Customer Reviews

Eyewitness Vietnam: Firsthand Accounts from Operation Rolling Thunder to the Fall of Saigon

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Historian Donald Gilmore's book is a powerful testimonial commemorating the valor and tenaciousness of our often ignored and under-appreciated Vietnam veterans. The author's outstanding historical overview of the war is as good as any in print and is accompanied by stunning and exciting firsthand eyewitness accounts of the struggle. In addition, the photos in the book provide the reader with a panoramic view of the war, rare images that complement the text and carry the reader from the beginning of the war to its tragic end with powerful images that evoke the heroism of our troops during America's first lost war. The art director of the book, furthermore, has produced a visual feast. The book is simply outstanding in every respect.

For those who have ever wondered what it was really like to serve in Vietnam during America's longest war, here's an excellent new book chock-full of first-person accounts from those who were there. The widely-varied aspects of the war documented in these participants' stories may surprise readers whose knowledge of Vietnam is limited to watching scenes from movies like Platoon and Full Metal Jacket. Eyewitness Vietnam confirms that there was no single "Vietnam experience," and that the nature of the war itself changed significantly over the 10 years America fought there.
Expertly written by Donald L. Gilmore, formerly of the U. S. Army Combat Studies Institute - the history department of the Army's staff college - with the participation of Dennis M. Giangreco of Military Review magazine, Eyewitness Vietnam has a real "you are there" feel to it, greatly enhanced by the first-person accounts - many from Medal of Honor awardees. The personal stories are supplemented by maps and over 250 photographs -- some previously unpublished - that help to put readers right in the middle of the action. Adding to the book's authentic "feel," is a bonus CD by which readers can hear several eyewitnesses' actual words. The book is highly recommend and is a "must have" for those interested in finding out what the Vietnam War was really like.

Always looking for a special gift for someone who served in Viet Nam - one of the most infamous and contraversial wars of our times. This book is excellent. Helps the average person to understand what our soldiers went through in that war and serves to honor that era. I would recommend highly to any vet.

Vietnam Eyewitness provided excellent photos of Vietnam which is why I gave it three stars. The story however, is slanted heavily in favor of the U.S. and the soldiers. That is perhaps fair since there are many books that criticize the U.S. like Fire in the Lake. I guess we need books on both sides to balance it out. But I don't appreciate slanting that appears to be outright lying. Eyewitness says that the North Vietnamese did attack the second time in the Tonkin Gulf and that the North Vietnamese leaders later admitted this. The truth is the CIA files obtained through the FOI act say the second attack was trumped up for Johnson. Our famous POW Stockdale was flying overhead and he said there was no attack. The Captain of the Maddox admitted later there was no attack. And Giap also said there was no attack. Perhaps the authors found some Vietnamese military man who said there was but the objective evidence indicates there was no attack. So stick with the photos and ignore the highly slanted writing. I served 20 years in the Navy and appreciate support of the military but this goes too far.

The only problem I noticed with this book was one the people you interviewed,(C W Bowman Jr)his name was missed spelled, though it was spelled correctly on CD, his name was C W Bowman not C W Bowen. If you ever reprint this book that would be a correction I would make other wise the book was great.