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A good book...
The end of the MIA mystery?

Inside Hanoi's Secret Archives
Malcom Mcconnell
Manufacturer: Simon & Schuster
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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Honor Bound: American Prisoners of War in Southeast Asia, 1961-1973
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ASIN: 0671871188

Customer Reviews:

A good book..........2003-07-20

...I'm not sorry I read it.

Throughout, there are hints of "conspiracy theories" but I think that is unavoidable in a topic as sensitive as this one. Did the US knowingly abandon troops in Vietnam and Laos? Do we know they are still there but unwilling to do what's necessary to get them home? These questions are answered, I think, satisfactorily. It's well-documented and the photographs are very applicable.

While not necessarily what I consider a 5-star book, it was recommended to me by an avid history and military history reader whose opinion I regard highly. If these topics are your "cup of tea", I'd recommend this even more.

The end of the MIA mystery?.......2003-05-26

For two decades following the Vietnam war, ill-fated attempts by the United States to obtain conclusive evidence concerning the fate of hundreds of POW/MIA's from the Vietnam war finally found success. In a bold and daring espionage mission, former U.N. refugee officer Theodore G. Schweitzer was the acting agent for the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) in what later became known as Operation Swamp Ranger.

Beginning in March of 1992 and lasting several months, Schweitzer was granted access to Vietnamese war archives that held a voluminous amount of information on U.S. servicemen that were missing in action and others that were held as prisoners of war. Vietnam, up until this point, had strenuously denied for years that they had any useful data on missing servicemen and they blatantly withheld documents that would solve many discrepancy cases on unknown losses of U.S. personnel. Using previously unreleased photographs, meticulously annotated files, and physical evidence, Operation Swamp Ranger completely exposed Vietnam's attempts to bury the POW/MIA issue over the years. Although only suspected by the U.S. government, Vietnam's General Political Directorate (GPD) finally admitted that many U.S. servicemen were killed in cold blood.

Operation Swamp Ranger also proved to be useful in the aspect that it helped dispel the widespread theory that Americans had been abandoned by the U.S. government after repatriation of POW's in 1973. Furthermore, scams and other fraudulent activities aimed at the grieving families of MIA's were exposed and contradicted by evidence gained from Hanoi's archives. Lastly, there appears to be no conclusive facts to date which could verify that there are actual live POW's still held in Vietnam today.

Although limited cooperation with the Vietnamese government regarding POW/MIA's faltered after revelations from Operation Swamp Ranger became known to the public at large, the U.S. government still claimed a large victory in what amounts to a monumental breakthrough in the enduring POW/MIA controversy. Unfortunately, this long and arduous journey does not have a happy ending. Not yet, anyway. Even as the Defense POW/MIA Office (DPMO) continues to negotiate, haggle, bargain, cajole, and mediate with Vietnam regarding additional unreleased material they still hold, there are no clear indications of just how much further progress will be accomplished in the future. As stated in the author's narrative, communist archives are notoriously known for disinformation and forgeries and nothing in Vietnam is ever straightforward or simple.

Inside Hanoi's Secret Archives is a remarkable investigation into previously hidden wartime data. Generously footnoted and offering revealing photographs, this is a fascinating and memorable reading experience. Anyone having the slightest or even most demanding questions concerning the ongoing legacy of missing U.S. servicemen in Vietnam, I would enthusiastically recommend this book to you and to everyone in general.

Going Downtown: The War Against Hanoi and Washington
Average customer rating:

Going Downtown

Wish it went deeper

Captures the true spirit of a fighter pilot!

The real truth about the air war in Vietnam... uncovered

Going Downtown: The War Against Hanoi and Washington
Broughton
Manufacturer: Pocket
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0671678620

Customer Reviews:

Going Downtown.......2004-09-04

I was fortunate that a good friend gave me this book. One of the best damn books I've ever read. It should be part of civics instruction for every high school student because, in real life and dramatic fashion, it teaches us two great lessons. First, in a Republic such as ours, the voting citizen needs to be vigilant of the political use of our military. Vietnam was a tough lesson, costing 60,000 young Americans their life. Second, in times of peace in the military, the flotsam rises to the top. Again, it requires vigilance from the citizen, demanding our politicians provide the civilian leadership that will promote and nurture the warrior class.

We owe our freedom to warriors such as Jack Broughton, who during times of war, rise to the call. They understand loyalty, leadership and sacrifice. They are of the nature and fortitude to bring intense, ferocious focus to incredibly tough times when answering the call of duty. If Vietnam had been a real war instead of a political fiasco, Jack would be a well-known American Hero. Instead, he is just an American Hero, not well known, but like so many of his type.

Wish it went deeper.......2000-12-07

Like "Thud Ridge", also by Col. Broughton, "Going Downtown" reflects on the former fighter pilt's experiences driving USAF F-105's through the flack, SAM and MiG infested skies of Vietnam. Readers who missed "Thud Ridge' may remember Broughton's story appearing in the Yeagher biography - a decorated and venerable fighter-pilot, Broughton was loved by the men he led, despite the draconian restrictions placed on them by politicians. During one mission that Broughton didn't even fly on, two of his pilots received fire from a flak gun aboard a Russian freighter, and responded with their own cannon. Jaded by the experience in which his pilots were clearly in the right, Broughton removed the gun camera film from the noses of the involved F-105's, and destroyed them. A board of review composed of such noted officers as Yeager and Robin Olds cleared Broughton's men but did cite Broughton for destruction of the gun camera film, a move that effectively ended his career as a fighter pilot. Broughton hints at the incident - the "Turkestan Affair" in Thud Ridge, but apparently decided against saying any more. Having decided otherwise in "Downtown", Broughton must have decided that he didn't have enough for a new book complimenting the first. Theough "Turkestan" and its consequences take up the latter half of the book, the first part is a mixed gril, offering the USAF's painful transition to the early and crude jets, the complicated underpinnings of the Vietnam war and the cover-up over the Tonkin Gulf incident.

The problem is that much of this seems out of place here - especially the author's anecdotes about the Air Force's experineces with early jets between Korea and Vietnam. The jets, which are underpowered and have over-complicated fire-control systems kill more of their own pilots than the enemy, and some - like the F-103 and the F-107 - never make the cut at all. None of those planes ever appears in Vietnam, and certainly not in Broughton's narrative. So why does he bother here? It's as if he realized that he hadn't enough, apart from "Turkestan" that merited a new book, and quicly decided that, besides some anecdotes about the Veitnam airwar overlooked from the first book, he might as well just keep going back, and toss in soem historical background about vietnam and USAF for good measure. Concluding his survey of the famed "Century Series" fighter jets, Broughton says "something funny was happening in southeast asia." But it was nevr clear why he didn't begin with southeast asia and leave all that other stuff behind. It's important stuff, but would be of better use as something Broughton could reflecton while flying in vietnam - as more of a personal context than an historical one. Actually, Broughton sells himself short - giving equal time to all subjects when I'd prefer a whole book with him in the F-105. Considering that he flew the most pivotal missions of his career in that plane, it's incredible that my knowledge of it seems unchanged from when I first opened "Going Downtown."

Captures the true spirit of a fighter pilot!.......1999-10-17

This book captures the true spirit of a fighter pilot and why they are such special people. His war on Hanoi, waged with one hand tied behind his back by McNamara and President Johnson needed to be told. And he told it as only a fighter pilot could. You could be reading fiction, but it's real. Where do we get men that court death and face losing friends every day. Colonel Broughton is busy telling us about his fight with Hanoi and Washington. But, what also comes through is the daily struggle of men strapping on an airplane and doing their duty against great odds. The rules of engagement are discussed and how they affected the lives of those charged with enforcing them. Colonel Broughton had over 200 missions. He is a true American hero.

The real truth about the air war in Vietnam... uncovered.......1998-11-03

I've read both this book and the predecessor "Thud Ridge" as well as several book written by Vietnam war era pilots. Col Broughton knows his stuff and tells it like it was. If you ever wondered why we failed in Vietnam ,you will understand why after reading this book. Poor leadership by Air Force Generals( one couldn't be sure whether the enemy was the N.V. or the upper level command) from 5000 miles away, telling wing commanders how to do their jobs ( and having no clue as how a tactical fighter wing works), Washington's tying their hands behind their back with target selection and restrictive rules of engagement, micromanagement from above, all added up to a winnable war that they were not allowed win( except the guys risking their butts flying to Hanoi). I heartily recommend reading this book and also Thud Ridge for some fascinating insight of this era. Also I'd recommend Phantom over Vietnam , John Trotti and PAK SIX by G.I. Basel.

The Passing of the Night: My Seven Years as a Prisoner of the North Vietnamese

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Colonel Risner and his seven year imprisonment.
A Man of Great Dignity Who Never Lost the Common Touch
"The real battlefronts were the capitals of the world and the streets of America."
Travis
An Unforgettable Memoir!!!

The Passing of the Night: My Seven Years as a Prisoner of the North Vietnamese
Robinson Risner
Manufacturer: Konecky & Konecky
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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Chained Eagle: The Heroic Story of the First American Shot Down over North Vietnam

ASIN: 1568524668

Book Description

One of the most memorable books to come out of the Vietnam War. General Risner's plane was shot down in 1965 on a bombing mission over North Vietnam. Interned in the infamous "Hanoi Hilton", Risner was subjected to brutal tortures and privations. The tactics that he used to survive were not those of a superman, but rather those of a man who knew his own limits and had the courage to face up to them.

What emerges is a story of faith in God and country, of heroism and humanity. This is a vital document for anyone seeking to come to grips with the actuality and legacy of this painful conflict.

Customer Reviews:

Colonel Risner and his seven year imprisonment........2006-06-13

This book was originally written in 1973 and details the violations of the Geneva Convention by the North Vietnamese. Colonel Risner details how he first resisted the North Vietnamese and later signed statements after extreme torture. The North Vietnamese were very cruel to their captured POWs. It is a wonder why we didn't have protesters telling the world of the inhumane practices of the North Vietnamese government.

This is a nice read on how these American patriots resisted the efforts of the North Vietnamese to break their spirit. As Colonel Risner would say, you found God in prison and faith in the American system. It is amazing this man spent 7 and a half years with little food, lots of torture, and still maintained his faith in the American system. This is an inspirational read.

A Man of Great Dignity Who Never Lost the Common Touch.......2006-02-28

I had the privilege and honor of meeting and getting to know General Risner shortly after he was appointed as commander of
the 832nd Air Division at Cannon AFB, New Mexico, in 1973.
He was a humble and gracious gentleman of great dignity. I was
blessed to get to know him personally and to jointly procure a copy of the movie: In The Presence of Mine Enemies, for showing at the base chapel. On the day of my release from active duty I purchased his book and, it being a Saturday, visited him in his office, entering with his permission through his private entrance and he graciously signed the book for me with a personal message for future success. The book is a must read for anyone who considers themself an American, as all Americans should become aware of the sacrifices of people like General Risner in keeping us free. Sadly, I loaned the book to a friend
and never had it returned. But I will never forget General Risner's story, not the man himself. Knowing him was truly one of the best blessing I have experienced in my 54 years of life.
You must read this book!

"The real battlefronts were the capitals of the world and the streets of America.".......2006-02-25

I don't know how I missed this book when it came out in 1973.I lived in the United States from 1963 to 1974 and witnessed first hand the anti war movement that worked so hard to undermine America's efforts in Vietnam.It's often been said that America did not lose the war in Vietnam ,in fact they never even lost a major battle.The only loss that occurred was in the media and on the streets and demonstrations.The real result of the war was that the worldwide march of Communism was halted with Vietnam.
The story of the courage of these prisoners ,their love and loyalty to their country,their refusal to give in to their torturers combined with their faith in God and undying belief of liberty ,freedom and justice are proof that America is not only the world's greatest superpower but deserves to be.As long as people of the character we see in this book continue to come forward ,America ,and all it stands for,will continue to be challenged but will never be defeated or brought to submission.
This book may well be one of the greatest books to come out of the Vietnam War.I remember a movie that came out of WW11 called "The Purple Heart",I believed it starred Dana Andrews. It reminded me of the similar evil that took place and the way Japan treated their prisoners of war.
This book is particularly worth reading now because we see many of the same things at work in The War on Terror.
On page 163 where the "Delegations" were to interview the prisoners.The prisoners were told they would be asked,"How do you think the war should be settled?".They were told to reply,"The United States should should withdraw all troops from South Vietnam,dismantle all bases,and cease all aid to the puppet government of Thieu".
Sounds a lot familiar to what you hear the left wing saying about the War on Terror,doesn't it? Those immortal words,"Lest We Forget" should be kept in mind.
Throughout history,it the courage we have seen in men such as these prisoners of war,that gives us the freedoms we enjoy today,and hopefully in the future.
May God Bless America and the people who love and serve her.

Travis.......2006-01-13

As a member of the United States Air Force, I can say that this book is truly a story of honor and courage. I had the opportunity to meet General Risner before he passed away and he is a true hero. This book talks in great detail of the horrible things that many of the POWs went through in this awful conflict. After reading this book I realized how blessed I am. It is a honor to follow in the footsteps of such brave men. We need more heros and role models like General Risner. I would recommend this book to everyone.

An Unforgettable Memoir!!!.......2004-07-13

I couldn't put this excellent book down. From the first page I was hooked! The author is humble, courageous, and maintained his dignity through some gruesome torture and confinement in a North Vietnamese prison. Exciting and inspiring was his faith in God also which kept his spirit uplifted during his imprisonment. A must read for anyone interested in Vietnam and the harrowing aspects of that awful war.

From Hanoi to Hollywood: The Vietnam War in American Film

Average customer rating:

Vietnam on Film
Sleepless in Heaven!

From Hanoi to Hollywood: The Vietnam War in American Film
Linda Dittmar , and Gene Michaud
Manufacturer: Rutgers University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Vietnam War Movies

ASIN: 0813515874

Customer Reviews:

Vietnam on Film.......2004-06-11

These film essays look at documentary filmmaking and news reporting on the Vietnam War. I read this book as part of a film class at in college. This book is best for a person interested in the representation of war, especially this particularily divisive war will be moved by reading this book.

Sleepless in Heaven!.......2000-02-24

This book was amazing! It was very insightful and deep. I learned more about this era from this book than i ever did in high school!

Sofitel Metropole Hanoi (The Most Famous Hotels in the World Series)

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Sofitel Metropole Hanoi (The Most Famous Hotels in the World Series)
Andreas; Andrew Williamson (editor) Augustin
Manufacturer: Famous Hotels
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000LEXGQA

The House on Dream Street: Memoir of an American Woman in Vietnam (Adventura Books)

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talented writer, engaging commentary
More Vietnamese Than Vietnamese
Mind-blowingly good!
Sensitive, moving
Honest writing

The House on Dream Street: Memoir of an American Woman in Vietnam (Adventura Books)
Dana Sachs
Manufacturer: Seal Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 1580051006

Amazon.com

Part memoir and part travelogue, The House on Dream Street offers a compelling glimpse into Vietnam more than 20 years after the war. Author Dana Sachs foregoes the history lesson and instead takes us into the day-to-day lives of working-class people attempting to succeed in a fledgling capitalist economy. Captivated by the once-forbidden country during a visit in 1989, Sachs returned two years later, took a room with a young family, and set out to immerse herself in the culture.

One of the most charming aspects of the book is that Sachs lacks the bravado you'd expect from a solo traveler. Her slow grasp of the language causes no end of frustration, and her Western looks--"bigger, paler, and richer"--make her an object of unwanted attention. Other facets of crowded Hanoi prove equally challenging: maneuvering a bicycle through dangerously narrow streets, fending off the frequent advances of married Vietnamese men, and coping with the complete lack of privacy as well as the elusive Vietnamese concept of destiny. Despite the often-primitive conditions, the watchful eyes of the secret police, and the intolerable, mildewy weather, Sachs manages to portray her newfound home as an explosion of sensory experience, where "the rich, woody scent of freshly steamed rice" fills the air and "commuters whizzed past... their bright clothes trailing pink, orange, purple, and green across the blue-black asphalt of the road." And then there are the people: Tung, her friendly but on-the-make landlord who loves heavy metal; Huong, his critical but loyal wife who harbors untold hidden strengths; Tra, desperate to return to the States and get her doctorate, even at the expense of her marriage; and Linh, also yearning to escape her husband's tight reins. In fact, most of the women with whom Sachs bonds are torn between their family obligations and a dawning realization of their own rights.

Even as her friends struggle to balance personal goals with marital happiness, Sachs finds herself drawn to Phai, a quiet, inexperienced motorcycle mechanic. Their love affair, illegal and unspoken, flames steadily and then flickers out, as the author finds herself unable to overcome their differences and the prospect of marrying into Phai's impoverished family. In the end, she realizes her love for Phai is only a personification of her romance with the country itself--but it's as a chronicle of that romance that The House on Dream Street truly succeeds. In telling the story of her own discovery and growth, Sachs provides a distinctively personal view of a rapidly evolving country as well as the families who are weathering the transition. --Lisa Costantino

Book Description

In this heartfelt memoir, Dana Sachs takes the reader on a sensual and textured voyage to a country most Americans think about only in terms of war. A finalist for the Independent Publisher Book Award, this deftly written narrative reveals how Sachs settled in with slick, warmhearted Tung and his quietly tenacious wife Huong in Hanoi and made a place for herself in "enemy" territory. With vivid descriptions of the community—the noodle stalls and roaring motorcycles, the vestiges of French colonialism, and the encroachment of glittering high-rises—Sachs explores the tenuous balance between the traditions of old Vietnam and a country in the throes of modernization. Sachs's honest depiction of her difficulties renders her triumphs and love for the country and its people all the more poignant and compelling. This edition includes a new afterword by the author.

Customer Reviews:

talented writer, engaging commentary.......2007-05-15

i loved every minute of reading this book. i was captivated by ms. sachs' tales of coming to terms with her discomfort in a very foreign environment where communication was almost impossible. her writing is clear and expressive and personal. i look forward to reading her next book, and hope that there are more to come.

More Vietnamese Than Vietnamese.......2006-09-08

Her writing style is so playful, amusing, charming, and sensitive. Her observation of the environment and culture is so acute. She brought alive the scenes, the sounds, the liveliness of Hanoi streets -- just like the classic Vietnamese novels that we had to read while in high school. I bought this book for my wife, previewed it and then finished it. Highly recommended.

Mind-blowingly good!.......2003-10-11

This is simply one of the most stupendous travelogues I have ever read. In fact, I can't think of a better one. Read it!

Sensitive, moving.......2003-10-02

This book is a moving and real account of one woman's travel journey in Vietnam. But, it could be anywhere. The respect and heart she has for where she is is wonderful. It's a quick and moving read.

Honest writing.......2001-11-02

I was struck by the straightforward style of the book. It all came across as true. I was surprised that the author was willing to reveal as much about her life as she apparently did.

Camp All-American, Hanoi Jane, and the High-and-Tight: Gender, Folklore, and Changing Military Culture

Average customer rating:

The Proud, the Few, the Disfunctional
The View From a Female and Folklorist
A complete waste of time and money

Camp All-American, Hanoi Jane, and the High-and-Tight: Gender, Folklore, and Changing Military Culture
Carol Burke
Manufacturer: Beacon Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0807046590

Book Description

From the mythic rescue of PFC Jessica Lynch to the high-profile trial of Lynndie England, the war in Iraq has highlighted women's presence within the military as never before. Carol Burke, a folklorist who taught as a civilian professor at the Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland, for seven years, analyzes the military as an occupational folk group, arguing that every detail of military culture-from the 'high-and-tight' haircut to the chants sung in basic training is laden with significance. Exploring the minute ways that -the cult of masculinity- persists in all branches of the United States military today, Burke unearths fascinating details and offers eye-opening anecdotes about basic training, military dress and speech, the history of the marching chant, the disdain some veterans still harbor for Jane Fonda, and the colorful-and sometimes questionable-rituals of military manhood. Postulating that culture is made-not born-Burke urges the military to consciously change its policy of -gendered apartheid- so it can evolve into the gender-, race-, and sexuality-neutral democratic institution it needs to be.

Customer Reviews:

The Proud, the Few, the Disfunctional.......2005-08-18

Author Carol Burke is not afraid to jump into a controversial topic and throw everything she has at it. Camp All-American, Hanoi Jane, and the High-and-Tight starts out by quoting the woman-hating and profane marching songs of some basic training units. She describes the perverted and disgusting hazing that first-year service academy students are subjected to. She explains how a Navy admiral who didn't fit the mold was ridiculed, criticized, and threatened until he finally committed suicide. This is not the military that the Pentagon wants us to see.

Burke's observations and conclusions, however, are not to be dismissed. The military is a macho culture and in an all-volunteer force, those who join are either compelled to by economics (lack of training and opportunity for better jobs) or are attracted by what seems to be the last bastion of the ultra masculine he-man, no-girls-allowed crowd. Burke investigates why this should be and how it is neither good for the military mission nor sustainable.

Burke's style is readable and entertaining. She takes the lid off the military's embarrassing secrets and proceeds to shock and awe. Much more disturbing than the overt misogyny of the marching songs Burke cites, are the numerous lyrics that mention napalming and killing children. This sounds like a disfunctional organization rather than a training ground for tomorrow's heroes.

Camp All-American is well-researched and there is an excellent bibliography. A single exception may have been the story she tells of the bedtime ritual at the Naval Academy, in which plebes say goodnight to their superiors and then to Jane Fonda, followed by a profanity. The only source for this story is an anonymous academy faculty member.

As I was reading the book, which was published in early 2004, I wondered how Burke would explain Abu Ghraib in the context of her military and prison studies. As luck would have it, the online magazine Salon did an interview with her and it's still available in their archives. In it she addresses that very subject. The Lord of the Flies mentality did not surprise Burke, nor did the fact that everything was meticulously photographed. She mentioned, as she does in the book, that as society changes and technology advances, the military will find that gender is no longer an issue. Torture, on the other hand, probably will be.

The View From a Female and Folklorist.......2005-06-08

The present day military training procedures were originally developed by the Greeks as a way of training men to fight in their Phalanx. In that society the separation of the genders was even more complete. This training procedure has been followed, not without some minor change for a couple of thousand years. And the change that has come in, has come in reluctantly on the part of the military. After all, the training procedure works. That's why it is still followed by nearly every army in the world.

Ms. Burke chronicles the story well. She sees things from a female and folklorist point of view that is different that what I would see. She comes to two recognizable conclusions.

First the American Military is dysfunctional. Yup! No doubt about that. And to think that this is the military that wins. Imagine what the others must be like. Go read Len Deighton's book "Blood, Tears and Folly" about the screw ups in World War II.

Second, she would like to see a bunch of changes in the military. Yup! Let's change it. But let's change it slowly. Bad as it is, the current system has worked for a couple of thousand years. Be careful you don't produce something even more dysfunctional in an attempt to be politically correct.

Finally she talks about Jane Fonda. Yes, she's probably right about that too. I hear that her new movie is pretty good. It's undoubtedly silly, but I'm not going see Hanoi Jane in a movie.

A complete waste of time and money.......2005-01-14

I must first apologize to anyone who has purchased this book in the past three months. If I had written this upon finishing Burke's diatribe perhaps I could have saved you some of your hard-earned money.

My time is limited, so I will simply say that Ms. Burke distorts reality beyond recognition; portraying the marginal as the typical. Her research was either shoddy, or more likely, she discarded any findings that didn't conform to her agenda.

This is probably the first book I've ever read that I can truly say is not worth the paper upon which it is printed.

Insight Pocket Guide Hanoi & Northern Vietnam (Insight Pocket Guides)

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Insight Pocket Guide Hanoi & Northern Vietnam (Insight Pocket Guides)
Samantha Coomber
Manufacturer: Insight Guides
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 981258045X

Book Description

Insight Pocket Guides are packed with loads of personal recommendations-- it's like having your own private tour guide. All the itineraries are tailor-made by seasoned travel writers and journalists living and working in the area. The free pullout map plots all the recommended tours so you can plan your day, take your map, and go!

The Eleven Days of Christmas: America's Last Vietnam Battle

Average customer rating:

An excellent book
From the Vietnamese point of view
Great book
How Air Force Generals covered their butts.
SHAME ON SAC

The Eleven Days of Christmas: America's Last Vietnam Battle
Marshall L., III Michel
Manufacturer: Encounter Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Clashes: Air Combat over North Vietnam, 1965-1972
Iron Hand: Smashing the Enemy's Air Defences
Sierra Hotel: Flying Air Force Fighters in the Decade After Vietnam
Eye in the Sky: The Story of the Corona Spy Satellites (Smithsonian History of Aviation and Spaceflight)
US Tank and Tank Destroyer Battalions in the ETO 1944-45 (Battle Orders)

ASIN: 1893554279

Book Description

Moving from the White House to the B-52 cockpits to the missile sites and POW camps of Hanoi, The Eleven Days of Christmas is a gripping tale of heroism and incompetence in a battle whose political and military legacy is still a matter of controversy.

Customer Reviews:

An excellent book.......2006-03-19

I am very impressed with this book. It is a combination of history, great story telling, and analysis of the huge air battle fought over N. Vietnam during Nixon's "Christmas bombing." And if you like the mighty B-52, its even better.

It gives a brief background of SAC, and how LeMay's thinking carried over into the Vietnam War. He was, like anyone, flawed at times, and he left SAC in something of a tight spot. It only did things one way. Flexibility was lacking when it would have been very helpful. The bombers over North Vietnam did things in a set pattern, and that went back to SAC, and the days of LeMay. Someone should have been able to look ahead, and change the path of the bombers as they left their bomb runs.

It also gives the reader a good look at the bureaucratic bungling, micro-management, and political thinking which increased the losses of the B-52 crews. That is hardly new in war. It still hurts and frustrates to have to see the results. Lives could have been saved with a realistic response from those who should have known better. Careers can end up being more important than lives. Too bad it has to happen in the military, where some wonderful people risk so much for their country.

This was a huge, and terribly dangerous undertaking. The B-52 crews flew into some very tough air defenses, and risked a great deal to help bring the U.S. involvement in Vietnam to an end. One cannot help but wish it had been done years before. Think of the lives and heartache decisive action could have saved.

It also made me miss the good qualities of Nixon--and yes, he had them. The man was willing to show great courage when he finally unleashed the B-52s, and let them do their work. If only it had been done much, much sooner.

A great read--techinical details which interest and add, political backgrouind which is useful, and a damned good story as well. First rate.

From the Vietnamese point of view.......2006-02-09

Throughout the years I've read so many books written in English about the Vietnam War and I notice that they all so biased in favor of the U.S in virtually every aspect. From the Vietnamese point of view, this operation is called "Dien Bien Phu Tren Khong", which means "Dien Bien Phu in the air". This is a great victory for the Vietnamese side because they were able to force the U.S to agree to the demand that the Vietnamese had been demanded throughout the entire war, the demand was to withdraw all troops from Vietnam before any peace deal could be sign, other than that, the fighting would be carried on indefinitely. In 1972, the U.S agreed to the demand of the North Vietnamese that's why the North agreed to sign the peace deal. According to Vietnamese sources and eyewitnesses on the ground during this campaign, there were a total of 31 B-52 bombers that were shot down, not the 15 like the U.S or English sources have been claiming throughout the years and a combined total of 81 aircrafts were shot down. North Vietnam shot a total of around 540 missiles, not 1200 and at the end of the 11th day, missiles reinforcement was coming in masses from the city of Haiphong and it is not the myth that the North was running out of missiles. Furthermore, the total combined numbers of Migs fighters of the North throughout the war never exceeded 200 so it was impossible for the North to lose "hundreds" of aircrafts in air-to-air combat against the U.S that so many English-written sources have been claiming. In fact, the total number of Migs lost during the entire war including operational losses is believed to be no more than 50 because at the beginning of this Christmas bombing, the North still had around 150-160 Migs fighters left. I think history has to be examined from both sides, not just from the English-written sources only.

Great book.......2005-11-24

I thought the book was great. Just because we lost a few B-52's during the first couple of days of bombing Hanoi, it made me want to jump out of my seat and continue it. Clearly the research and planning for this mission should have been better. I was also amazed out how the Secretary of Defense at the time dragged his feet when the President ordered the bombing! If Nixon were un-obstructed, I think he could have ended the war sooner and with greater returns than what happend after the Xmas bombings over Hanoi. A must read book.

How Air Force Generals covered their butts........2005-10-24

This is a great read. I read this book in less than 24 hours because it was so interesting. Michel did a great job of detailing the Christmas bombing campaign of 1972. The B-52s (or BUFFs)were sent to take the war to the North Vietnamese. The target was Hanoi and Haiphong. The campaign covered only 11 days. THe North Vietnamese and their SA-2s and Fan Song radar shot down 15 BUFFs.

What is so interesting is how the SAC generals made lots of mistakes and then covered them up. The centralized approach to the war by SAC sounded like they were imitating Soviet generals. This centralized approach had a lot to do with how SAC was structured. Also interesting was the sharp turn following the bombing run. The bomber crews did this because we always did it this way. However this turn made the radar jamming inoperable during this activity. The first four nights of the bombing run were predictable and it was like a line of ants going to a picnic. The North Vietnamese practiced their skill at lining the missles up and shooting at the opportune time. The lack of missles was the only thing preventing more losses to the USAF BUFFs. General Sullivan commanding the Thailand base was the only one who voiced his opinion of these bad tactics. Once the losses were high, his voice was heard. He was subsequently put on the slow track and later retired.

This is a good book. Lots of great information on this last battle of the Vietnam War. The one thing distracting about this book is the poor grammar used throughout it. This book needed a good proof reader and unfornately this was not done well. However, the information and story within this book more than made up for this deficit.

SHAME ON SAC.......2004-06-20

By nature a bureaucracy is rule-oriented, intransigent, and usually impenetrable. This describes the Strategic Air Command during Operation Linebacker II. Richard Nixon's audacious campaign to return the North Vietnamese to the negotiating table, end US involvement in South Vietnam, and get our POWs back. General John Meyer, top honcho at SAC, was originally a fighter pilot in WWII. As a tactical fighter pilot, Meyer was one of the best. However, as chief decision maker during the operation, Meyer proved himself to be in over his head, completely ignoring feedback from the pilots after the disastrous first three days of the operation. SAC picked targets and planned routes of entry and exit from halfway around the world at Offutt Air Force Base in Omaha, Nebraska. Ordering aircraft commanders to make post-bombing turns over heavily defended terrain allowed the communists to shoot down an alarming number of aircraft. These turns not only blanked out the BUFF's radar jamming, but also forced the big bombers to turn into a headwind, slowing them down and making them big juicy targets for the Hanoi Air Defense Command. The guy that saved the day for Linebacker II was General Glenn Sullivan, stationed at Utapao. On day four, Sullivan sent a message simultaneously to General Johnson (his superior) at Eighth Air Force on Guam, as well as to SAC, suggesting a revision of the colossally stupid SAC attack plans. (General Sullivan was subsequently "punished" for this message, never receiving credit for his snatching victory from the jaws of defeat, and never rising above the rank of Brigadier General). An interesting sidebar is how the Air Force savaged Dana A. Drenkowski for an article he wrote in the Armed Forces Journal, charging that "SAC's mistakes had caused most of the losses in the early days of Linebacker II." Do not believe official Air Force histories of this titanic struggle in the skies. (The North Vietnamese to this day tout their "victory" as the "Dien Bien Phu of the skies"). Michel documents his sources carefully and shows that US Air Force higher-ups engaged in revisionism when they wrote their official history of Linebacker II. In any case, and in spite of SAC's subterfuge to undermine Nixon's orders, the North Vietnamese returned to the bargaining table in Paris and signed a "peace" agreement. We disengaged from Vietnam and got our POWs back, something Nixon was determined to accomplish. In my view, President Nixon ordered the two most successful campaigns of the war: Linebacker II and the spring, 1970, Cambodian incursion. With this kind of determination and aggressiveness, Vietnam could have been won. Sullivan takes you inside the White House, inside SAC, inside the briefing rooms on Guam and at Utapao, and most grippingly, inside the planes as they carried out their dangerous missions. Through lengthy and meticulous research, Michel has written a book that can't be put down. Highly recommended.

Average customer rating:

Fine Writing, Egotistical POW
The Hell My Grandfather went thru!
A Book That Made Me Ill
A more personal perspective
painfully heartbreaking...wonderful

A POW's Story: 2801 Days in Hanoi
Larry Col Guarino
Manufacturer: Ballantine Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Similar Items:

2,355 Days: A POW's Story
Chained Eagle: The Heroic Story of the First American Shot Down over North Vietnam
The Passing of the Night: My Seven Years as a Prisoner of the North Vietnamese
Captive Warriors: A Vietnam Pow's Story (Texas a & M University Military History Series)
Honor Bound: American Prisoners of War in Southeast Asia, 1961-1973

ASIN: 0449000990
Release Date: 1997-06-23

Book Description

Shot down on his fiftieth mission over North Vietnam, Major Larry Guarino was the eleventh American to be captured during the Vietnam War. Through eight years of humiliation and imprisonment which included physical and mental torture, and through the bleakest periods of suffering and despair, Guarino never lost his courage, his patriotism, or his will to live. His riveting tale of survival is truly a triumph of the human spirit.

Customer Reviews:

Fine Writing, Egotistical POW.......2006-08-07

The writing and story seemed fine. It certainly had personality and flair. After a while though, the stories seemed a bit of a stretch. Guarino was the only one who could schmooze his captors into better treatment. Guarino was the one who reprimanded and instructed the more well-known POW's (Kasler, etc.) Guarino was wiser than other SRO's who advocated detrimental behaviors (Denton and fasting). Guarino was the one who had his hand on moving events (Denton speech at Clark AFB).

I'm sure the guy went through hell and more than I could ever take but the story really started to smack of someone trying to justify and prove his heroics. His heroics stood for themselves -- they didn't need to be built off the backs of others.

Fine writing and overall a fine story but starts to stretch credulity.

The Hell My Grandfather went thru!.......2006-02-02

This book is a true story that My Grandfather went thru after being shot down in the Vietnam War. He was Bound Tied and Tortured almost daily. They did not break him. I applaud you Grandpa for writing this book. You are my Hero!
David

A Book That Made Me Ill.......2000-06-22

This book takes a harsh look at the truth of life of an American POW in Vietnam. Reading the horrid things done to our POW's would make me ill at times but it also gave me an even greater respect for the people who served in the Vietnam War. Our POW's went through a lot and if you'd like to experience that first hand, read this book!

A more personal perspective.......1999-12-06

As the young son of an Air Force officer, I was close to the family during the period of captivity. I only wish there was more in the book of the incredible courage of the entire family. The oldest son went to Vietnam and flew as a Forward Air Controller. The wife was deeply involved in the grass-roots effort to free the POWs and I was deeply touched by her courage, devotion and faith. I once saw the middle son save a young boy after the boy was attacked by a shark. It is often difficult to identify true courage, but here is an entire family. This is a great book of courage from the courageous father of a courageous family.

painfully heartbreaking...wonderful.......1999-10-14

I have read several accounts of the Vietnam POW's and this one was the most emotional for me. I am glad that he had the courage to point out the traitorous and despicable behavior of people like Jane Fonda and Tom Hayden. What these men had to go through is in the face of such cowardice by these traitors is incomprehensible to me. God bless you Col. Guarino... your efforts are profoundly appreciated!

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