Amazon.com: Conflict of Myths: The Development of American Counterinsurgency Doctrine and the Vietnam War (9780814714010): Larry E. Cable: Books

Have one to sell? Sell yours here
Conflict of Myths: The Development of American Counterinsurgency Doctrine and the Vietnam War
 
See larger image
 
Tell the Publisher!
I'd like to read this book on Kindle

Don't have a Kindle? Get your Kindle here, or download a FREE Kindle Reading App.

Conflict of Myths: The Development of American Counterinsurgency Doctrine and the Vietnam War [Hardcover]

Larry E. Cable (Author)
4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)


Available from these sellers.


Formats

Amazon Price New from Used from
Hardcover --  
Paperback --  

Book Description

1986

"Conflict of Myths is an in-depth devastating critique of how the U.S. government and its military services approached and misconceived the problems of guerilla warfare and counterinsurgency conflict in general, and in Vietnam in particular. It is also a first-rate overview built on original sources of how military institutions make and revise strategic doctrine. Finally, it is a concise treatment of the nature of pre-Vietnam, twentieth-century low-intensity military conflict which will be a useful starting point for both scholars and practitioners interested in the subject."
—David A. Rosenberg,Department of Strategy,Naval War College

"This brilliant new book offers a plausible explanation for American military strategy in Vietnam, particularly the bombing efforts along the Ho Chi Minh Trail, the Rolling Thunder Campaign in North Vietnam and explains why we trained, structured, and equipped the South Vietnamese Army in the American image. Cable offers not only solid research, but also considerable insight and a marvelous writing style. It is most encouraging to find a scholar concerned with national security affairs who is willing to do solid research on a difficult subject. Cable has tackled a difficult, emotion-laden subject crucial to the most likely future conflicts that may draw American involvement. Must reading!"
—Colonel Dennis Drew,Director, Airpower Research Institute,Air University

--This text refers to the Paperback edition.

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

Cable succeeds in showing that America's failure in Vietnam was the result of faulty military doctrine, not a loss of will, as Harry Summers asserts in On Strategy (G.P.O., 1981). He sets the stage by reviewing the history of five small 20th-century wars, and the lessons the U.S. military learned from each in developing its doctrine of counterinsurgency war. Too often the lessons were invalid, leading to an almost total misunderstanding of the struggle in Vietnam. This is an excellent addition to the growing number of books critical of basic U.S. military doctrine, one both well researched and well written. It strongly challenges the idea that the United States could have won in Vietnam. For most academic, military, and public libraries, especially larger ones. Edward Gibson, Union Coll. Lib., Barbourville, Ky.
Copyright 1986 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Review

"Sato knows both Japanese realities and American dissatisfactions. He sees things from a rare vantage point. Some Japanese may feel he is too critical of Japan, while more Americans may think he overly values the Japanese model. But both can learn much from his book and, after reading it, will be convinced that he talks a great deal of sense and conclude that united, the two nations stand to gain, divided, to lose." -Masamichi Hanabusa, Former Japanese Consul General, author of "Trade Problems Between Japan and Western Europe" --This text refers to the Paperback edition.


Product Details

  • Hardcover: 307 pages
  • Publisher: New York University Press (1986)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 0814714013
  • ISBN-13: 978-0814714010
  • Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 5.6 x 1.1 inches
  • Shipping Weight: 1.3 pounds
  • Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
  • Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,227,062 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

 

Customer Reviews

4 Reviews
5 star:
 (3)
4 star:
 (1)
3 star:    (0)
2 star:    (0)
1 star:    (0)
 
 
 
 
 
Average Customer Review
4.8 out of 5 stars (4 customer reviews)
 
 
 
 
Share your thoughts with other customers:
Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars a great analysis of how we screwed up in Vietnam, September 20, 1998
By A Customer
This book analyzes how the US came to adopt the policy of using conventional tactics to fight the insurgency in Vietnam. It provides a great analysis of the American way of conducting war and gives examples of attempts to fight the war in other means. Author has/had first hand knowledge of what was going on behind the scenes in the 60's. This book is required reading at many military schools which realize our past failures and are trying to teach current military personnel how to avoid similar mistakes in the future.
Help other customers find the most helpful reviews 
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No


5.0 out of 5 stars Great analysis of terrible doctrine, March 1, 2007
By 
bjcefola (Portland, OR United States) - See all my reviews
This is an outstanding book for understanding why the US military has such problems with confronting insurgency. Counterinsurgency is never easy, but the US has proved monumentally incompetent across generations of command. The book's thesis is that bad counterinsurgency doctrine made a successful intervention in Vietnam impossible, and that the conflict was lost as soon as it began.

The most crucial misconception is that there is no such thing as an organic, self developed insurgency. Insurgency was seen as the policy of a foreign nation seeking to intervene within a country, likely as a prelude to invasion. Insurgencies were dependent on foreign support for supplies, bases and command. Combatting an insurgency required severing the link between the foreign support and the insurgents.

Related to this was a belief that light military pressure, or even just the presence of US forces could compel the withdrawl of insurgent support, because such a presence would signify US resolve to oppose an invasion or intervention.

The application of this logic led to a dynamic where the US pressured North Vietnam in retaliation for VC attacks. North Vietnam interpreted that pressure not as a response to it's own policies but as a direct attack upon it's existence. Consequently it increased rather then decreased supplies and support for the VC, ultimately sending not just supplies but regular troops. In essence the US created exactly the scenario it's policies were intended to prevent.

That this is happening again in Iraq and Iran suggests too few people in command read this book.
Help other customers find the most helpful reviews 
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No


3 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars Perhaps the best book ever written on the subject., October 18, 1998
By A Customer
Dr. Larry Cable's experience and intellectual appraisal for the counterinsurgency role of the U.S. armed forces in Southeast Asia are placed into perspective. While not completely supporting all U.S. activities regarding the reduction of irregular forces, Cable examines the reality on the ground that was the wake-up call for American military leaders in Vietnam. An extremely effective and important book that should be read as much for the intellectual value as the historical value.
Help other customers find the most helpful reviews 
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No

Share your thoughts with other customers: Create your own review
 
 
 
Most Recent Customer Reviews


Only search this product's reviews



Tag this product

 (What's this?)
Think of a tag as a keyword or label you consider is strongly related to this product.
Tags will help all customers organize and find favorite items.
Your tags: Add your first tag
 

Sell a Digital Version of This Book in the Kindle Store

If you are a publisher or author and hold the digital rights to a book, you can sell a digital version of it in our Kindle Store. Learn more

Customer Discussions

This product's forum
Discussion Replies Latest Post
No discussions yet

Ask questions, Share opinions, Gain insight
Start a new discussion
Topic:
First post:
Prompts for sign-in
 


Active discussions in related forums
Search Customer Discussions
Search all Amazon discussions
   
Related forums


Listmania!


Create a Listmania! list

So You'd Like to...


Create a guide


Look for Similar Items by Category


Look for Similar Items by Subject