Vietnam War books

[darbycmcd]

I would put in a recommendation for "The Sorrow of War" by Bảo Ninh. It is a novel, so not the hard history you have been asking for, but it is very well written and from the N. Vietnamese perspective which is unusual.

[lecrop]

As I eagerly await CSV, I cannot do more than highly recommend Max Hastings's book on the Vietnam War. If someone is looking for a single book that condenses everything, look no further. And whoever is looking for an extensive first introduction to the subject, this is his book. Amazing.

[jwilkerson]

Across the Fence, John Stryker Meyer, for an intro to SOG.

==

Here's one that's online, intro to the Mobile Riverine Force:

https://history.army.mil/html/books/090 ... index.html

Written by Fulton who was the Brigade Commander during the first six months of operations. A true "joint" force, before there were "joint" forces. Navy carried Army on boats. Lots of choppers in support and Air Farce Spads and fast movers also supporting.

[lecrop]

Dispatches, Michael Herr, a very good novel disguised as journalism.

Several parts of the book were later used in the narration for Apocalypse Now and Full Metal Jacket films

[Coiler12]

One of my favorite Vietnam books on an often undercovered part of the war is Gordon Rottman's Mobile Strike Forces In Vietnam about the CIDG mobile forces. I reviewed it glowingly.

[IntegralBoog]

My dad, whom is a Vietnam veteran, recommended I read The Magnificent Bastards: The Joint Army-Marine Defense of Dong Ha, 1968 by Keith Nolan. Unfortunately I haven't read it yet, but being the veteran and avid Vietnam history buff my dad is, he wouldn't have recommended it if it wasn't great. He even bought a copy for me.

Max Hastings' book, which you've already read, is one of the best grand views of the war I've read.

[fretuniform]

I have been always fascinated by the Vietnam world.

My best book is Bat 21 and also the movie is one of the best Vietnamese war movie I like.

When you read the book, you discover the story was a bit different and some situation were in reality changed to make the story a bit more simple.

[Umbra_TSSI]

My recommendation for anyone would be The Things they Carried by Tim O'Brien.

It's truly a great read on many levels.

[carll11]

I'd recommend Battle of Skyline Ridge, as a Viet vet I was left with a sense of 'what might have been' if Westmoreland had listened to Marines more closely instead of re-fighting ww2 or Korea.

[WG]

Osprey Publishing has just printed Sergio Miller's A History of the Vietnam War in two volumes: Vol. 1 In Good Faith and Vol. 2 No Wider War.

[SwampYankee68]

The Valley

Chickenhawk

Body Count

A Rumor of War

Fields of Fire

All excellent books.

[captndave]

Any of the late Keith Nolan’s books are certainly worth reading. Ripcord and the Defense of Dong Ha were particularly well done. I am personally familiar with the terrain around Ripcord.