Semper Fi: Vietnam

Rating:
Summary: Great book on Marines in Nam.
Review: This is a great book that captures all of the heartbreak, glory and tragedy as the Marines battle in Vietnam. This book begins at an important point history, US Marines entered Vietnam not as "advisors" but as elite warriors to directly fight the communists. Just about every major Marine operation is covered in this book. The Marines are Americas premier shock troops and they fought boldly and skillfully for ten long years. They were forced to use tactics they didn't want to use. The Army wanted a war of attrition, while the Marines wanted to provide security to the villages and win the peoples "hearts & minds. The Marines first went on the offensive with Operation Starlite. 614 VC died while the Marines lost 45. Based on numbers like this the war heated up and the war of attrition began. Ultimately the 1st & 3rd Marine Divisions were commited to this "police action." Many of the battles they fought over the next bloody years were among the most brutal in history including the battle of Mutter's Ridge, The Hill Fights, Operation Buffalo, Con Thien, The siege of Khe Sanh, retaking Hue City, Dai Do, the Que Sons and the endless DMZ campaign. Many of the battles were fought on the same blood soaked ground over and over again. Despite being saddled by rules by politicians that wouldn't let them win, the Marines raked up an unsurpassed record of victory. Marines were in Vietnam right until the bitter end as they evacuated Saigon. The Marines suffered more casualties in Vietnam than they did in WWII. This book perfectly captures their long war and struggle. This is a great read and an essential book for any collection.