Legacy of Discord: Voices of the Vietnam War Era

Rating:
Summary: A balanced look at an unbalanced era
Review: Mr. Dorland has managed to give quite a balanced look at the war in Vietnam and the era that spawned it, by talking to people that played major roles on every side of the conflict. With 25 years of perspective, some memories have tempored, while others burn as hot as they did then. A fascinating read - especially for those who were not old enough to understand the state of the world at the time. I give credit to all those who were willing to stand up - even all these years later - and make their opinions known. Cogratulations to one and all.

Rating:
Summary: All right, but ...
Review: This is an interesting book. I have read a little bit about Vietnam (including books by Halberstam, Sheehan, Karnow, and McNamara), and found that this series of interviews added something new. The author is right in saying that the addition of Vietnamese voices (a Viet Cong activist and ARVN officer, both now living in the States) provides something new. The reflections of the CIA station chief -- Thomas Polgar -- were the most insightful in the book, and I found the interview with him to be particularly compelling.

Having said that, the author is not a very good writer, and that's unfortunate. Also, he doesn't seem to maximize his time with his subjects (or doesn't maximize his use of space in the book); he lets some subjects off with easy questions or questions that are overly broad and repetitive (e.g., his frequent queries about the 'domino theory'). His editorializing (e.g., what John McCain would be like as President) is unwelcome, ill-thought out, and detracts from the messages of his interview subjects.

Finally, what bothered me most was the way in which the writer gratuitously inserted himself into the narrative. With great respsect, no-one cares that he met X. when the author was a cadet at West Point, or that he was an Army Captain in Vietnam (a picture of him in fatigues is included with the photos of the interviewees). He should stick to the reflections of his interview subjects, which is the purpose of the entire project.

This is still a book worth reading. It brings together a great many voices from different quarters speaking about one big subject. I would urge interested readers to take a look at this book and decide for themselves.

Rating:
Summary: Living History at Its Best!
Review: While the pieces of our country's history of involvement in Vietnam are being rearranged and fall into place, Dorland's Legacy of Discord takes its place as an important work. As the opportunity slips away to hear from many key figures of the era, Dorland's series of interviews is a gift of perspective to those who care to understand. The book is unmatched under one cover. There is a sense of urgency to the voices, a commitment to get into print opposing viewpoints so that we might come a bit closer to deciphering a defining period of our history.

Legacy is a fast-paced book from cover to cover. Dorland is not concerned with childhoods, marriages, etc., but rather he charges to the heart of the matter with each interviewee and expands from that point. The author's style is crisp and concise. The subject introductions are extremely well-written, germaine, and do not exceed two pages. The vast bulk of the book is in the language of its subjects.

The only mild and debatable criticism is the author's decision to include excerpts from Westmoreland's writings after a short telephone interview. I sense that Dorland agonized over this inclusion and finally acceded in deference to the general's health, age, and pivotal importance. Westmoreland's writings do add perspective, but it is unfortunate that too much time has passed for the general to answer pointed questions. It also emphasizes how lucky we are that the same is not yet true of the other participants.

I read Legacy in two days and began re-reading it shortly thereafter. Its importance to the era's evolving history is borne out simply by the agreement to go down in print by the participants themselves: Arnett, Ellsberg, Haig, Halberstam, Hayden, Kerry, Kissinger, McCain, Polgar, Schwartzkopf, Webb, Westmoreland, et al.

If you have the slightest interest in trying to understand this period of history, Legacy of Discord is an absolute must-read; in my opinion, it is a must-read twice.