The Battle of An Loc (Twentieth-Century Battles) [Hardcover]

James H. Willbanks (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0253344816 | ISBN-13: 978-0253344816 | Publication Date: March 18, 2005

"The [North Vietnamese] now held most of Binh Long province from Chon Thanh north to the Cambodian border with the exception of the town of An Loc. It was clear that An Loc would be the scene of the next major North Vietnamese effort. A lot was at stake. Not only were the lives of the South Vietnamese soldiers and their American advisers on the line, but so too was the prestige of the South Vietnamese government. The loss of a province so close to Saigon would be a disastrous loss of face for President Thieu and his administration. From the American perspective, the battle would be the supreme test of Vietnamization and President Nixon's policies in Vietnam. More than that, however, was the fact that very little stood between the North Vietnamese and Saigon except the forces at An Loc." —from The Battle of An Loc

With the knowledge born of firsthand experience, James H. Willbanks tells the story of the 60-day siege of An Loc. In 1972, late in the Vietnam War, a small group of South Vietnamese held off three North Vietnamese divisions and helped prevent a direct attack on Saigon. The battle can be considered one of the major events during the gradual American exit from Vietnam. An advisor to the South Vietnamese during the battle, Willbanks places the battle in the context of the shifting role of the American forces and a policy decision to shift more of the burden of fighting the war onto the Vietnamese troops. He presents an overview of the 1972 North Vietnamese Easter Offensive, a plan to press forward the attack on U.S. and ARVN positions throughout the country, including Binh Long province and Saigon. The North Vietnamese hoped to strike a decisive blow at a time when most American troops were being withdrawn. The heart of Willbanks's account concentrates on the fighting in Binh Long province, Saigon, and the siege of An Loc. It concludes with a discussion of the Paris peace talks, the significance of the fighting at An Loc, and the eventual fall of South Vietnam.

Twentieth-Century Battles—Spencer C. Tucker, editor

Editorial Reviews

Review

"The Battle of An Loc is a fine book with rich, vibrant descriptions of combat, weapons, and command decisions. Willbanks writes from an insider's perspective, but demonstrates the discipline of a historian who knows what questions to ask.." —Net

(Net )

About the Author

James H. Willbanks is Lieutenant Colonel, U.S. Army (Ret.), and teaches at the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College, Fort Leavenworth, Kansas. He lives in Leavenworth, Kansas.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 256 pages
• Publisher: Indiana University Press (March 18, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0253344816
• ISBN-13: 978-0253344816
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 6.3 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,076,784 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

21 of 21 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Massive Convergence of Forces, March 30, 2005

By 

Brad Gibbs (Davidson, NC) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Battle of An Loc (Twentieth-Century Battles) (Hardcover)

The 1972 Easter offensive was the last major battle of the Viet Nam conflict to involve U.S. Forces, but is not well known. The sixty day seige of the town of An Loc by three North Vietnamese Army divisions was the lynch pin of that battle.

Retired Lt. Col. James Willbanks has given us a rare look at the inside of this complex battle by one who was there. That being said, this is not an "I was there" first person account. It is a comprehensive look at the battle that draws upon all sides involved in the sixty day siege, described by journalist Phillip Clarke as "the battle that saved Saigon".

Any student of military history will enjoy this book. It is factual, balanced and well written and researched. I recommend it whole heartedly

14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent Account of a Major Battle, July 31, 2005

By 

Thomas P. Mckenna (Montpelier, VT) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Battle of An Loc (Twentieth-Century Battles) (Hardcover)

This is an excellent account of one of the major battles of the Vietnam War. Anyone interested in that war--or in battles, strategy, and military leadership--will find this book well worth reading.

Because the North Vietnamese Army's Easter Offensive was launched in the spring of 1972, after almost all of the US forces had gone home, it never received the attention that was given to the battles fought by U.S. units at the height of the war. As might be expected, most of the media coverage during the war and most of the factual and fictional accounts written after the war were about U.S. units and the men in them. Yet the U.S. advisors to the Army of (South) Vietnam were "the glue that held it all together" during the Easter Offensive. Only a few of the remaining US units were involved in this battle. The main ones were the U.S. Army's helicopter units and the U. S. Air Force's B-52s, fighter-bombers, C-130 gunships, and C-130 cargo aircraft. Without them, the battle would have been lost.

The story of what a handful of American advisors and the brave American pilots and air crews did at An Loc is as important--and moving--as any military action ever described. The author, who participated in this battle, has included extensive chapter endnotes, a useful bibliography, and appendices. There is a vast literature on the Vietnam War but almost all of it--and virtually all of the personal accounts--are about or by the men who served in U.S. units. It is good to read an advisor's story.

This is a gripping story of endurance, dedication to duty, and valor.

14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A True Picture of a Desperate Fight, May 18, 2005

By 

MCZ TF52 (Northern Virginia) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Battle of An Loc (Twentieth-Century Battles) (Hardcover)

As one who was "there", I recommend this book to anyone who wants to understand what was at stake in the Spring Offensive in III Corps and how close a fight that it really was. Even most of us who were in it had no real idea of what was going on. After 33 years, it's time that someone provided a complete, unvarnished accounting of what happened. I have access to some of the same documents as the author and was involved in one the events that he describes. He has remained faithfull to the truth, even though it may have had to be pieced together from fragmentary and disparate accounts. Thankfully the author has stuck to verifiable events and resisted the temptation to highlight the horror of battle. However, even his "toned down" accounts are troubling to read. Many participants are named, and like me, some may find it disconcerting to see your experience in print open to family, friends and others.