Search results for ""Andrew Wiest" "The Vietnam War""

Book SynopsisIn this fully illustrated introduction, leading Vietnam War historian Dr Andrew Wiest provides a concise overview of America''s most divisive war. America entered the Vietnam War certain of its Cold War doctrines and convinced of its moral mission to save the world from the advance of communism. However, the war was not at all what the United States expected. Dr Andrew Wiest examines how, outnumbered and outgunned, the North Vietnamese and Viet Cong forces resorted to a guerrilla war based on the theories of Mao Zedong of China, while the US responded with firepower and overwhelming force. Drawing on the latest research for this new edition, Wiest examines the brutal and prolonged resultant conflict, and how its consequences would change America forever, leaving the country battered and unsure as it sought to face the challenges of the final acts of the Cold War. As for Vietnam, the conflict would continue long after the US had exited its military adventure in SoutheTrade ReviewAn excellent read -- John Ham * Gun Mart & Militaria Mart magazine *Table of ContentsIntroduction Background to War Warring Sides Outbreak The Fighting The World Around War How the War Ended Conclusion and Consequences Chronology Further Reading Index

Read more less

Book SynopsisChronicles the lives of Pham Van Dinh and Tran Ngoc Hue, two of the brightest young stars in the Army of the Republic of Vietnam (ARVN). This book provides a lens through which to understand the ARVN and South Vietnam's complex relationship with Americas government and military.Trade Review"No book about the Vietnam War can be simply a book about the Vietnam War. Vietnams Forgotten Army appears in the midst of a raging debate over American armed interventions abroad and over the proper lessons to draw from Vietnam for the war in Iraq." * The Nation *"This sympathetic biography of Pham Van Dinh and Tran Ngoc Hue, mid-level officers in the Army of the Republic of Vietnam (ARVN), provides a unique perspective among American war histories. . . . [Readers] will gain new respect for the mishandled South Vietnamese army." * Publishers Weekly *"While tactical history can seem stilted and dry at times, Andrew Wiest, in Vietnam’s Forgotten Army, presents an enriched and dynamic history of the Army of the Republic of Vietnam (ARVN) by chronicling the careers of two of ARVN’s best young officers, Tran Ngoc Hue and Pham Van Dinh, as they fought in the Vietnam War. Wiest seeks to dispel the myth of the ARVN as an ineffective fighting force... The value of Vietnam’s Forgotten Army lies in the author’s appreciation for ARVN fighting prowess and the book’s interesting perspective of the Vietnam War." * Military Review *"This is a fascinating study of the Army of the Republic of Vietnam (ARVN)—the South Vietnamese army—during America's involvement in the Vietnam War. . . . This well-written, compassionate study is a major contribution to most libraries." * Library Journal *"Wiest’s excellent book helps to fill a yawning void in the history of the Vietnam War." * Journal of Military History *Table of ContentsAcknowledgmentsForeword by James Webb Preface:Welcome to America Introduction: Welcome to Vietnam 1 Coming of Age in a Time of War 2 A War Transformed: Battle, Politics, and the Americanization of the War, 1963-1966 3 Fighting Two Wars: Years of Attrition and Paci?cation, 1966-1967 4 A Time for Heroes: The Tet Offensive 5 After Tet: The Year of Hope 6 Hamburger Hill: The Untold Story of the Battle for Dong Ap Bia 7 A War Transformed: Vietnamization, 1969-19708 Shattered Lives and Broken Dreams: Operation Lam Son 9 The Making of a Traitor10 Journeys Home: Life in the Wake of a Lost WarConclusion Notes Bibliography Index About the Author

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe Vietnam War ripped America apart and charted the nation''s tumultuous future. In their tens of thousands, young men went off to fight in what was an initially popular war only to face defeat and acrimony as national resolve wavered - and returned home to a nation that reviled them and tried to forget about them. Written by Andrew Wiest, the bestselling author of The Boys of ''67: Charlie Company''s War in Vietnam this book traces the American experience of Vietnam from the war''s popular inception to its morale-crushing and bitter conclusion. Based on rich collection housed at the Center of Military History and at the Vietnam Archive at Texas Tech, Vietnam allows the reader a grunt''s-eye view of the conflict - from the steaming rice paddies and swamps of the Mekong Delta, to the triple-canopy rainforest of the Central Highlands, and to the forlorn Marine bases that dotted the DMZ. The stories contained within these pages detail everything from heroism and battle to heliTable of ContentsIntroduction /1 Who We Were /2 Drop and Give Me 20 /3 Welcome to Vietnam /4 Life and Death in the Nam /5 Combat /6 Loss /7 A World of Hurt /8 Changing Attitudes /9 Freedom Bird /10 Life After Nam /Bibliography /Acknowledgements /Exclusive Extract from The Boys of ‘67 /Index

Read more less

Book SynopsisWhen the 160 men of Charlie Company (4th Battalion/47th Infantry/9th ID) were drafted by the US Army in May 1966, they were part of the wave of conscription that would swell the American military to 80,000 combat troops in theater by the height of the war in 1968. In the spring of 1966, the war was still popular and the draftees of Charlie Company saw their service as a rite of passage. But by December 1967, when the company rotated home, only 30 men were not casualties-and they were among the first vets of the war to be spit on and harassed by war protestors as they arrived back the U.S.In his new book, The Boys of ''67, Andy Wiest, the award-winning author of Vietnam''s Forgotten Army and The Vietnam War 1956-1975, examines the experiences of a company from the only division in the Vietnam era to train and deploy together in similar fashion to WWII''s famous 101st Airborne Division.Wiest interviewed more than 50 officers and enlisted men who served with Charlie ComTrade Review"Thoughtful and richly detailed, this outstanding account ... takes us into the forbidding Mekong River Delta with the men of Charlie Company, to witness their harrowing firefights and their fleeting victories." Hugh Ambrose, author of The Pacific "compelling... a fine blend of military and social history, sympathetic, well-written but analytically rigorous." Professor Gary Sheffield, BBC History Magazine Best Books of the Year 2012 "The Boys of '67 is an exceptionally well researched and well told story of a US Army infantry company in Vietnam. Charlie Company trained together, fought together, and bled together. Andrew Weist sheds light and understanding on the human and psychological dimension of war and the aftermath ... It is a story of courage, comradeship, tribulation, suffering, and perseverance." Brigadier General H.R. McMaster, author of Dereliction of Duty "The Boys of '67 ... is a story of men who routinely put their lives into each others' hands. It is a story of fear and heroism, of waste, confusion, boredom and their impact on those who return home. Wiest's empathy and perception make the book as emotionally compelling as it is intellectually penetrating, impossible to read with a detached mind or dry eyes." Dennis Showalter, author of Hitler's Panzers: The Lightning Attacks that Revolutionized Warfare "A powerful account of conflict, Andrew Wiest's The Boys of '67 provides what is all-too-rare, a 'face of battle' account that is at once scholarly and well-written, perceptive and engaging." Jeremy Black, author of War since 1945 "This is a story of men at war in the tradition of Band of Brothers. It is a remarkable book written by a master storyteller and meticulous historian. Professor Wiest effectively demonstrates in extremely personal terms the impact of the war, both good and bad, on the soldiers who did the fighting, while also very eloquently addressing the cost of the war on those left behind at home. I cannot recommend it strongly enough, particularly for fellow Vietnam veterans and their families, military historians, and anyone interested in what American soldiers went through in the Vietnam War." James H. Willbanks, PhD, Vietnam veteran and author of Abandoning Vietnam and The Battle of An Loc "In the final analysis, this book is a superb story of a US Army company in combat... The Boys of '67 is simply a story about war, the things men do in war and the things war does to them. The saga of the American soldier remains an important story that deserves to be told. Readers are in Wiest's debt for making Charlie Company's story accessible to the American public." Col Cole C. Kingseed, USA Ret. Despite that melancholy feel this is a book that I can thoroughly recommend. It gives a valuable insight into the life of the ordinary soldier early in the American involvement in Vietnam, and includes a fascinating series of post-war biographies, tracing the often difficult struggles of many of the survivors to adapt to their post-war lives. - History of WarTable of ContentsPreface: Meeting Charlie Introduction: The Need for Charlie Prelude: Losing the Best We Had Chapter 1: Who Was Charlie? Chapter 2: Training Chapter 3: To Vietnam and into the Rung Sat Chapter 4: Into Battle Chapter 5: The Day Everything Changed Chapter 6: The Steady Drumbeat of War Chapter 7: Charlie Transformed, Battlefield Coda, and the Freedom Bird Chapter 8: Home From War Glossary The Men of Charlie Company Bibliography Acknowledgements Dedication Index

Read more less

Book SynopsisIn 1971 a South Vietnamese Army corps, with US air support, launched the largest airmobile operation in the history of warfare, Lam Son 719. The objective: to sever the North Vietnamese Army's main logistical artery. Robert Sander, a helicopter pilot in Lam Son 719, explores why an operation of such importance failed.Trade ReviewIn the final days of the operation, I watched at Khe Sanh as every UH-1 helicopter returned fully loaded with withdrawing troops and an additional four to six ARVN troops hanging on the skids. Robert Sander has done a truly superb job of telling what really happened in Lam Son 719. Great book!"" - Maj. Gen. Benjamin L. Harrison, author of Hell on a Hill Top: America's Last Major Battle in Vietnam ""With the keen eye for detail that comes from having served in combat, Bob Sander's Invasion of Laos is an important addition to the history of one of the pivotal battles of the Vietnam War. Sander's vivid accounts of the heroic actions of his fellow helicopter pilots and crewmen are especially noteworthy. Invasion of Laos deserves to be a part of any Vietnam War library or collection."" - Andrew Wiest, author of Vietnam's Forgotten Army: Heroism and Betrayal in the ARVN

Read more less

Book SynopsisThis is a story of extraordinary courage and sacrifice displayed in a series of battles that were fought and won within the context of a broader, intractable strategic stalemate. When the guns finally fell silent, an unheralded American brigade earned three of the twelve Medals of Honor awarded to soldiers of the 4th Infantry Division in Vietnam.Trade ReviewOffering stunning insight into a largely unknown campaign, Warren K. Wilkins transports us into the foxholes of exhausted, dirty soldiers battling for their lives in a strange land. Nine Days in May should be added to the short list of books that illuminate the enduring strength and incredible bravery of the American fighting man in Vietnam."" - George J. Veith, author of Black April: The Fall of South Vietnam, 1973 - 1975""Warren Wilkins adds to the storied history of the U.S. Army's 4th Infantry Division, offering a superb chronicle of the challenges American combat soldiers faced on the most grueling of battlefields. This is the best military history has to offer - linking larger strategic issues to harrowing stories of courage and sacrifice at the tactical level. Nine Days in May is a magnificent addition to our understanding of the American war in Vietnam."" - Gregory A. Daddis, author of Westmoreland's War: Reassessing American Strategy in Vietnam""In this compelling new history, Warren K. Wilkins offers an intimate portrait of American soldiers caught up in the white heat of battle. Focusing on the ultimate reality of the Vietnam War, the nameless small unit battles that defined the American Search and Destroy policy, Wilkins tells the stories of his soldiers well and with deep empathy."" - Andrew Wiest, author of The Boys of '67: Charlie Company's War in Vietnam ""Warren Wilkins has painted a vivid picture of stark infantry combat in the jungles of the central highlands of Vietnam over a nine-day period in May 1967. Day by day and blow by blow, Wilkins shows the courage, the teamwork, and the high price paid as these 4th Infantry Division draftees and 'lifers' slugged it out with the North Vietnamese Army. Showing the life of infantrymen in close combat, this work is a great addition to the history of the Vietnam War."" - Robert O. Babcock, President and Historian, National 4th Infantry Division Association""Not only well written, but also well researched. Author Warren Wilkins has done a great service in writing about these battles. . .highly recommended to all as it is truly about time that our Vietnam veterans get their due."" - New York Journal of Books""Making good use of interviews with American veterans, Wilkins delivers this little-known story admirably and it will appeal to those who appreciate carefully dissected analyses of battle action."" - Publishers Weekly

Read more less