Customer Reviews

Nam: The Vietnam Experience, 1965-75

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This book is a British take on the American involvement in Vietnam. Originally serialized (much like the History of the Second World War series of the '70s), this work is distinguished by a large number of excellent photos, numerous sidebars detailing the major weapons used by both sides, explanations of tactics, and many eye-witness accounts from participants on both sides.

Perhaps because this is a British work, there is greater attention given to the non-American allies fighting in Vietnam, especially the Koreans and Australians. In addition, there are several articles written by members of the Vietcong and North Vietnamese Army, providing an unusual perspective on the fighting. The history takes you from the first landings of U.S. Marines at Da Nang in 1964 through the fall of Saigon in 1975, the Vietnamese/Cambodian wars, and a brief overview of Vietnam in the mid-1980s.

The general slant of the text is somewhat defeatist -- the editors (who are Americans) clearly believe the American enterprise in Southeast Asia was doomed from the start -- and the tone may disturb many who do not share this particular point of view.

More useful are the hundreds of pictures, a very complete index, detailed diagrams, maps and drawings illustrating strategy and tactics, and the liberal use of explanitory sidebars.

You won't want to use this as your only reference for the history of the Vietnam War, but it is an excellent way to understand how the fighters on both sides did their jobs and how they used their tools of war

I was looking for a detailed history of the conflict in this book. What I got was a very defeatist look at every aspect of the war. The book also does not organize things very well. Sections are divided by years(1965,1966,etc..)they were supposed to cover but the passages within them would talk about subjects that had no relevance to what was going on in the year it was in. The book did, however, have excellent photographs and its descriptions of tactics used by both sides were very good. The description of actual battles can only be considered mediocre.

A very well balanced book (a rare thing indeed) which seeks to outline and present in both graphic and written senses the real truth behind the war. Particularly relevant was the perspective given by contributors from all sides - the press, the VC, the NVA, the MPs. Excellent photographs which capture the real sense of the conflict.

The book could have benefited perhaps a little more by expounding on the history behind the causes and the political reasonings of the war.