Vietnam lends Australia its war monument to dead

CANBERRA, Australia (AP) — The Vietnamese government has lent Australia a white concrete crucifix built by Australian soldiers during the Vietnam War in memory of their fallen countrymen, a gesture that is a milestone in the former enemies’ warming relations.

The 1.9-meter (6-foot) -tall steel-reinforced cross was erected as a memorial to the 18 Australian soldiers killed in the Battle of Long Tan, the largest loss of Australian life in a single engagement during the country’s decade-long war in Vietnam. At least 245 Vietnamese were confirmed dead.