Anzac Day Then & Now     Edited by: Tom Frame UNSW Press: Sydney; 2016, ISBN 9781742234816, 312 pp,   Reviewed by: Marcus Fielding Published on the centenary of the first Anzac Day in 1916, Anzac Day Then & Now is a collection of perspectives on Anzac Day from contributors who were asked to examine the events that set apart 25 April from other days in the calendar, and to explore why Anzac Day appears to mean many different things to different people. It is the first book to take a long-term, broad view of …

What Terrorists Want: Understanding the Enemy, Containing the Threat   Written by: Louise Richardson, New York, Random House, 2006,  ISBN: 9780812975444, 312pp. Reviewed by: Dr Albert Palazzo, Senior Research Fellow, Land Warfare Studies Centre Dr Louise Richardson is Executive Dean of the Radcliffe Institute for Advanced Study and a lecturer in government and law at Harvard. Born in Ireland of Catholic parents, Richardson grew up in a culture in which terrorism was part of the Republic’s background …

Cobra II: The Inside Story of the Invasion and Occupation of Iraq   Written by: Michael Gordon and Bernard Trainor, London, Atlantic Books, 2006,  ISBN: 9781843543527, 603pp. Reviewed by: Colonel R. J. H. Noble, Directing Staff, Australian Command and Staff College All professional soldiers should read this book. Cobra II is an excellent, well-researched and professionally written account of the planning and conduct of the 2003 invasion of Iraq. It concludes during the early stages of the post-invasion …

These reflections are based on a limited experience in Vietnam and in many cases may be old stuff to more experienced soldiers. In order to succeed in this type of war all soldiers must be: (a)   Physically fit . This in my opinion is the most vital part of training as the terrain and climate are severe enough without the Viet-Cong (VC) opposition. The present standard of physical fitness in the Army of the Republic of Vietnam (ARVN) is low; as a result exhausted soldiers quickly fall prey to the VC. (b)   …

George Packer, The Assassins’ Gate: America in Iraq , Faber and Faber, London, 2006, 467 pp. Thomas E. Ricks, Fiasco: The American Military Adventure in Iraq , Penguin Books, Camberwell, 2006, 482 pp. Bob Woodward, State of Denial: Bush at War, Part III , Simon & Schuster, New York, 2006, 560 pp. In the aftermath of President George W. Bush’s now evidently premature ‘mission accomplished’ speech from the deck of the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln on 1 May 2003, journalists, historians and military …

Abstract As the last veterans of Australia’s involvement in the First World War pass away, this article outlines the history and evolution of Australia’s first and finest Army formation, the 1st Division. From the generals to the privates, from Australia, Egypt, Gallipoli and France, the long-term impact of these soldiers and leaders on both Australian military and civil institutions has been profound. Indeed, their actions and sacrifices are imprinted on the national psyche, although, as the author …

Abstract This article is based on the author’s oration on the occasion of the twentieth anniversary of the Australian Defence Force Academy. He examines the history of the Academy and compares it to the early years of the Royal Military College Duntroon. He then suggests ways to enhance ADFA’s reputation and utility to the wider community. To Lead, To Excel: this motto guards the entrance to the Australian Defence Force Academy 1 (ADFA) which, in 2006, marked twenty years since the first graduates were …

Abstract The author examines the claims about the importance of the emerging generation as they enter the workforce, Generation Y. The Australian Army, he states, need not adapt itself to the ‘unique’ characteristics of Generation Y—they are like any other group of young people, not the ‘generational shift’ that popular opinion presents. He finds more assertion and hyperbole than evidence and fact in many of the claims by and about Generation Y. Introduction The movement of what has been dubbed Generation …

Abstract Operations in urban environments are a persistent feature of military affairs. As Western technology has outstripped our adversaries, they have adapted to use this most complex terrain, limiting the utility of Western firepower and destructive force. This article examines several aspects of this dilemma from the perspective of New Zealand’s Army and suggests avenues of further development. Introduction The future of warfare is likely to become increasingly complex. Adversaries will employ …

Purpose This paper outlines selected tactics, techniques and procedures developed and adopted by the Multi-National Corps–Iraq to facilitate interaction with their Iraqi Army (predominantly Iraqi Ground Forces Command) counterparts. Background Iraqi Ground Forces Command (IGFC) was established on 15 May 2005 as the operational fighting headquarters for the Iraqi Army. In a command directive dated 4 August 2005, the Commanding General of the Iraqi Joint Forces (IJF) provided his implementing direction to …