Reviews (7)

Revisionist, Questionable, Valuable, and a Starting Point

The ifs accumulate.
As if Lewis Sorley's paen to Abrams wasn't enough, now we have this doorstop of a tome. As if Vietnam was not bad enough as it was, now we have to wade through more "what might have been." Neither of these works are history, in that sense. The only thing new here is which demons to chastize this time around. The communist buhddists/bhuddist dupes (who had absolutely no reason to oppose Diem). The nefarious reporters, who twisted the truth to what end (as if the Americans who read the articles believed them). And of course lets elevate Diem, a political nonentity raised by the US through blatant electoral fraud, to sainthood right up there with Samoza, Pinochet, the Greek Generals, etc.
A Valuable Contribution to the Study of American Military History
It is certainly about time that a scholar trained in historical research takes a new look at the Vietnam War era and evaluates it on the basis of the wealth of new evidence which has become available. This new book by Dr. Mark Moyar, "Triumph Forsaken," offers a serious challenge to those of the so-called "orthodox school" of historians and commentators regarding the War itself, its justification, and its consequences. Self-described as a "revisionist" historian, Moyar provides a reassessment of the events from America's first intrusion into the Vietnam arena (mainly in the form of "advisors"), through the fateful assassination of South Vietnamese President Ngo Dinh Diem, to the placement of U.S. ground forces into Vietnam by President Lyndon Johnson.
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Subjects:  1. 1945-1975    2. History    3. History - Military / War    4. History: American    5. Military - Vietnam War    6. United States - 20th Century    7. Vietnam    8. Vietnam War, 1961-1975    9. Asian history: Vietnam War    10. History / United States / 20th Century    11. War & defence operations    12. c 1960 to c 1970   

Reviews (16)

Learning to Eat Soup with a Knife: The Deeper Lessons
Military and political pundits often advocate John A. Nagl's excellent book, "Learning to Eat Soup with a Knife: Counterinsurgency Lessons from Malaya and Vietnam", as the definitive source for understanding an insurgency and how to defeat it.It is often quoted and some have implied that if the US were only to follow the British example in Malaya for our current war on terror--especially in Iraq--we could expect a better outcome.
Excellent Building Block
This book is an excellent building block for those militaries that expect to be sent by their political masters into harms' way "in every clime and place."
Persuasive - but not for the reasons the author suggests
This book - the title of which was inspired by Lawrence of Arabia's famous quip "To make war upon rebellion is messy and slow, like eating soup with a knife" - is compelling for a variety of reasons, but three are especially noteworthy.
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Subjects:  1. Asia - Southeast Asia    2. Counterinsurgency    3. History    4. History - General History    5. History - Military / War    6. International Relations - General    7. Malaya    8. Malayan Emergency, 1948-1960    9. Malaysia    10. Military - General    11. Political Science    12. Politics/International Relations    13. Underground movements    14. Vietnam    15. Vietnam War, 1961-1975    16. Asian / Middle Eastern history: from c 1900 -    17. Political Science / International Relations    18. South East Asia    19. Warfare & Defence   

Editorial Review

Over time, Tim O'Brien has used both art and artifice to shape his fictional accounts of Vietnam. Award-winning novels such as Read more

Reviews (24)

Wonderful!
I thought this book was very well composed and it make me realize the harsh raalities of the Vietnam war. O'Brien sure captured my heart and thoughts. I would highly recommend this book to any history fan!
Great memoir
This book, titled after a line in a military march song, is O'Brien's memoir of his time in Viet Nam. It's divided up into shorter essays--most narrative, some more philosophical--which together create the tangled web of dilemmas that Viet Nam was. The book chronicles O'Brien's tour of duty chronologically, from the pressure and shame that kept him from not fleeing to Canada when he adamantly opposed the war, throughbasic training and combat and his eventual move to a job in the back. Each essay tackles a theme or issue: friendship, courage, fear, getting a desk job, the morality of a shooting or not shooting a civilian who may or may not shoot you.
A must read for one who doesn't know much about 'Nam
"If I Die in a Combat Zone: Box Me Up and Ship Me Home" was very a well written book. I'm in a generation that doesn't know a whole lot about the Vietnam War. My idea of Vietnam is based off of the movie "Platoon". Tim O'Brien does an awesome job of portraying a soldier, and what each soldier has to put up with mentally and physically everyday.
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Subjects:  1. 1946-    2. Biography / Autobiography    3. Biography/Autobiography    4. Historical - U.S.    5. Literary    6. Military    7. O'Brien, Tim,    8. Personal narratives, American    9. Vietnam War, 1961-1975    10. Vietnamese Conflict, 1961-1975    11. Biography & Autobiography / General    12. Reading Group Guide   

Reviews (182)

amazing
This book made me want to become a marine scout sniper. However, since I'm joining the Army....hahaha...well that's impossible. But this book shows you the thought process of a particular sniper, tactics, his heroism, dedication, FOCUS, and determination to do his job so that more marines could live. An amazing book, I would say. This book also gives you a clear picture of what a marine scout sniper's job is, although there wasn't too much of the recon part of it. This book gives you a mental picture of what's going on in Vietnam, almost like watching a movie. Entertaining, yet informative. Also talked about how they created the M40 sniper rifle and how they got rid of (i'm going out on a limb here) almost all of its weaknesses/faults.

Well-Written History, But...
Well-written history of a war and those who fought in it with heroism and skill, but I shouldn't have tried to read this. It's just too bloody for me, I guess, and I couldn't finish it. But that's nota comment on the quality of the book, just its subject matter, which turned my stomach and really, deeply, got to me. For anyone interested in an ultra-realistic account of a sniper's life in Vietnam, this is the book. It's among the most visceral, lingeringly disturbing memoirs on the subject of modern war I've ever held in my hands.

Sniper book that you can't put down
This book tell the story of Carlos Hathcock tours in Vietnam, an sniper in the top of his game with not equal, the book is full of his sniping mission and is a easy read. I can't recall a moment where I felt the story was dragging.
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Subjects:  1. Americas (North Central South West Indies)    2. Biography    3. Biography / Autobiography    4. Commando operations    5. History    6. History: American    7. Military    8. Military - United States    9. Military - Vietnam War    10. Soldiers    11. United States    12. Vietnamese Conflict, 1961-1975    13. History / Military / General    14. The Americas    15. USA    16. War fiction   

Editorial Review

In the first significant engagement between American troops and the Viet Cong, 450 U.S. soldiers found themselves surrounded and outnumbered by their enemy. This book tells the story of how they battled between October 23 and November 26, 1965. Its prose is gritty, not artful, delivering a powerful punch of here-and-now descriptions that could only have been written by people actually on the scene. In fact, they were: Harold Moore commanded the men of the 1st Battalion, 7th Cavalry, who did most of the fighting, and Joseph Galloway was the only reporter present throughout the battle's 34 harrowing days. Read more

Reviews (231)

Meeting these men has been an honor!
Knowing some of the people involved with this true story and having met General Harold Moore and Joe Galloway a few years ago I felt a necessity to read the general's book "We Were Soldiers Once and Young." They wanted the truth told so Americans could learn about one particular unit and the major battle they fought in 1965.
Essential Reading For All
As a non-American living in the US for a year, I bought this book to learn more about the Vietnam war.It didn't really serve its purpose in this respect - and that was my fault - but it more than made up for it by being one of the best war books I've ever read.This stands easily alongside anything Stephen Ambrose ever wrote.The authenticity is one hundred per cent because these authors were there - their passion, emotion and commitment to their mean comes screaming through the pages.As does their frustration with military top brass and politicians.I'll never forget finishing the book on a Sunday morning, sitting up in bed, tears streaming down my face as I read of the impact of the deaths of those brave men who perished.The consequences hit generation after generation.This book is essential reading now because it highlights the futility of war and the no-win situation that America repeatedly puts itself into.

The Birth of Air Cav
This book tells the true account of the battle of Ia Drang. NO book could have captured the intense battles a well as this has. After reading some war books about vietnam and World War II, I have only one thing to say, This is possibly the greatest recration in words of the actual battles I have ever read! Read this book and understand the true horrors of battle. With the release of 'We Were Soldiers' there is no doubt that this book will become more popular than it already is. God Bless America. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. History    2. History - Military / War    3. Ia Drang Valley (Vietnam), Bat    4. Ia Drang Valley (Vietnam), Battle of, 1965    5. Ia Drang Valley, Battle of, Vi    6. Ia Drang Valley, Battle of, Vietnam, 1965    7. Military    8. Military - General    9. Military - Vietnam War    10. Military History - Vietnam Conflict    11. History / Military / Vietnam War   

Reviews (15)

Where We Were In Vietnam
I have had Mike's book for some time now and have found it to be of great use to me.I served in Vietnam as an infantryman in the Australian Army and he has covered many of our battle sites as well as our base areas so for that I say well done..I currently live and work in Vietnam so I can use it as a constant reference whenever I travel throughout the country visiting the old battlefields and other sites of interest. With all grid references given in the military grid system and the ready availability of military maps for most areas it is a most usefull piece of work.

Where We Were in Vietnam
I served 3 consecutive tours in Vietnam and I must tell you, as a vietnam Veteran, I find this Book PerticulerlyAluminating. I still am in the process of comeing to terms with many things dealing with Vietnam. This Book puts many of them into perspective.
Simply Outstanding!Resonates with living history!
Michael P. Kelley has exceeded all expectations with this volume. He has put his heart and soul into this resource, one that resonates with the living history of a long series of wars in 20th Century Vietnam. A primary resource for all interested in the conflict in Vietnam. A First Rate effort! Reread all those Vietnam-era works and see if those firebase names jive up to the action described. Is it fact, or else some sorry assed tale passed on down? Now we know. This is a must for any and all public libraries. We simply must have this work in the public record. HATS OFF,Mister Kelley! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Asia - Southeast Asia    2. Dictionaries    3. History    4. History - General History    5. Maps    6. Military    7. Military - Vietnam War    8. Military History - Vietnam Conflict    9. Military Organization And Administration    10. Military Science    11. Military bases, American    12. Vietnam    13. Vietnam War, 1961-1975    14. Vietnamese Conflict, 1961-1975   

Reviews (8)

One of the enduring images
is the network of bicyclists -- children, women and men -- who expertly navigated the region during the American campaigns. A foot bridge blown up was instantly restored. Supplies were expertly moved about. It was their whole backyard.

Not complete, but an interesting read
Vietnam is one of the most critical and debated subjects In the History of the United States during the twentieth century.Numerous books have been written detailing the only war lost by the American military in its brief two hundred year existence.In America's Longest War George Herring examines the critical periods of American involvement Vietnam.As one reference point, the author researched the presidential libraries, first hand accounts, the official Pentagon Papers and other resources to provide a comprehensive look at the American involvement in Vietnam beginning in 1950.
Herring focuses on diplomacy
Unlike most Vitenam books, America's Longest War chooses to examine the diplomacy element of the war instead of the typical military aspects of the conflict. I was assigned this as a textbook in my Vietnam War class in college and was surprised by the lack of military coverage in it. About two chapters into ALW, I realized that Herring was concentrating on what happened behind closed doors during the warand then it became more easy to understand.Herring also introduces the reader to the movers and shakers of the war and their reasoning behind their decisions. He also starts back with Truman's administration in dealing with French Indo-China and you get the story from the very beginning. Other books typically gloss over Truman and Ike and like to start in LBJ's administration.Read more

Subjects:  1. History    2. History - General History    3. History - U.S.    4. History: American    5. Military - Vietnam War    6. U.S. History - Vietnam Conflict (1965-1973)    7. United States - 20th Century    8. United States - General    9. American history: Vietnam War    10. History / Military / Vietnam War    11. USA    12. Vietnam   

Editorial Review

For years the popular myth surrounding the Vietnam War was that the Joint Chiefs of Staff knew what it would take to win but were consistently thwarted or ignored by the politicians in power. Now H. R. McMaster shatters this and other misconceptions about the military and Vietnam in Read more

Reviews (49)

How we stumbled into the Vietnam War
H.R. McMaster's "Dereliction of Duty" is an excellent account of the Johnson Administration's run-up to - and failures preparing for - the Vietnam War.McMaster (a U.S. Army major when he wrote the book, now a colonel) details the decisions and actions of President Johnson, Secretary of Defense McNamara, the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and other presidential advisors from 1963 to 1965.
THE LAST STEP TOWARD WAR
Dereliction of Duty: Johnson, McNamara, the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and the Lies That Led to Vietnam by H. R. McMaster is an exceptionally well researched and well written book.One certainly gets the impression that McMaster has studied the main decision makers of Vietnam so well that he wrote about them with the familiarity and insight that is normally only reserved for siblings. While a bit long, this book explains the blow-by-blow decision making that led to the Vietnam War.
Well Documented But Highly Slanted
McMaster has taken upon himself the task of blaming the civilian leadership in the U.S. for the disaster in Vietnam.How they misled and lied to the public and ignored the advice of the military.
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Subjects:  1. (Lyndon Baines),    2. 1908-1973    3. 1963-1969    4. History    5. History & Theory - General    6. History - General History    7. History: American    8. Johnson, Lyndon B    9. Johnson, Lyndon B.    10. Military - Vietnam War    11. Military History - Vietnam Conflict    12. Politics and government    13. U.S. History - Vietnam Conflict (1965-1973)    14. United States    15. United States - 20th Century    16. United States - 20th Century/60s    17. Vietnam War, 1961-1975    18. Vietnamese Conflict, 1961-1975   

Reviews (1)

Stunning new history with chilling modern parallels
If you thought there was nothing new to say about the Vietnam War, think again.This book takes you inside the heads of the Washington policymakers who sent thousands of American boys to die in Southeast Asia and raises new questions about their motives.It focuses on JFK's National Security Advisor, the peculiarly named McGeorge Bundy, and shows how he championed a war that soon became a tragedy.Parallels with Iraq are always hanging in the background, but Andrew Preston is too good a historian to overdo them.In fact this book is a model of historical scholarship: massively researched and gracefully written, and thus a pleasure to read.As a biographical portrait of Bundy it's a masterpiece, and as a thrilling new guide to the origins of the Vietnam War it probably has no peer.I finished it in a couple of evenings by the fireside with a bottle of rye whiskey and half an eye on Arsenal's progress in the European Champions' League.That's quality. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. 1961-1963    2. Bundy, McGeorge    3. History    4. History - General History    5. History - U.S.    6. History: American    7. International Relations - General    8. Military - Vietnam War    9. Politics and government    10. United States    11. United States - 20th Century    12. Vietnam War, 1961-1975    13. American history: Vietnam War    14. Defence strategy, planning & research    15. History / United States / 20th Century    16. International relations    17. USA    18. c 1960 to c 1970   

Reviews (59)

Missed Opportunities
McNamara never got to the point his role in the Vietnam disaster. Instead we get to feel that his introduction of stastical control in Pentagon was a triumpth. McNamara to his credit did acknowledge some of his errors in questioning the decisions made, but he was not critical enough on himself not to have put his foot down firmer afterall he did openly agreed in more than once that there was no military solutions to Vietnam. If that was agreed why did he continued to pursue the military strategy? However McNamara continued to push the blame to the hardliners (conservatives faction) within the LBJ administration and the Bumbling generals in Saigon.
Further evasion
"Unbelievable," one reviewer wrote.That is correct.This book is yet one more attempt to evade the issue, which is, as with all wars, "WHY?"Why the U.S. involvement in the Vietnam War at all, never mind issues of mismanagement and what-not?WHY was it thought to be important to prevent "Communist take-over" in Vietnam, or elsewhere in S.E. Asia for that matter, when at the same time Communist rule in, say, Yugoslavia was not seen as any sort of threat and provoked no such response?McNamara knows; he says not a word about it.There is as far as I know only one book "out there" that deals with the real issue -- "Why?" -- and that is The Tragedy of Vietnam, by Patrick J. Hearden, soon to retire as a professor of history at Purdue University.It is available as a textbook only, which your bookseller needs to know if you wish to order it.

McNamara's apology
Former Secretary of Defense and "Whiz Kid" Robert McNamara wrote this book as an apology to the American people for the mistakes he and other officials made fighting the Vietnam War.I have no doubt of his sincerity -- although he can't resist a bit of self-justification and a lot of name-dropping.
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Subjects:  1. History: World    2. Military History - Vietnam Conflict    3. United States    4. Vietnam War, 1961-1975    5. Vietnamese Conflict, 1961-1975    6. Non-Classifiable   

Editorial Review

A great memoirist can burnish even an ordinary childhood into something bright--see, for instance, Annie Dillard's Read more

Reviews (102)

A far-above-average mix of memoir and travel narrative...
A great book in many ways - Andrew Pham succeeds in creating a seemingly straightforward memoir that is actually several subtle things skillfully weaved together:a travel narrative, a fight for personal independence, an investigation of one's ethnic roots (which partially arises from a great deal of meditation over one's own family history).Pham shifts between these eclectic elements with great skill, creating what is both a great Vietnamese story and a very classic sort of American one.
Excellent look at Vietnam
I thought this book was, for the most part, extremely well-written. There were some clunky phrases here and there, but most of the writing was vivid and a lot of difficult things expressed quite well. The honesty of much of this book was astounding.
Catfish and Mandala
Awesome book, it reflect every Vietnamese American experience, there was alot of emotion going through me as I read this book.I finish it in less than a week, I could'nt put it down. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Asia - Southeast    2. Biography / Autobiography    3. Ethnic Cultures - General    4. General    5. History    6. History: World    7. Military - Vietnam War    8. Minority Studies - General    9. History / Southeast Asia   

Editorial Review

Horst Faas and Tim Page's Read more

Reviews (23)

Gives faces to the fallen soldiers and journalists.
Normally I am able to tell a person why I like a book or why I like a movie.However, in this case, I am really not able to say why I thought this book was excellent.