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re: What's the best book on the Vietnam War?
Posted on 4/7/15 at 9:19 pm to AlbertMeansWell
Posted on 4/7/15 at 9:19 pm to AlbertMeansWell
Here's a pretty good one. It's about the VC's siege of fire base Ripcord. My 2nd cousin was in the 101st Airborne and is in the book. Also, Chuck Norris' brother was killed in this battle.
2
Posted on 4/7/15 at 9:29 pm to REB BEER
Everything We Had by Al Santoli
What it's like to go to war by Karl Marlantes (Matterhorn is also excellent)
Also, The Things they Carried has been mentioned numerous times. Excellent choice. Try the audiobook read by Bryan Cranston.
What it's like to go to war by Karl Marlantes (Matterhorn is also excellent)
Also, The Things they Carried has been mentioned numerous times. Excellent choice. Try the audiobook read by Bryan Cranston.
Posted on 4/7/15 at 9:34 pm to FootballNostradamus
quote:
I like The Things They Carried
by tim obrien. fricking awesome. top5 book for me easy.
Posted on 4/7/15 at 9:37 pm to FootballNostradamus
I want to say I read that in high school. Is that a common book for assigned reading in school?
If so, that was a good book. Probably need to re-read that.
If so, that was a good book. Probably need to re-read that.
Posted on 4/7/15 at 9:42 pm to REB BEER
I'm interested to read some of these.
My FIL volunteered for army and served in a tank in Vietnam. Apparently he has written a lot of his stories down and has them saved on the computer. I'll share if I ever get my hands on it.
Only story he's told me was him killing a VC with his .45. One of his baw's was led 150 yds into the jungle by a prostitute. My FIL, never one to pass on a joke, decided he would follow them halfway and scare the shite out of him on the way out.
As he set up in his position he saw someone in black pajamas emerge halfway between him and his buddy and start walking toward the buddy- an ambush. FIL made it up there and dispatched the threat.
If that's all he's told me I can't imagine what else he saw/did.
My FIL volunteered for army and served in a tank in Vietnam. Apparently he has written a lot of his stories down and has them saved on the computer. I'll share if I ever get my hands on it.
Only story he's told me was him killing a VC with his .45. One of his baw's was led 150 yds into the jungle by a prostitute. My FIL, never one to pass on a joke, decided he would follow them halfway and scare the shite out of him on the way out.
As he set up in his position he saw someone in black pajamas emerge halfway between him and his buddy and start walking toward the buddy- an ambush. FIL made it up there and dispatched the threat.
If that's all he's told me I can't imagine what else he saw/did.
Posted on 4/7/15 at 9:46 pm to upgrayedd
The Long Grey Line is fantastic.
A Rumor of War is my personal favorite.
A Rumor of War is my personal favorite.
Posted on 4/7/15 at 9:59 pm to GeauxVols
They Marched Into Sunlight by David Maraniss. Juxtaposed stories of protesters at the University of Wisconsin and a deadly ambush of two 1ID companies in Vietnam on the same day. Another great read.
Posted on 4/7/15 at 10:35 pm to AlbertMeansWell
We Were Soldiers Once, And Young.
Posted on 4/7/15 at 11:05 pm to AlbertMeansWell
Patriots: The Vietnam War Remembered From All Sides
Posted on 4/7/15 at 11:07 pm to Pettifogger
quote:
but Matterhorn is excellent.
Yes
Posted on 4/7/15 at 11:08 pm to Darth_Vader
Is that guy really claiming we won the war?
Posted on 4/7/15 at 11:12 pm to Mr.Perfect
quote:
Is that guy really claiming we won the war?
We did win the war - in every measurable sense. However, because of Watergate, change in administration, Ford's general weakness, just a whole host of things, Congress refused to allow the President of the United States to enforce a peace, hard won on the battlefield by the U.S. military.
Any other argument is propaganda.
Posted on 4/7/15 at 11:31 pm to Ace Midnight
Slow Walk in a Sad Rain
Hailed as the Catch-22 of the Vietnam war, by John P. McAfee, former Special Forces officer and combat veteran.
I read this when I was deployed. Thanks for the other suggestions. I will check them out.
Hailed as the Catch-22 of the Vietnam war, by John P. McAfee, former Special Forces officer and combat veteran.
I read this when I was deployed. Thanks for the other suggestions. I will check them out.
Posted on 4/8/15 at 12:38 am to AlbertMeansWell
Posted on 4/8/15 at 6:34 am to saintsfan1977
quote:
Vietnam in HD
While not a book obviously, this has to be one of my favorite documentaries.
Tiger Force is another good book.
Posted on 4/8/15 at 6:36 am to AlbertMeansWell
How the U.S. Lost the war. By. General Giap
In 1966 we knew everything was coming from Hanoi via Rt 1. Even the losest ranked soldier, sailor, marine knew this. We could not understand why Johnson, McNamara did not bomb Hanoi and Rt. 1
I to this day blame for thousands of my brothers and sisters being killed. Pussies, idiots, fricking idiots.
We will meet again one day.
:usa 
: 
Posted on 4/8/15 at 6:38 am to Teufelhunden
Hill 488
Posted on 4/8/15 at 6:39 am to AlbertMeansWell
Posted on 4/8/15 at 7:47 am to namvet6566
quote:
We could not understand why Johnson, McNamara did not bomb Hanoi and Rt. 1
Read Dereliction of Duty. McMaster lays it all out. This is a very brief summary.
Vietnam was something Johnson inherited and it was not his primary concern. His concern was getting his Great Society legislation passed and within his Cabinet and the Joint Chiefs he would not tolerate even a hint of dissension. He thought that any dissension (real or perceived) would be detrimental to his legislative goals.
McNamara was a numbers guy. He had this theory of "graduated pressure," whereby he could strategically apply pressure on North Vietnam in order to achieve certain goals. That application of pressure would be a few bombs here and few bombs there, a limited "strategic strike," etc.... Problem was he had no understanding of Vietnam as a whole or really what North Vietnamese goals where. One of the big flaws as they thought of Communism as monolithic. If they would have listened to someone who studied Vietnamese history they may have gotten a clue that the Vietnamese hated the Chinese. As you know McNamara's idea didn't work and the situation quickly escalated.
None of the Joint Chiefs would argue with McNamara or Johnson because they didn't want to lose their position or favor that might help their branch when it came budget time.
So you had this perfect storm of misunderstanding the situation, hubris, and no one wanting to speak up.
Thank you for your service.
Posted on 4/8/15 at 7:55 am to PhilemonThomas
It's not only about Viet Nam but I really Liked About Face. We were soldiers is also excellent.
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