Eyes of the Tiger: Diary of a Dirty War (ATOM Study Guide)

Eyes of the Tiger: Diary of a Dirty War (Monica O'Brien, 2006) is a 43-minute documentary on the experiences of a group of Australian soldiers during their twelve-month tour of duty in the Vietnam War. The experiences of the 5 RAR ('Tiger' Battalion) Reconnaissance Platoon are presented through the interviews with eight Battalion members, original footage and dramatic reconstructions.

The focus is on trying to understand what it was like for these men to be in this war. The film explores the nature of the war, the soldiers' behaviour during an armed conflict, their emotions, relationships, and the impacts it had on them, their families and on Australian society.

This is important at a time when Australians are increasingly conscious of the continuing difficulties faced by many Vietnam Veterans.

Eyes of the Tiger: Diary of a Dirty War is an excellent resource to help students who may wish to develop and carry out interviews with Vietnam veterans.