MovieChat Forums > Platoon (1987) Discussion > "Must Read" books about Vietnam War

"Must Read" books about Vietnam War

posted a year ago by ebhaynz (3617)
6 replies | jump to latest

I haven't read too many, but the ones I did were fantastic.

Chickenhawk, by Robert Mason Robert Mason's narrative of his experiences as a "Huey" UH-1 Iroquois helicopter pilot during the Vietnam War. Intense, incredible stories, gut wrenching. There's so much death, destruction, it's easy to understand why so many soldiers came back with PTSD.

Nam: The Vietnam War in the Words of the Men and Women Who Fought There, by Mark Baker More than 150 interviews with Vietnam veterans, including military nurses, yield emotional, firsthand accounts of the Vietnam experience, from boot camp to homecoming. Unbelievable stories, some funny, some tragic, many totally insane. I hope that some of these stories aren't really true.

[–] [deleted] a year ago

Dispatches - Micheal Herr. A lot of the tropes you see in Vietnam films come from his experiences (with a fair amount of embellishments) as a journalist during the war. Especially the battle of Hue in Full Metal Jacket.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dispatches_(book)

[–] PittPanthers47 (237) a year ago

i just saw this thread. Interesting. The Chickenhawk book sounds really good. I believe that 10% of the names on the Wall are chopper pilots. It was a bad business---as was just about all the other MOS of troops heavily involved in the fighting.

A few that I may put out there for the purpose of having a working bibliography for one's library---

We Were Soldiers Once And Young- Hal Moore and Joe Galloway. One of the very best battlefield accounts that I have ever read.

In Retrospect: We Were Wrong- Robert McNamara. The former Sec. of Defense under JFK and LBJ comes clean after many decades and admits that they blew it.

The Best and the Brightest- David Halberstam. Gives a account of how the war happened. A bit dry but it does offer some thoughts on how it all happened and how the so-called brighest of their generation really stepped in it.

Fire in the Lake- Frances Fitzgerald. Another dry academic work but it does do a good job of showing what a major difference there was between cultures here in the US to South Vietnam. Same as what we later saw in Afghanistan. Such relationships were not sustainable.

A Bright and Shining Lie- Neil Sheenan. Another book that offers a good look at what was Vietnam.

I recall reading a good one in high school called Charlie Company but I can't recall the author. Probably most of the things I read were compilation books. Many good works out there.

[–] BOandBarbecue (2264) a year ago

have you seen movie of bright shinging lie, pitt? great film. bill paxton was great in this film.

i like the sound of we were soldiers. hal moore and joe galloway - 2 legends.

[–] PittPanthers47 (237) a year ago

I think I may have seen some of the Bright Shining Lie, not sure.

I would suggest anyone get the Hal Moore/Joe Galloway work.

[–] BOandBarbecue (2264) a year ago

thank you for this recommendations, eb.

chickenhawk sound good. i might think about reading this book if it is action packed with choppers. nam was first chopper war. hueys & cobras > blackhawks and apaches

[–] MikeCable (1713) a year ago

I was going to reply with Chickenhawk - great book.

Similar other books I have:

Low Level Hell - Hugh Mills (OH-6 scout pilot)
Firebirds - Chuck Carlock (Huey pilot)