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Devil's Guard #3
Devil's Guard: The Real Story
The first book in Eric Meyer's acclaimed new series on the REAL story behind the SS in Vietnam. The second title, 'Devil's Guard Vietnam' is now also available.
Following the myths and legends about Nazis recruited by the French Foreign Legion to fight in Indochina, Eric Meyer's new book is based on the real story of one such former Waffen-SS man who lived to tell the tale. The Legion recruited widely from soldiers left unemployed and homeless by the defeat of Germany in 1945. They offered a new identity and passport to men who could bring their fighting abilities to the jungles and rice paddies of what was to become Vietnam. These were ruthless, trained killers, brutalised by the war on the Eastern Front, their killing skills honed to a razor's edge. They found their true home in Indochina, where they fought and became a byword for brutal military efficiency.
Following the myths and legends about Nazis recruited by the French Foreign Legion to fight in Indochina, Eric Meyer's new book is based on the real story of one such former Waffen-SS man who lived to tell the tale. The Legion recruited widely from soldiers left unemployed and homeless by the defeat of Germany in 1945. They offered a new identity and passport to men who could bring their fighting abilities to the jungles and rice paddies of what was to become Vietnam. These were ruthless, trained killers, brutalised by the war on the Eastern Front, their killing skills honed to a razor's edge. They found their true home in Indochina, where they fought and became a byword for brutal military efficiency.
258 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 30, 2010
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
August 1, 2017
third volume also marred by errors, July 19, 2017
This review is from: Devil's Guard: The Real Story (Kindle Edition)
Just as with the first two volumes in the Devil's Guard series, factual errors and editing errors dampen my enthusiasm. Among other errors, Meyer says that Hoffman was awarded the Iron Cross with oak leaves for bravery. Oak leaves could be awarded with the Knight's Cross, not the Iron Cross. There was a 1957 issue of the Iron Cross which had the Nazi swastika replaced with oak leaves so that WW2 veterans could wear their Iron Crosses.
In writing about the Yalta conference, Meyer correctly notes the three leaders attending as Churchill, Stalin and Roosevelt. A couple of paragraphs later, he drops Roosevelt and adds Eisenhower.
At the beginning of the book, the former SS Foreign Legionaires have MG34'S and MP40's. A few pages later they have MG42's. Further on they have MP38'S instead of MP40's.
Etc., etc.
In addition to the errors, the plot in this volume doesn't make much sense. Both the team and the reader learn that the Americans won't allow the French to insert the team using the FRENCH navy. Much later, readers are informed that they also can't evacuate via helicopter to the coast to be picked up by the Navy! If this was so, why was the team even inserted? Why did the team agree to go with no feasible extraction plan in place?
This review is from: Devil's Guard: The Real Story (Kindle Edition)
Just as with the first two volumes in the Devil's Guard series, factual errors and editing errors dampen my enthusiasm. Among other errors, Meyer says that Hoffman was awarded the Iron Cross with oak leaves for bravery. Oak leaves could be awarded with the Knight's Cross, not the Iron Cross. There was a 1957 issue of the Iron Cross which had the Nazi swastika replaced with oak leaves so that WW2 veterans could wear their Iron Crosses.
In writing about the Yalta conference, Meyer correctly notes the three leaders attending as Churchill, Stalin and Roosevelt. A couple of paragraphs later, he drops Roosevelt and adds Eisenhower.
At the beginning of the book, the former SS Foreign Legionaires have MG34'S and MP40's. A few pages later they have MG42's. Further on they have MP38'S instead of MP40's.
Etc., etc.
In addition to the errors, the plot in this volume doesn't make much sense. Both the team and the reader learn that the Americans won't allow the French to insert the team using the FRENCH navy. Much later, readers are informed that they also can't evacuate via helicopter to the coast to be picked up by the Navy! If this was so, why was the team even inserted? Why did the team agree to go with no feasible extraction plan in place?
August 1, 2017
third volume also marred by errors, July 19, 2017
This review is from: Devil's Guard: The Real Story (Kindle Edition)
Just as with the first two volumes in the Devil's Guard series, factual errors and editing errors dampen my enthusiasm. Among other errors, Meyer says that Hoffman was awarded the Iron Cross with oak leaves for bravery. Oak leaves could be awarded with the Knight's Cross, not the Iron Cross. There was a 1957 issue of the Iron Cross which had the Nazi swastika replaced with oak leaves so that WW2 veterans could wear their Iron Crosses.
In writing about the Yalta conference, Meyer correctly notes the three leaders attending as Churchill, Stalin and Roosevelt. A couple of paragraphs later, he drops Roosevelt and adds Eisenhower.
At the beginning of the book, the former SS Foreign Legionaires have MG34'S and MP40's. A few pages later they have MG42's. Further on they have MP38'S instead of MP40's.
Etc., etc.
In addition to the errors, the plot in this volume doesn't make much sense. Both the team and the reader learn that the Americans won't allow the French to insert the team using the FRENCH navy. Much later, readers are informed that they also can't evacuate via helicopter to the coast to be picked up by the Navy! If this was so, why was the team even inserted? Why did the team agree to go with no feasible extraction plan in place?
third volume also marred by errors, July 19, 2017
This review is from: Devil's Guard: The Real Story (Kindle Edition)
Just as with the first two volumes in the Devil's Guard series, factual errors and editing errors dampen my enthusiasm. Among other errors, Meyer says that Hoffman was awarded the Iron Cross with oak leaves for bravery. Oak leaves could be awarded with the Knight's Cross, not the Iron Cross. There was a 1957 issue of the Iron Cross which had the Nazi swastika replaced with oak leaves so that WW2 veterans could wear their Iron Crosses.
In writing about the Yalta conference, Meyer correctly notes the three leaders attending as Churchill, Stalin and Roosevelt. A couple of paragraphs later, he drops Roosevelt and adds Eisenhower.
At the beginning of the book, the former SS Foreign Legionaires have MG34'S and MP40's. A few pages later they have MG42's. Further on they have MP38'S instead of MP40's.
Etc., etc.
In addition to the errors, the plot in this volume doesn't make much sense. Both the team and the reader learn that the Americans won't allow the French to insert the team using the FRENCH navy. Much later, readers are informed that they also can't evacuate via helicopter to the coast to be picked up by the Navy! If this was so, why was the team even inserted? Why did the team agree to go with no feasible extraction plan in place?
This review is from: Devil's Guard: The Real Story (Kindle Edition)
Just as with the first two volumes in the Devil's Guard series, factual errors and editing errors dampen my enthusiasm. Among other errors, Meyer says that Hoffman was awarded the Iron Cross with oak leaves for bravery. Oak leaves could be awarded with the Knight's Cross, not the Iron Cross. There was a 1957 issue of the Iron Cross which had the Nazi swastika replaced with oak leaves so that WW2 veterans could wear their Iron Crosses.
In writing about the Yalta conference, Meyer correctly notes the three leaders attending as Churchill, Stalin and Roosevelt. A couple of paragraphs later, he drops Roosevelt and adds Eisenhower.
At the beginning of the book, the former SS Foreign Legionaires have MG34'S and MP40's. A few pages later they have MG42's. Further on they have MP38'S instead of MP40's.
Etc., etc.
In addition to the errors, the plot in this volume doesn't make much sense. Both the team and the reader learn that the Americans won't allow the French to insert the team using the FRENCH navy. Much later, readers are informed that they also can't evacuate via helicopter to the coast to be picked up by the Navy! If this was so, why was the team even inserted? Why did the team agree to go with no feasible extraction plan in place?
third volume also marred by errors, July 19, 2017
This review is from: Devil's Guard: The Real Story (Kindle Edition)
Just as with the first two volumes in the Devil's Guard series, factual errors and editing errors dampen my enthusiasm. Among other errors, Meyer says that Hoffman was awarded the Iron Cross with oak leaves for bravery. Oak leaves could be awarded with the Knight's Cross, not the Iron Cross. There was a 1957 issue of the Iron Cross which had the Nazi swastika replaced with oak leaves so that WW2 veterans could wear their Iron Crosses.
In writing about the Yalta conference, Meyer correctly notes the three leaders attending as Churchill, Stalin and Roosevelt. A couple of paragraphs later, he drops Roosevelt and adds Eisenhower.
At the beginning of the book, the former SS Foreign Legionaires have MG34'S and MP40's. A few pages later they have MG42's. Further on they have MP38'S instead of MP40's.
Etc., etc.
In addition to the errors, the plot in this volume doesn't make much sense. Both the team and the reader learn that the Americans won't allow the French to insert the team using the FRENCH navy. Much later, readers are informed that they also can't evacuate via helicopter to the coast to be picked up by the Navy! If this was so, why was the team even inserted? Why did the team agree to go with no feasible extraction plan in place?
August 16, 2019
This was my second read and first such situation in which I took one star off. It is not the story itself but the way it is told. And it annoyed me immensely.
Main character is a man so disgusted by actions of "the communists" that he considers them single threat to human race. He is more than willing to fight them no matter the odds or location.
Rather determined guy eh. Not bad for a war veteran novel.
I agree and all of the above would be great if our protagonist was not very very racist (all the enemy are "vermin", "horde", "ugly monkeys" that deserve nothing but death by hail of bullets) - he even stereotypes his comrades in arms (French are for all means and purposes depicted as weak bureaucrats that need former German troops to fight for them, Arabs are shown as thieves and predisposed to throat cutting etc). Or so quick to judge enemy actions and present his and his team's (and of course SS in WW2) similar actions as a "required act to achieve victory". I asume enemy does not have that same goal (what?!?!).
I have not read this apologetic/redemption book about SS ever, and I have read on the subject and their role in WW2. They are shown as "epitome of warriors" misdirected by politicians and if somebody did something against civilians on Eastern Front it was those "wild communists"... and in some cases "mis-directed" parts of SS - only at the end, like through clenched teeth did this character mention a few "misdeeds" from German end. But again it is politicos to blame not the soldiers themselves. Incredible.
Who ever remembers German anti-partisan massacres from Balkans and Eastern Europe, right?
All of this ranting spoiled second read for me. Which is a shame because story is interesting (hardly historical but lets leave the oooh-aahhhh's of controversy as they are, crazier things happened during the war).
So, if you are looking for as realistic as possible portrayal of war from Waffen-SS veterans (i.e. Guy Sajer's excellent book "The Forgotten Soldier") you will be disappointed.
Give it a shot if you are interested in theme but do not expect much.
Main character is a man so disgusted by actions of "the communists" that he considers them single threat to human race. He is more than willing to fight them no matter the odds or location.
Rather determined guy eh. Not bad for a war veteran novel.
I agree and all of the above would be great if our protagonist was not very very racist (all the enemy are "vermin", "horde", "ugly monkeys" that deserve nothing but death by hail of bullets) - he even stereotypes his comrades in arms (French are for all means and purposes depicted as weak bureaucrats that need former German troops to fight for them, Arabs are shown as thieves and predisposed to throat cutting etc). Or so quick to judge enemy actions and present his and his team's (and of course SS in WW2) similar actions as a "required act to achieve victory". I asume enemy does not have that same goal (what?!?!).
I have not read this apologetic/redemption book about SS ever, and I have read on the subject and their role in WW2. They are shown as "epitome of warriors" misdirected by politicians and if somebody did something against civilians on Eastern Front it was those "wild communists"... and in some cases "mis-directed" parts of SS - only at the end, like through clenched teeth did this character mention a few "misdeeds" from German end. But again it is politicos to blame not the soldiers themselves. Incredible.
Who ever remembers German anti-partisan massacres from Balkans and Eastern Europe, right?
All of this ranting spoiled second read for me. Which is a shame because story is interesting (hardly historical but lets leave the oooh-aahhhh's of controversy as they are, crazier things happened during the war).
So, if you are looking for as realistic as possible portrayal of war from Waffen-SS veterans (i.e. Guy Sajer's excellent book "The Forgotten Soldier") you will be disappointed.
Give it a shot if you are interested in theme but do not expect much.
August 1, 2017
third volume also marred by errors, July 19, 2017
This review is from: Devil's Guard: The Real Story (Kindle Edition)
Just as with the first two volumes in the Devil's Guard series, factual errors and editing errors dampen my enthusiasm. Among other errors, Meyer says that Hoffman was awarded the Iron Cross with oak leaves for bravery. Oak leaves could be awarded with the Knight's Cross, not the Iron Cross. There was a 1957 issue of the Iron Cross which had the Nazi swastika replaced with oak leaves so that WW2 veterans could wear their Iron Crosses.
In writing about the Yalta conference, Meyer correctly notes the three leaders attending as Churchill, Stalin and Roosevelt. A couple of paragraphs later, he drops Roosevelt and adds Eisenhower.
At the beginning of the book, the former SS Foreign Legionaires have MG34'S and MP40's. A few pages later they have MG42's. Further on they have MP38'S instead of MP40's.
Etc., etc.
In addition to the errors, the plot in this volume doesn't make much sense. Both the team and the reader learn that the Americans won't allow the French to insert the team using the FRENCH navy. Much later, readers are informed that they also can't evacuate via helicopter to the coast to be picked up by the Navy! If this was so, why was the team even inserted? Why did the team agree to go with no feasible extraction plan in place?
This review is from: Devil's Guard: The Real Story (Kindle Edition)
Just as with the first two volumes in the Devil's Guard series, factual errors and editing errors dampen my enthusiasm. Among other errors, Meyer says that Hoffman was awarded the Iron Cross with oak leaves for bravery. Oak leaves could be awarded with the Knight's Cross, not the Iron Cross. There was a 1957 issue of the Iron Cross which had the Nazi swastika replaced with oak leaves so that WW2 veterans could wear their Iron Crosses.
In writing about the Yalta conference, Meyer correctly notes the three leaders attending as Churchill, Stalin and Roosevelt. A couple of paragraphs later, he drops Roosevelt and adds Eisenhower.
At the beginning of the book, the former SS Foreign Legionaires have MG34'S and MP40's. A few pages later they have MG42's. Further on they have MP38'S instead of MP40's.
Etc., etc.
In addition to the errors, the plot in this volume doesn't make much sense. Both the team and the reader learn that the Americans won't allow the French to insert the team using the FRENCH navy. Much later, readers are informed that they also can't evacuate via helicopter to the coast to be picked up by the Navy! If this was so, why was the team even inserted? Why did the team agree to go with no feasible extraction plan in place?
September 18, 2025
Audiobook: I was entertained by this story, but at times it seemed like a written documentary to me. There seemed to be a lot of descriptions about the place, the weapons, what the men wore, the living conditions, etc. which I felt overwhelmed the story to the point where the story itself was lost. Eventually the tale became more exciting, and it engaged my attention. I thought Gary Roelofs' narration was fine. I was given a copy of the audiobook. I volunteered, without financial gain, to post this review which reflected my honest opinions regarding this audiobook
June 6, 2019
Not sure whether it was true or not but it was a fairly interesting read.
September 27, 2011
Pretty good book, however I am not a fan of the way it was written as it makes the book come across as a novel, and less of an autobiography, (the author interviewed the man, then wrote the story). The romance in this story is virtually made of cardboard. It almost read like a PG version of a Playboy letter. My guess is that the author was forced to place something in to meet a higher power`s demand, (it did not kill the book though).
That all being said, HOLY DAMN! NAZIS VERSUS THE FUTURE VIETCONG??? AWESOME!!! This book`s subject is like Godzilla versus Mothra, or the mash-up of Freddy versus Jason. Two of the United States recent, biggest, enemies wrapped up in one book! This fact alone made this worth reading. The writing could have gone to shit, and I would rate this book easily 3 stars still.
I will be recommending this one to friends.
That all being said, HOLY DAMN! NAZIS VERSUS THE FUTURE VIETCONG??? AWESOME!!! This book`s subject is like Godzilla versus Mothra, or the mash-up of Freddy versus Jason. Two of the United States recent, biggest, enemies wrapped up in one book! This fact alone made this worth reading. The writing could have gone to shit, and I would rate this book easily 3 stars still.
I will be recommending this one to friends.
March 24, 2014
I wanted to like this, but the biggest distraction I found was the intermittent historical backgrounding/commentary breaking up the story. Those bits would have been better handled, I think, via footnotes/endnotes, so those who wanted to read them could do so, and those who didn't could just zoom right through.
June 29, 2011
First class account of the little known French Indochina war. Fast paced and realistic.
October 17, 2011
real or not still a good story
October 19, 2011
good vietnam war story or is it factual
December 6, 2011
Excellent account of the Vietnam war (French-IndoChina) prior to American involvement. I really enjoyed some of the history.
December 13, 2011
good read
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews