Vietnam: A View from the Front Lines

by Andrew Wiest

The Vietnam War ripped America apart and charted the nation's tumultuous future. In their tens of thousands, young men went off to fight in what was an initially popular war only to face defeat and acrimony as national resolve wavered - and returned home to a nation that reviled them and tried to forget about them. Written by Andrew Wiest, the bestselling author of The Boys of '67: Charlie Company's War in Vietnam this book traces the American experience of Vietnam from the war's popular inception to its morale-crushing and bitter conclusion.

Based on rich collection housed at the Center of Military History and at the Vietnam Archive at Texas Tech, Vietnam allows the reader a grunt's-eye view of the conflict - from the steaming rice paddies and swamps of the Mekong Delta, to the triple-canopy rainforest of the Central Highlands, and to the forlorn Marine bases that dotted the DMZ. The stories contained within these pages detail everything from heroism and battle to helicopters hitting the landing zones and death and injury.

In their own words, this is a true and grippingly accurate portrait of the American war in Vietnam through the eyes of the men and women who fought in that far away land, and those they left behind.

Genres: History, Nonfiction, War, Military Fiction

320 pages, Paperback

First published December 1, 2009

About the author

Andrew A. Wiest is presently a Professor of History at the University of Southern Misssissippi, and serves as director of the Vietnam Studies Program and co-director of the university's Center for the Study of War and Society.

Reviews

[Don Ryan · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book describes the true horror of the Viet Nam experience in the words of many of the soldiers who actually fought in this war. The narratives are raw, frightening and heartbreaking. This book is not for the faint of heart, but this book should be a must read for every American attempting to consider the advisability and implications of any future military involvements by the U.S.

[Timothy Hallinan · Rating 4 out of 5]

In this intricate and involving oral history project, Weist tracks a bunch of soldiers beginning before they enlist or are drafted and interlaces interview excerpts with their families and loved ones, and then follows them through Vietnam and tracks those who survive through their often-rocky reentry into American society and the lasting impact of the war on their lives and the lives of their families.

I read this at the time time I was reading Tim O'Brien's "Going After Cacciato" and the two books actually strengthened each other. I found it helpful, because so many soldiers are interviewed for this book, to make a one-page list of their names with a couple of reminders -- where they came from, where and with whom they served. The book would probably have worked fine without the cheat-sheet, but I had the soldiers from "Cacciato" in my head, too.

I recommended this book to anyone who wants to do some in-depth reading on Vietnam. (You could do worse than to kick it off with Frances Fitzgerald's brilliant Pulitzer Prize-winning overview "The Fire in the Lake.") After reading Weist's compendium of interviews it's extremely difficult for me to maintain any respect whatsoever for the politicians who threw these men into this meat grinder of a war, or the ones in Iraq and Afghanistan.

[John · Rating 5 out of 5]

What I Liked:

Because this book primarily consists of the transcripts of interviews with US combat veterans, it really struck me as very significant; a genuine account. I also liked the inclusion of the interviews with family members/widows, which added a lot. The division of the material into the various elements of the experience (ex: pre-war, combat, getting wounded, etc) was a unique way to organize and always provided backdrop.

What I liked the most - but made it emotionally difficult to read at times - was the heartbreak that came through so vividly. I read this concurrently with watching the Ken Burns Vietnam documentary series, which I’d recommend to help with additional perspective.

What I Didn’t (completely) Like:
I’d definitely strongly recommend this book, no question. If there’s any criticism, the structural organization made following the story of any individual throughout their experience a bit tough. I saw where someone recommended keeping brief notes whenever a new soldier is introduced, and I would do that if I were going to re-read.

In conclusion, this is a must-Read for anyone interested in the war and particularly the experience of the in-country combat troops. Whom, by the way, I’d like to thank for their service to this nation.

[Dylan · Rating 3 out of 5]

First-hand accounts from a variety of soldiers and their families which provides for interesting reading. The formatting is different and very interesting on paper but in actual practice left the middle sections of the book kinda blending together. Especially the combat sections, there were short blurbs before starting accounts from a new specific encounter but they were similar enough in structure of battle that they certainly seemed to intertwine themselves. Otherwise, though it is a good read especially for those who want to garner the experience directly from the soldiers that were there.

[Jaime · Rating 4 out of 5]

While the individual stories from these brave men and family members were informative and needed to be told. I found it difficult at times to keep each person's story straight in my mind. The actual stories were 5 stars however the structure of the book is why I gave it 4 stars. This book helped me to better understand my uncle that served in Vietnam. I never heard him speak of his time in Vietnam until after I joined the military and came home for the first time. We talked for the longest time. I asked him why he never talked about it before and he said until you serve you couldn't understand. I would recommend this book but just know it's not for the faint of heart.

[David · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoy Mr. West's work. This book is written much like the documentaries that are produced by Ken Burns, focusing on the man in the trenches, rather than the strategic view of conflict that is typical of most historical books. Some of this book is really heart wrenching, particularly when the wives of men who died are writing about their lives after they lost a husband. I can't imagine how horrific that was. I highly recommend this book to anyone studying the Vietnam War.

[Carlos Filipe Bernardino · Rating 3 out of 5]

A book based on an oral history project. Andrew Wiest follows an interesting gathering process to present information - recruitment, military instruction and training, arrival in Vietnam, military operations, wounded in combat, return to civilian life. A different work, written based on the testimonies of those who lived through the conflict.

[José Flores · Rating 5 out of 5]

Vietnam: A View From the Front Lines (General Military) offers a powerful and deeply human perspective on the Vietnam War. Instead of presenting the conflict merely as a sequence of historical events or focusing on who won or lost, the book brings the reader directly into the lives of the soldiers who served.
The short narratives guide you to empathize with both volunteers and drafted soldiers. You learn about their lives before enlistment—their families, schooling, friendships, dreams, and the personal reasons some felt compelled to go to war. The book also explores the training process, the camaraderie formed, and the emotional weight of leaving home for Vietnam. These human details are elements you rarely find in standard history books.
As the chapters progress, the stories shift to life in the war zone: the fear, the bonds formed, and the profound losses endured. By the end, you come to understand the confusion and trauma surrounding the conflict, as well as the difficult and often painful return home.
Reading this book reminded me of the moment I stood before the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C., looking at the thousands of names etched into the stone. It is a great book, and I hope that veterans who read this review can feel the deep admiration I have for what they endured and how they managed to survive—not only the war, but also the return home.

[David · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great collection of life experiences about the Vietnam War. Follows a number of soldiers and their family members as they go from high school, through the draft, basic training, specialized training, arrival in Vietnam, on patrols and firefights, medical care, to discharge, and adapting back into civilian life. Although I am also a Vietnam-Era veteran, I was never in Vietnam but rather in a support function in Japan in aircraft maintenance. I did see the transports moving equipment and troops through Japan to Vietnam; I also saw flights with wounded soldiers and even coffins on return flights to the US. Reading this book gave me a much fuller picture of what that war was like from the viewpoint of the guys who lived it on the ground. It was at times an emotional read. I recommend this to anyone interested in history or who knows someone who fought in Vietnam or even was there in person.

[Ryan · Rating 2 out of 5]

A collection of interviews of war veterans or their loved ones on every aspect of the conflict, from being drafted and inducted into the military, landing in Vietnam, combat, getting wounded, finishing the tour and life post war. Each chapter has a short introduction by the author that sets the context and provides some background.

If, like me, you are mainly looking for first hand accounts of actual combat and firefights, this book covers such a large scope that these subjects are not really the focus, although they do form the core I suppose. Admittedly I skimmed through most of the more 'mundane' aspects. What comes through finally is how much the war changes a person thoroughly from what he was before the experience. No matter that it was just a few years in a life, but a lifetime of memories and pain.

[Kelly · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is truly heartbreaking. Andrew Wiest has interviewed several Vietnam veterans and gotten their firsthand stories of going in and coming out, and of what went on inbetween. It breaks my heart to know that this war forever completely ruined so many young lives. Not to mention the thousands that were killed. Senseless. And these kids were 18 and 19 years old when they went over. There are several stories from the wives, and how the war impacted them and their families. It's terribly sad. And what makes it the saddest is that they're all true. Heartbreakingly true.

[Lisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a great way to read history -- the first-person stories of the people who were there.

My one complaint is that it may have been easier to read each story from start to finish rather than jumping around from person to person. Sometimes I lost track of who was whom. (Who was who? Whom was who?)

[David Ward · Rating 3 out of 5]

Vietnam: A View From the Front Lines by Andrew Wiest (Osprey Publishing 2013) (959.70434) is a collection of interesting stories culled from interviews with Vietnam veterans. My rating: 6/10, finished 9/10/13.

[Dj · Rating 3 out of 5]

A pretty good book, fairly straightforward...interviews with the GIs that were in the war, along with the spouses of deceased GIs. It certainly gives one a birds-eye view of some of what actually occurred-before, during and after the war.

[Michael Pelligrini · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great read

This story will touch every reader in a special way. The sacrifices these men endured was incredible. Understanding the war from a warrior s perspective; trying to understand, what really happened to these men should never be forgotten.

[Don Jenks · Rating 4 out of 5]

As a Vietnam combat vet, this is one of the best books I have read that truly describes the experience of that war.