Customer Reviews

Summons of Trumpet: U.S.-Vietnam in Perspective

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I decided to read Dave Palmer's "Summons of the Trumpet" to try fill the gap in my knowledge of the Vietnam War.

A friend of mine whom graduated from West Point had to read this book as a part of his core readings.
(Palmer is a three star general and was superintendant of West Point when my friend was there). So when he told me that, I got a bit concerned that maybe the writing style of this book would be "slightly over my head". But to the authors credit, General Palmer strikes an almost prefect balance between technical jargon, military expressions, and personal anecdotes. This makes " Summons of the Trumpet" an easy, enjoyable read, even for the lay reader like myself. (Every now and then I felt that it would have been useful to have better knowledge of the military language, but all in all I was able to follow without any problems..)

This book is truly an excellent historical overview over what happened and why. General Palmer tracks the history of the American engagement in Vietnam. He focuses on the military strategy, and in an unbiased and detailed way he describes the war step by step. How things started, what the war was fought for, how it was fought, the victories the US won, and why it ended the way it did.

I had very little knowledge about the start of the conflict, and why US got involved in the first place. I was completely fascinated by Palmer's writing, and it really was impossible for me to put the book down. I was looking forward to going home from work, as the hour commute back and forth to work is my "reading-time".

"Summons of the Trumpet" gave me a deeper insight into a war I knew very little about. I know for sure that I will cite this book in the future.

I couldn't recommend it higher. Great read!

This is not a picture book or a "....I been there" book. Objectively and carefully details the war step by step. By presenting the facts, Palmer allows you to decide....but that is not his goal. Clearly written to give the reader a non-partisan look from the first decisive battle (Ia Drang), to our continued efforts to support the South Vietnamese with U.S. airpower. Points out that TET was a hard fought win on the field for the Americans, but allows us to see the fatal political damage it inflicted on our leadership -- political and military, thus the "turning point." Not as detailed as Karnow and does not go as far back in history, but gives us a definitive look at the use of our military and its new hardware. If there is one book that is a must for a Vietnam War Collection, this is it....how we got there and why we left.

Summons Of The Trumpet definately stands out as one of the best books written about America's role in Vietnam. This book doesn't deal with what the French did, it's about America In Vietnam.

Palmer presents a view that very few writers on the war in Vietnam present in other histories about America's involvment in Southeast Asia.

If you're a student or someone just interested in America's involvment in Vietnam, this is the best place to start.

Palmer's book was one on the first I have ever read on Vietnam, and remains one of the best. It is mostly concerned with overall strategy and campaigns; less with individual battles and operations. The book severely criticizes the Johnson Administration (with a particular venom for Robert McNamara) but is much more positive about Nixon. The author's attitude towards the South Vietnamese government and Army is critical but quite fair, and he gives the North Vietnamese their due. This is not really a book about American military performance, and does not really mention problems within the military, such as drug abuse, racial incidents, massacres, etc., but he does believe that any problems were a result of having a bankrupt political/military strategy. A few OK maps, no photographs or footnotes, but a nice bibliographical essay. All in all, a very good short introduction but certainly not a complete history of the war.

This is a solid, no-nonsense history of the most divisive war in the history of the United States. The author sets out in no uncertain terms what the war was fought for, how it was fought, the successes won, and the heartbreak of why the US ended its participation in the war. The author also makes a solid case of how the war could have been, and in actuality was, won for the US on the battlefield. Short-sighted and limp-wristed leadership from the National Command Authority left battlefield and local political successes in Vietnam, such as the huge victory in TET 1968, unexploited and incomplete.

This is the best one volume history of the war and should be read by all historians, military professionals, and students of the period. It is a compelling history of much valor and many high deeds, and of a national policy that left the fighting men with one hand tied behind their backs fighting a skilled, tough enemy, and of an army that won 'all the big battles and most of the small ones.' It may be the most underrated army the United States ever fielded. It certainly was the most underappreciated both by its commanders and the population in general.

This book is highly recommended

I was looking for a good overview book of the Vietnam War and this really fit the bill. The author put together a well thought out, easy to read and well-written book that does a good job of giving the reader the high points. The author was a solder in the combat and spent a number of years in the military so he has an authoritative position to speak from. He does a great job of keeping the book away from being overly laden with military jargon or the Rambo style of combat writing. The book is focused on the American effort and thus skims the pre U.S. troop entry into the war. If you are looking for a deeper history on the start of the war with the French or the overall American involvement in Asia then this book will disappoint.

The treatment he gave to the major battles was good. He presented an easy to follow account of the battle, what lead up to it and the outcome. He also touched on some of what was happening back home with the politics, but only briefly. I think the most interesting parts of the book for me was the details of the air war, more specifically how the bombing kept escalating and then the final bombing push by Nixon. My only complaint with the book is that it was an overview that was a bit too light on the facts for me. The book was only 270 pages long, and book size do not necessary determine quality, this book could have been a little bit more in-depth. It seemed to me that to get a better understanding a few more pages could have been added without the overview turning into a in depth study.

I highly enjoyed reading this book on the Vietnam War. So much in fact that I have read it more than once. It is easy to read and concentrates on military strategy. Those looking for a book relating to social and cultural upheaval in the States during the war will be disappointed since there is very little of that. This book is a purely political and military history. Not all of his comments may be welcome to some readers. He believes, for instance, that the U.S. could have won the war but politics and flawed strategy and tactics resulted in the U.S. withdrawing from South Vietnam.

As a Vietnam veteran, I am often surprised at the mythology that surrounds the Vietnam war to this day. This is "must reading" for anyone seeking fresh insight into that struggle. I found this book consistent with my own experiences and observations from my tour of duty in Vietnam (1968 to 1969). For this reason, I highly recommend it to any serious student of history.

This is one of the best books (if not the best) I have ever read on the Vietnam War. The author develops his arguments with such clarity and eloquence that the book is a real joy to read. Palmer does not describe many battles but only those which were characterized as turning points of the conflict, like Ap Bac (1963), Ia Drang (1965) and Tet (1968) but the depth of the political and military analysis is fantastic. I especially enjoyed the chapter on the military logistics of the US forces in Vietnam as well as the role of the air power in the conflict. It is astonishing to realize that the US actually defeated the insurgency in Vietnam and lost the war only because of the persistent commitment of numerous regular North Vietnamese divisions, which were also mauled badly in battle in many cases! The `Ahilles heel` of the US was the Vietnamization program which the communists didn't allow to mature. Very highly recommended!

~ I first read "Summons of the Trumpet" when it was published in 1978. Interestingly, in his preface, LTG Palmer states "There will be those who claim that history, true history, can't be written so soon after an event...they are correct. The definitive version of the Vietnam War will be published decades hence..." Well, a full thirty years later, it turns out this statement is the only thing he got wrong!

~ For me, this volume was and remains the definitive work on the Vietnam conflict. It is interesting, concise, understandable, and insightful. I continue to re-read it about every five years and just cracked it open again.

~ When I retired from my Army career (as an Infantry officer), I became a high school social studies teacher and I have used "Summons" as one of my main references when teaching my students about the Vietnam War, this time period, our society, and American government.

~ Russell Weigley, a noted historian who I also value, correctly called this book "by far the best synthesis of...the Vietnam War." Thank you, General Palmer, for letting the "Trumpet" sound!