Australian Military History 01-03

Rwanda: UNAMIR 1994/1995
In 1994 a group of Australian UN peacekeepers, made up of soldiers and army medical personnel, was sent to Rwanda under a United Nations mandate to help restore order to the war-torn country. These Australians would be exposed to a lack of humanity they were not prepared for and found hard to fathom. On 22nd April 1995, the daily horror and tragedy they had witnessed escalated out of control. At a displaced persons' camp in Kibeho, in full view of the Australian soldiers, over 4,000 unarmed men, women and children died in a hail of bullets, grenades and machete blades at the hands of the Rwandan Patriotic Army. Constrained by the UN peacekeeping Rules of Engagement, these Australians could only watch helplessly and try to assist the wounded under the gaze of the trigger-happy killers. Pure Massacre is a record of what happened during this peacekeeping mission. Kevin "Irish" O'Halloran, a Platoon Sergeant at the time, stresses the weaknesses of the UN charter and what happens when "good men do nothing." He pulls together the perspectives of those Australian soldiers who served in Rwanda at this time. Pure Massacre gives a new and personal voice to the Kibeho Massacre. It takes a special type of bravery, discipline and compassion to do what these soldiers did. Little did they know, when the second tour of Rwanda was over, that they would be the highest decorated UN peacekeeping contingent since the Korean War. For many, their service in Rwanda would come with a personal toll. No Australians died during and immediately after the massacre at Kibeho, but as Pure Massacre testifies, the suffering and tragedy is embedded in their memories.

Conducting Counterinsurgency: Reconstruction Task Force 4 in Afghanistan
Conducting Counterinsurgency uses the personal experiences of officers and soldiers from RTF4 - described in their own words - to illustrate the principles of counterinsurgency operations. The book provides a vivid and personal snapshot of the work of these soldiers, the challenges they faced and their interaction with the local people during their tour of duty. This is a first-hand account of counterinsurgency operations conducted by the contemporary Australian Army in its fight against the Taliban. Conducting Counterinsurgency sheds light on the little- understood operations of the Australian Army in Afghanistan and is a must for military professionals and commentators.

The Battles Before: Case Studies of Australian Army Leadership after the Vietnam War
Much of Australia’s military history literature focuses on battles and the way generals plan and prosecute an action or campaign. But what do generals do when they are not fighting battles? "The Battles Before" examines the role of senior leaders in preparing an army for war — fighting bureaucratic battles, mobilizing forces for operations, or preparing for a future that is impossible to anticipate. The five cases examined in this book focus on strategic leadership and describe how major organizations grapple with political, strategic, economic and cultural change over time.

The first three case studies analyze a series of pivotal moments in the history of the Australian the dramatic downsizing that followed the Vietnam War, the seminal 1985 Dibb Review, and the buildup to the East Timor intervention in 1999. Further cases describe planning within a large organization, particularly the way senior leaders grapple with the demands of multiple operations while facing significant impetus for force modernization. The final chapter focuses on the crucial role of the Army’s leadership in developing the next generation of leaders. The book concludes with a series of insights into the study of command in peacetime and its relevance to wartime command, particularly given the challenges that face peacetime commanders who operate within considerable constraints.

"The Battles Before" uses recently declassified documents and interviews with key participants in a meticulous examination of a 30-year period characterized by profound and far-reaching change. This was a period that would reshape the Australian Army.

Publisher: Big Sky Publishing (February 14, 2012)
Length: 148 pages
ISBN13: 9781921941597

[Australian Military History 01] Kevin O'Halloran - Rwanda- Unamir 1994 - 95.azw3
[Australian Military History 01] Kevin O'Halloran - Rwanda- Unamir 1994 - 95.epub
[Australian Military History 01] Kevin O'Halloran - Rwanda- Unamir 1994 - 95.mobi

Publisher: Big Sky Publishing (June 15, 2012)
Length: 160 pages
ISBN13: 9781921941825

[Australian Military History 02] David Connery - Conducting Counterinsurgency.azw3
[Australian Military History 02] David Connery - Conducting Counterinsurgency.epub
[Australian Military History 02] David Connery - Conducting Counterinsurgency.mobi

Publisher: Big Sky Publishing (November 5, 2016)
Length: 136 pages
ISBN13: 9781925520200

[Australian Military History 03] David Connery - The Battles Before- Case Studies of Australian Army Leadership after the Vietnam War.azw3
[Australian Military History 03] David Connery - The Battles Before- Case Studies of Australian Army Leadership after the Vietnam War.epub
[Australian Military History 03] David Connery - The Battles Before- Case Studies of Australian Army Leadership after the Vietnam War.mobi