Arc Light [Hardcover]

G. V. Short (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: February 10, 2003

For the last couple of years, I have been writing a book about the economic determination of human civilizations and how the people in the past have lived and fought their wars. The idea was to reveal how a societys economy affects every aspect of its culture, including its type of government, social structure, religion, and military establishment. Unfortunately, writing has never been an easy task for me. While growing up in Texas, I could have cared less about getting an education. My early years had been spent playing sports, chasing skirts, and raising all kinds of hell within a twenty-mile square area. At the time, I couldn't understand why anyone would want to sit around in an old school building and listen to a bunch of boring teachers. I was more interested in hitting a baseball or tackling a ball carrier, than I was in learning how to read and write. Needless to say, my days as a student in the public school system weren't my brightest moments. Ironically though, after repeating the ninth grade and then quitting school altogether in order to join the Marine Corps, I would eventually end up in college, thus becoming a history teacher. Of course, I believe it's all Kurt Vonneguts fault. Sometime during the early 1980s, I had an opportunity to hear him speak at a local university. It was an occasion I would never forget. While sitting just behind the front row, I became completely enthralled by his presentation. It was not only what he said that affected me, but also how he said it. In spite of the fact that the majority of the people in the audience didn't seem to appreciate his humor or his bleak predictions of the future, I understood and related to his every word. Consciously or not, he would inspire the writer in me. That evening, as Mr. Vonnegut stood in the glow of the bright stage lights with his curly light-brown hair and a bushy mustache, he reminded me of a twentieth-century version of Mark Twain. Tall, lean, and slightly stoo

--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Editorial Reviews

From the Publisher

Truly, the best autobiography ever written about the Vietnam War. A hard hitting, intelligent, and controversial book depicting the hardships of fighting in the DMZ from a young Marine's perspective. Learn the true story behind the Tet Offensive and why we it was impossible for us to have won the war. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From the Author

One of the reasons I decided to write this book was because as a society and as a nation, I do not believe we actually learned anything of significance from our Vietnam experience. Even today, our troops can be found patrolling distant lands and guarding foreign outposts without possessing a clear plan or a realistic objective to guide their way. Their lives and the security of this nation have been put in harm's way, all in the name of projecting our political and military influence over areas that we will never fully control and over people that we will never fully understand. By continually relying upon our military establishment as a substitute for politically and economically dealing with our foreign problems, we have failed to achieve any lasting results, except for creating a unified chorus of worldwide anti-Americanism. If I have learned anything from my experiences in Vietnam, it's that military power alone isn't enough to overcome the brutal acts of international terrorism or the revenge-filled atrocities committed in every civil and religious conflict. By their very nature, these are political acts of desperation which cannot be subdued by force of arms. Thus, in telling my story, I am attempting to remind my generation and hopefully warn the future generations of the terribly high price our nation has paid in believing that we can forcibly bend the world into our own corporate image. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 400 pages
• Publisher: 1st Book Library (February 10, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1403383154
• ISBN-13: 978-1403383150
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 6.4 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.6 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,760,317 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Arc Light, March 8, 2003

By A Customer

This review is from: Arc Light: A Marine's Journey Through South Vietnam (Paperback)

One hell of a read. Anyone interested in Viet Nam should read this book. Greg shows brutal honesty and a great sense of humor in this book about his experiences in the war. I felt like I was there with him. Highly recommended

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A story that needs to be told, July 21, 2006

By 

P. Venable "Postlady" (SW Desert USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Arc Light: A Marine's Journey Through South Vietnam (Paperback)

The author does a wonderful job of telling of his experiences during a time that no eighteen year old should have to go through. He does so with total honesty and no apparent bitterness. The book is a must read if only from the historical and political presceptive. Mr. Short's comments fully explain his motive in producing this labor of love. Congratulations,
C.V. Short, for a job well done. Thank you for sharing your thoughts and experiences with us.