The conscription contradiction

By Chris Sheedy
Updated November 29 2014 - 12:23am, first published November 28 2014 - 11:45pm
As the jungle war against the Vietcong intensifies in Vietnam, Australian soldiers of the 1st Battalion scatter for cover after landing from helicopters to start a search and destroy operation in War Zone "D" in early July, 1965. Photo: Stuart MacGladrie
As the jungle war against the Vietcong intensifies in Vietnam, Australian soldiers of the 1st Battalion scatter for cover after landing from helicopters to start a search and destroy operation in War Zone "D" in early July, 1965. Photo: Stuart MacGladrie

In 150 interviewsconducted with national servicemen - "conscripts" by another name - award-winning writer and UNSW Canberra PhD scholar Mark Lapin says it was not at all unusual for interviewees to be moved to tears as they recalled their experiences.