people who covered the events that occurred while they were on their mission. This article is necessary since it provides information on the soldiers` experience with the media. Coxon, R.B. (2008). Battlefield Trauma: Exposure, Psychiatric Diagnosis and Outcomes (Unpublished doctoral dissertation). The University of Adelaide. Center For Military and Veteran`s Health, School of Population Health and Clinical Practice. This is a secondary source. It is a thesis done by Coxon who was a Phd Student at the University of Adelaide based in Australia. Coxon points out the examination of the multifaceted aspects of the battle field trauma on the military personnel interests many scholars in today`s world. During the author`s research, there were various issues that were evaluated with regard to a soldier`s life. This included; the effects of exposure to battle field traumas, effects of combat exposure, and presence and severity of symptoms of depression. The research predictors for the participants were their ages at the time when the Vietnam War kicked off, their enlistment state and presently their job identification and corps as well, their remuneration in terms of military enlistment and more importantly the traumatic events the experience. According to the author, this was the first research that focused on longitudinal outcomes of the Australian soldiers exposed to the traumatic field experiences and had the exposure diagnosed, and thereafter sent to the military psychiatrist. The results from the study demonstrated that the participants had evidence of PTSD profiles. This report is necessary since it provides evidence on the development of PTSD among the war veterans. Lamperd, R., & Carolyn, P. (2013, March 16). At Least 15 ex-servicemen Have Committed Suicide Since Christmas in the Terrible Hidden Toll of War. Herald Sun: News. Retrieved from http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/victoria/at-least-15-ex-servicemen-have-committed-suicide-since-christmas-in-the-terrible-hidden-toll-of-war/story-e6frf7kx-1226598932503 on 31/07/2013. This is a primary source that reports some of the events that tend to reveal what the Vietnam soldiers went through during and after the Vietnam War was over. The author of this news article reveals the secrets kept of a few soldiers who have committed suicide after they returned from war. The article reveals the story of a soldier who had come from the deployment. The Australian soldier had suffered from PTSD and several physical injuries. Heruld Sun`s effort to interview his wife was in vein. The was also demanded that her husband`s name should not appear anywhere on the media. According to Lamperd and Carolyn, it was claimed that the soldiers continued battle with Veteran`s affairs department to have access to better medical covers was not successful. White card only allowed military personnel to have access to a limited medical cover services. Another widow covered in this article revealing that her husband also committed suicide since there were no enough resources to cater for the ex-soldiers. She revealed to Heruld Sun that whenever a soldier left the defense force he became a lost soul. This article is vital in that it tales of those intimate to the soldiers. Davies, B. (2012, August 9). Behind the Front Line: Fifty years ago this month, Australian Forces Landed in Vietnam to Fight in a Controversial War that Divided Australia and Changed both Countries Forever. The Age. Retrieved from http://www.theage.com.au/world/behind-the-front-line-20120808-23uce.html on 31/7/2013. This is a primary source. The author covers several topics with regard to the Vietnam War, and among is a topic known as the “the aftermath”. The author reveals a number of events that followed after the Australian soldiers came back from war. According to the author, it is clear that post war counseling was essential for the soldiers` recapitulation. Such counseling was never available at that time meaning that soldiers had to strive on their own to catch up after the terrible traumatic events that the had witnessed in their lives. After two weeks of returning home, as reported, the soldiers were discharged and sent home. The home climate was not the one they deserved, it could not offer a conducive environment that a solder would use to settle and repatriate. A number of soldiers fall victims of suicidal attempts leaving behind their families. According to Davies, if there is any good thing that was received by the soldiers after returning home in terms of treatment, was that they now had a better understanding of the untold combat experiences. This is a vital article regarding the experiences of the soldiers since it focus on their reception after the war. References Coxon, R.B. (2008). Battlefield Trauma: Exposure, Psychiatric Diagnosis and Outcomes. The University of Adelaide. Center For Military and Veteran`s Health, School of Population Health and Clinical Practice. Davies, B. (2012, August 9). Behind the Front Line: Fifty years ago this month, Australian Forces Landed in Vietnam to Fight in a Controversial War that Divided Australia and Changed both Countries Forever. The Age. Retrieved from http://www.theage.com.au/world/behind-the-front-line-20120808-23uce.html on 31/7/2013. Keating, G. (2007). A Tale of the Three Battalions: Combat Morale and Battle Fatigue in the 7th Australian Infantry Brigade, Bougainville, 1944-1945. Canberra: Land Warfare Studies. Lamperd, R., & Carolyn, P. (2013, March 16). At Least 15 ex-servicemen Have Committed Suicide Since Christmas in the Terrible Hidden Toll of War. Herald Sun: News. Retrieved from http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/victoria/at-least-15-ex-servicemen-have-committed-suicide-since-christmas-in-the-terrible-hidden-toll-of-war/story-e6frf7kx-1226598932503 on 31/07/2013. Peach, H. (2006). Australia`s Vietnam Veterans. Australian Family Physician 35(8) pp. 619-622. Pizarro, J., Silver, R.C., & Prause, J. (2006). Physical and Mental Costs of Traumatic War experiences Among Civil War Veterans. Arch Gen Psychiatry. 63(2) pp. 193-200. Stevens, R. (2006). Captured by Kindness: Australian Press Representations of the Vietnam War, 1965-1970. History Australia 3(2): pp. 45.1-45.17. Waller, M., & McGuire, A.C. (2011). Changes Over Time in the “Healthy Soldier Effect” Health Metrics 9:7 pp. 1-9. Read More

The Australian soldiers received negative portrayals from the media people who covered the scenes that took place during the Vietnam War. According to Stevens the Australian newspapers are said to have depended on the sources from other syndicated news services. These services depicted the aspect of betrayal to the soldiers. Annotated bibliography Keating, G. (2007). A Tale of the Three Battalions: Combat Morale and Battle Fatigue in the 7th Australian Infantry Brigade, Bougainville, 1944-1945.

Canberra: Land Warfare Studies. This is a secondary article in which the author focuses majorly on the experiences of Australian soldiers that remain always remain untold. This paper is a trace of the fortunes of the brigade`s battalions and also offers an assessment of the relevant experiences. The author focuses of the combats and their morale. He also talks about the battle fatigue, which in most cases undermines the effectiveness of any troop that is out on a war mission. To obtain a clue on the first hand information about soldiers` own experiences, the author reads through the diaries of the brigade commander, commanding officers of two units and a private soldier.

This memoirs offer him a glimpse (which is rare to come by) of what operation during war time are like and the realities of extended hours of combat life. The tale of this selected memoirs, as believed by the author, provides an insight into the combat nature, the necessity of boosting and maintaining the soldiers` morale and also the effectiveness of fighting during war times. This is a relevant article since the author find information drafted by the soldiers themselves in their memoirs thus telling us what a soldiers` life is about.

Stevens, R. (2006). Captured by Kindness: Australian Press Representations of the Vietnam War, 1965-1970. History Australia 3(2): pp. 45.1-45.17. This is secondary source where the author (Stevens Rachael) offers an analysis of the new representations of the three periods of Vietnam War. The sources the author uses to gather information are both primary and secondary sources. This article revolves majorly on the news reports developed by primary sources such as the Age, Australian, New York Times and the Washington Post.

The analysis developed in this article, tends to focus on the different ways in which the soldiers were portrayed back in their countries and more so around the whole world. This is with regard to the news that was brought on board by news reporters who covered the Vietnam War. In actual sense this analysis employs semiotic elements, critical theories and discourse analysis in the examination of the representations of news, with the inclusion of texts and visuals in terms of photographs. The generalized information here, with regard to what the soldiers went through and the ultimate experiences, is that the news representations betrayed them.

The soldiers faced betrayal from the people who covered the events that occurred while they were on their mission. This article is necessary since it provides information on the soldiers` experience with the media. Coxon, R.B. (2008). Battlefield Trauma: Exposure, Psychiatric Diagnosis and Outcomes (Unpublished doctoral dissertation). The University of Adelaide. Center For Military and Veteran`s Health, School of Population Health and Clinical Practice. This is a secondary source. It is a thesis done by Coxon who was a Phd Student at the University of Adelaide based in Australia.

Coxon points out the examination of the multifaceted aspects of the battle field trauma on the military personnel interests many scholars in today`s world. During the author`s research, there were various issues that were evaluated with regard to a soldier`s life. This included; the effects of exposure to battle field traumas, effects of combat exposure, and presence and severity of symptoms of depression. The research predictors for the participants were their ages at the time when the Vietnam War kicked off, their enlistment state and presently their job identification and corps as well, their remuneration in terms of military enlistment and more importantly the traumatic events the experience.

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