I loved this book! It was the first book I had read on the Vietnam war and afterwards, I had a hunger to know more about that era in American history. The story of Lance Sijan will provide an American citizen with gratitude beyond the expression of words. Not only that, his story is a tribute to the human spirit of survival and perserverance. What a person to look up to. Anyone reading this book, will leave in awe of the person that Lance Sijan was. I cannot even fathom the ordeal he went through in the jungles of Laos, but only know that a person of tremendous spirit is the only kind that could endure for as long as he did. I would recommend this book to anyone wanting to read about a real hero or if you want to read about Vietnam. It's a great book depicting the horrors of the war.

I handed a strip map to Lt. Sijan just minutes before he began his last mission and had believed for years that he had been shot down and that perhaps I had failed to mark AAA emplacements or a SAM site on his map. I was relieved to know after so many years that I had no bearing in what happened. I've read many stories of courageous men, but never a story that compares with this one. Lance Sijan is a person that no young person could make a mistake in emulating. It is a book that I plan to give to my young son when he is at an age when he is ready to comprehend the strength of Sijan's character and I hope that he will endeavor to become the kind of man Sijan was. I believe that Sijan's story should become required reading in high school civics class - I think every young person should know what the true meaning of the word "hero" means and what the true connotation of "sacrifice" is.

I FIRST READ THIS BOOK ABOUT 10 YEARS AGO, WHILE WORKING IN A BOOK STORE. I HAVE SINCE READ IT SEVERAL TIMES. LANCE SIJAN IS ONE OF THE MOST COURAGOUS AND HEROIC MEN WHO HAS EVER LIVED. HE IS THE PERFECT ROLL MODEL FOR YOUNG PEOPLE TODAY. THIS IS AN EXCELLENT READ THAT WILL NOT ONLY BRING THE PLIGHT OF THE VIETNAM WAR, BUT ALSO THE POW/MIA ISSUE INTO REAL LIFE. LANCE SIJAN IS A TRUE AMERICAN HERO, WHO WILL NEVER FORGOTTEN!!

Great book if you want to know every minute detail about Dien Bien Phu. To me it spends way to much time with the politics of why and how France found itself in Vietnam. The book was full of redundant information. If half of that was removed from the content you would have 200 page book. Instead we have to slug through 500. I thought the best reading of the entire book was the last two chapters where the author threw off the formalities and gave a good overall picture of the French defeat. It seemed to take forever to get there though. The Finale, detailing the journeys of those that escaped was also fascinating. As well as the Postface, "Where are they now". Other than that I'd pass this one up unless you are really insane for French Indochina military history. I only gave it 4 stars because it is historically, about the most thorough writing on the subject.

Bernard Fall's book, HELL IN A VERY SMALL PLACE is the definitive history of the battle of Dien Bien Phu, a battle that had serious implications for generations to follow. In it, he recounts in detail the planning and execution of the battle at all levels. The possibility that a small, preindustrial state like Vietnam could defeat a modern army never entered the minds of the French, until it was too late.

The Communists were adept at waging war at the military and political levels simultaneously. In order for the political, main attack to succeed, Dien Bien Phu had to be in Communist hands prior to the Geneva Convention. The number of casualties the North Viets had to sustain was irrelevant so long as they got what they wanted: a strong bargaining position at Geneva. After France left, if Communism was going to be contained in Indochina, America was going to have to do it.

Communist tactics such as moving artillery pieces and the tons of ammunition to support them down seemingly impassable roads and digging anaconda-like trenches around French positions slowly choking the life out of the garrison would soon be seen again by American soldiers. Western planning books said this could not be done. The books were wrong. They would still be wrong a few years later when the Americans arrived.

On the political front, France was reduced to begging for American air support to save the beleagured garrison and with it, their entire position in Indochina. The question of whether the U.S. could or should intervene and if so, how, was debated at the highest levels for weeks. As the politicians and diplomats bickered, the garrison slowly suffered, bled, and died.

HELL IN A VERY SMALL PLACE is a manual for communist political and military tactics used in Vietnam. Our failure to heed the lessons learned there cost many Americans their lives. We indeed failed to learn from the mistakes of the past. As usual, it was the soldiers on the ground who paid the price for those mistakes with their lives.

If you have an interest in the history of the Vietnam War, or the Indochina War, then this is basically a must read, it will simply put the entire French war in Indochina in perspective for you (though I would also recommend you read "Street Without Joy"). As other reviewers have said, its almost appalling at the similarities between the French mistakes during their war in Indochina and the US's mistakes during its war, so much of it could have been avoided if the right people would have listened and done the proper background work on Vietnam. As far as the book goes, if you want to know something about the Battle of Dien Ben Phu, this book can tell you, it simply has everything, maps, strategies, the times and places that the individual attacks/counterattacks happened, absolutely everything. Yes, there are a lot of military terms and units that will be referenced in the book, but its still well worth the read. Also gives a nice buildup to the battle, as to what had been happening in the war up to that point, and why the French felt it necessary to take such a gamble behind enemy lines. Trust me, its a long book, but its all well worth it, and you will come away with a better understanding of how the French got there, and why we eventually took over after they pulled out. Its unfortunate that our men had to suffer or die needlessly because the right people didnt get their hands on some of the great books out of this era, things could have been a lot different, but hindsight is always 20-20.

Ramond Gantter's "Roll Me Over, An Infantryman's World War II", is truley a wonderfull book. I have read it from cover to cover 4 times, and im working on my 5th. It includes reflection upon one mans thoughts and soul, as well as cant-put-the-book-down-action. It is a very powerfull book. So much so, when i get a snack, i feel lucky to be able to munch on what ever, instead of a D-bar, or C rations.

This book was one that I hated to put down. The stories brought you right to the front line of an average "joe". The author's keen eye for detail and true, down to earth language made this a wonderful book. It honestly felt as if he was sitting in front of me reliving his life during the war and the hardships he endured.

I highly suggest anyone and everyone interested in WWII needs to read this book. It was easy to read, and not filled with over dramatic horror stories. It was as if you were going out with Raymond himself.

Very enjoyable and well worth the reading!

"Roll Me Over" by Raymond Gantter; sub-titled: "An Infantryman's World War II."
Ivy Books, New York, 1997.

This is a very personal reminiscence of an infantryman's progress across Europe, from Normandy to Prague, during the last year of battle in World War II. Private Gantter was college educated when most of his compatriots were not. He preferred classical music to the more popular "jazz" of his buddies. R. Gantter was married while most of his fellow GIs were not. He was sensitive and, like his companions, afflicted by homesickness ...which also included being with his wife and children. His daily observations of war and its effects were recorded sporadically (on scraps of paper) and later served as the basis for this book. All of this results in a sensitive, personal and compassionate analysis of the advance of the American Army across Europe.

Gantter's ability, however limited, to speak German put him in demand, and gave him additional insight into the impact of the war on civilian population, even though they were the enemy. Some incidents in his career as translator reinforced his negative opinion of the officers of the US Army. For example, he was rushed down to act as translator to find that the American officer was dealing with petty concerns: the warmth in the commandeered house, the placement of furniture and so on. Throughout the book, Gantter has very little good to say about the officers of the American Army, thereby echoing other books describing personal disappointments of the officer cast of the same era. There were few "Chesty Pullers".

Gantter does present poignant imagery, as in his description of the shooting and killing of a German soldier, whose overcoat flaps were flouncing up and down as he ran way in the snow. As a side issue, his personal recollection of the house holds shrines he found in Germany (even though he called some "Bleeding Heart" when he meant "Sacred Heart") is an independent confirmation of the inability of the Nazi Party to stamp out the faith and devotion of German Catholics. (For comparison, see: "Under The Bombs" by Earl R. Beck, "The German Home Front 1942-1945" University Press of Kentucky, 1986.)

The photographs in this book are absolutely mind blowing. They are a creditable testament to the memory of the incredibly brave and talented photographers who did not return from Vietnam and Indochina.

Some of the greatest photographers of all time are listed here. Some of their photographs have remained unseen for some 40 years.
Some of the photographs taken were the last visions seen by photographers who were actually killed whilst in the act of taking them.

The first hand reality of the 'at war' experience is brought home to the unitiated reader. To take these shots the photographers were of a necessity extremely close to the action and sometimes in the very midst of it. For their sacrifice in obtaining these images they lost their lives.

One can only sit back with awe at the scenes illustrated and wonder at the suffering, humanity & sometimes lack of it, that perpetuated these conflicts.

These photographers have done a great service in bringing home the reality of war to those who were not there. An amazing and fitting epitaph to those who fought, suffered and died on both sides.

This book is summarised for me by a quote from David Halberstam .. ' they could not, as we print people could, arrive a little late for the action, be briefed, and then, through the skilled use of interviews and journalism, re-create a scene with stunning accuracy, writing a marvelous you-are-there story that reeked of intimacy even though, in truth, we had missed it all. We could miss the fighting and still do our jobs. They could not.' To be a great combat photographer one had to get CLOSE to the action. That's why so many of them were killed. I spent a total of 15 months in Vietnam, from 1969 through 71. The grunt on the ground viewed reporters skeptically, suspecting that they got a lot of their stories in the bar of The Caravelle Hotel in Saigon. But not the photographers. They were regarded with awe. This book comes as close as can be done to evoking the feeling of the country and the war. My friends describe me as a little to the right of Gengis Khan; I think the book is superb. It has nothing to do with politics, just presenting the truth as best as can be done and honoring a bunch of brave men and women whose performance speaks for itself. If you buy only one book this year, this should be it

Requiem is at one, a compelling pictorial account of the conflict which ravaged Indo-China for so many years and also a fitting testament to the courage and the skill of the photographers who lost their lives there. The first series of photographs by the American, Everette Dixie Resse reveal a land of great beauty and startling serenity. There is gentleness and largesse in these early photographs which one feels is drawn not solely from the ambience and topography of the region itself but must have been present in the heart of the man who took them. Requiem chronicles the course of the war from its' inception in the 1950's to the end of American involvement in the 1970's. The book contains not only the photographs of the more famous photographers such as Robert Capa and Larry Burrows but also those whose names are barely known and whose fate sadly, remain unknown. Many of the latter were the North Vietnamese photographers and I feel that their work goes a long way to explain how this small undeveloped country was able to drive the greatest military machine the world has ever known into eventual submission. There is an energy and determination in the eyes and very demeanour of the Communist soldiers that is not apparent amongst their opponents, the French and the Americans. When one sees Luong Nghia Dung's dramatic pictures of the NVA artillery shelling ARVN positions it is as if the very sinews of the soldiers are propelling the shells to the intended target and ultimate victory. The book is not without its lighter moments, although in truth, these are few and far between. The Japanese photographer, Kyoichi Sawada is pictured presenting a print to a family of a photo that he had taken of them swimming across a river in a successful attempt to flee an American air strike. This was indeed a happy occasion to celebrate a lucky escape. Also there are pictures taken by Henri Huet which capture the good-humoured resilience of two Americans wounded in 1966. One might recall the cliché, "blooded but unbowed" or perhaps "grace under pressure". They do however, manage a smile for Huet's camera. The book contains some fascinating biographical information on the men and women who took these photographs. They are from diverse backgrounds, countries and cultures but regardless of who they were, we are left in no doubt that the quality of a photograph has little to do with the camera but so very much with the eye and soul of the person pressing the shutter.

I bought the book after attending a 2-day workshop that the author had put on to a few fellow teachers. He had mentioned his book and said that he was a Vietnam vet. Looking for some light summer reading, I was a bit intrigued to read about a confusing time in our country's history. After taking a few history courses over my years of "academia", this book quite simply spelled out a unique viewpoint of the war which I clearly understood, as well as, "felt." Mr. Schneider wrote the book with the "everyday Joe" in mind -- one day enjoying his MidWestern life as an everyday American citizen and then suddenly on the combat lines in Vietnam. He had had no previous experience with military. He was a school teacher; not quite the ideal tough field "grunt" that runs through the typical American mind when one envisions Vietnam. He does an outstanding job of even putting a "Glossary of Terms" in the back of the book to use for the readers to constantly refer to for some military and war terms used throughout the book. Mr. Schneider uses an excellent mix of reality, humor, and emotions in his book to keep the reader intrigued. What originally was intended for some light reading wound up being an excellent, heart-felt history lesson. Thank you, Mr. Schneider, for putting your story into a book so this confusing time in American history can better be understood.

I heard Mr. Schneider speak at a Reading Across Disciplines workshop recently. He impressed me with his knowledge and experience in the field of education. I purchased his book after he mentioned it in the workshop and was pleasantly surprised. I had never read a book about Vietnam, and only bought it because I knew him as a speaker. It was very powerful, honest and I have recommended it to all of my girlfriends. I had always wanted to learn more about Vietnam, but didn't want to read about the gruesome realities of war. From Classrooms to Claymores was a straightforward story about one man in an unimaginable place.

This is a must read book. I very seldom comment on books or even reccomend them, but I could not put this book down. This is a book that draws you into the action and story behind it. I could literally here the roar of the helicopters,feel the emotion of the scene being described, or experience the scene as if I were there. This is not a blood and guts war story but a human perspective of how a guy thrust into day by day combat from an ordinary life as a school teacher made the best of his situation. His mission while there was to learn how to stay alive and how to help the other soldiers around him survive. I certainly would love to see this produced as a movie. There are a lot of light hearted funny moments that the author shares in the book that make for interesting reading and caused me to literally laugh out loud. Good job! Great reading! Can't wait for a sequel.

I had just finished Bernie Chowdhury's "The Last Dive" when I first learned of this book. The contrast could not be greater. Here is no tale of "personalities" competing on dives to the "Andrea Doria" or sunken U-Boats. "Just A Sailor" is a good, honest tale of the mid-60s to late 70s Navy career of the author.Not all the action is below the surface, much of it is on dry land, with no detrimental effects. Since the author was a Naval photographer and a diver, the combination of the two skills only adds to the story. The inevitable Navy politics and occaisional back stabbing serve well to round the plot out. These are all real people here! A few minor points: The plain vanilla cover does not serve "JS" well. There is more on the inside than may be apparent. If there is a reprint, the publisher should dress it up! A glossary of Navy/dive/photo terms would have helped this reader but this omision is not serious. I liked the bottom-of-the-page footnotes- a nice touch. Finally, why not a Vietnam only sequel? Mr. Waterman can write, he must have some great photos and I don't think the market is flooded with Navy-Vietnam books. "Just A Sailor" is for those of us that like things plain and unfettered. Recommended!

Steven Waterman's JUST A SAILOR has taken me to a world within the Navy that I previously didn't know existed. The trip is adventurous, dangerous, and almost always humorous. Waterman's refreshing style of writing is a splash of cold water in the face of this reader of military history. I highly recommend that you read this book if you enjoy reading: about the military life, about combat, about UDT / SEALs, about the Navy, or you just want to read something that is a diversion from the typical military nonfiction. I hope Waterman continues to write since I always need/enjoy a splash of cold water.

I give this book five stars because it's one of a kind and no other book can compare to it. Steve Waterman tells his story with pure, unadulterated honesty. We don't get questionable details and ham-fisted opinions like we do with so many other true-accounts of military service. Steve's prose is straightforward and conversational. He puts you in his shoes and takes you on a trip from the floor of a truck camper in Maine to the deck of the Navy's politically correct submarine rescue platform, with dozens of interesting, and, at times, harrowing stops in between, including a tour in Vietnam. Steve wanted to leave Maine and find something special, and he did -- he became one of only 15 Navy combat photographers. (There are only 15 of these guys at any one time in the Navy.) Read this book and you'll come away with some new insights into military service. Find out what it's like to have the job of combat photographer and handle the various types of equipment; engage in marine salvage; go on a treasure hunting expedition; serve with the UDT-13 in Vietnam; take part in an underwater habitat experiment and more. Steve's recollection of his service in the Navy is remarkably honest and telling.

I've read a lot of books on Special Ops and especially Lurps in Vietnam. I haven't read a book yet that I didn't like but this one was rather boring. I have to agree with another reviewer that there "wasn't anything making me want to turn the page." If you like sit on the edge of your chair, can't put the book down for hours read this isn't it. Still the book is informative and the series is pretty good.

I read Rey's book second, Although I would have love to have read the books by the numbers I still enjoyed it very much, as a matter-of-fact when I got the other two, I read this one again. I have read all three of them three times, and have enjoyed them just as much each time I read them. I think Rey did an outstanding job of telling how the LRRP companies started. I have never met Rey, I am hoping to get an invite to their next reunion. I am an EX/ LRRP/RANGER. I was with ECHO/ 50th LRRPs then We became ECHO 75th RANGER. Roadrunner 6 out

The LRRPS did. Time and time again the long-range-reconnaissance-patrols went out to "see" and not be "seen", and sadly, some individuals wouldn't return home.

This is fantastic series of books covering the history and evolution of the LRRPS/LRPS/RANGERS during the Vietnam War.

Rey Martinez, Kenn Miller, and Gary Linderer interviewed a great number of the surviving members of the LRRPS/Rangers to bring their history alive. While some members were able to tap in their memories, others wouldn't touch the pain from long ago. The authors did a terrific job bringing the histories together for a strong narrative.

If anything, I found myself wanting to know more! What were they thinking? What were you feeling? I'm sure much ended up on the "editing room floor".

The "SIX SILENT MEN" books are a very honest account if the units actions. Their packed with adventure and daring. While reading their books, I was filled with tension and dread, other times I had to laugh aloud, and a few times I became misty-eyed. You feel for the teams as they "will" themselves to become invisible while on patrol.

Don't be mislead by a negative review. The reviewer misquoted the book. This I know since I pulled my copy off the shelf and checked the text. The reviewer claims the authors are liars --- NOT SO. A great number of books on the Vietnam War are written very honestly, and the publishers do "Fact Checking" before publishing these books. Read the review by Harold Nealy, who was a LRRP! His testimonial supports this fine series. If these books were embellished tales, then Vietnam Vets who served in the LRRPS/Rangers wouldn't hesitate to post a review here and let the truths be known. As you see this isn't the case.

I have never met a veteran who has panned these books. Never.

If you enjoyed this series, I would also recommend Jim Morris' WAR STORY, John Plasters' SOG, James Rowe's FIVE YEARS TO FREEDOM, Larry Chambers RECONDO, and Leigh Wade's TAN PHU.

I had the honor of meeting Kenn Miller, Jim Morris, and John Plaster (and other Vietnam Vets) two years ago. They freely answered my questions. I was going to 'buy a round' when one of them said, "Put your money away kid." I was 33, and that gathering was enjoyed by all.

Read the books. You won't be disappointed! God Bless and Attack life!

I have just read Born on the Fourth of July. I found it to be a very moving account of Ron Kovic. He is very graphic when he explains his thoughts, feelings, and the hospitals. I think that it should be that way. The war should not be sugar coated the way some people depict it. If it wasn't, America would not know what the veterans really had to go through. From this book I have learned more about the Vietnam War then I ever learned in school. I think Ron Kovic did an excellent job writing this book. I recommend it to anyone interested in veterans or the Vietnam War.

I became familiar with Ron Kovic while still a Marine. Probably in 71 or 72 after I returned from Vietnam. Luckily I was not wounded. While stationed in Hawaii after returning, I had the occasion to join Vietnam Veterans Against the War. A friend tried in vane to persuade me to join, but I never could quite do it. I had been taught just like thousands of other young recruits that ours was a noble deed. I still believe that. However...after having read this book, I became much more enlightened to what a lot of men experienced after being wounded/and or wounded severely and emotionally. This book is not about a man against America, but in favor of waking some people up to the horrors of war and the terrible losses we all suffer because of war. A must read.

I had first seen Oliver Stone's adaptation when I was 11 years old. My pre-pubescent sensibility didn't allow me to comprehend what was on the screen, either did my post-adolescent sensibility. This past summer I had read Mailer's "Armies of the Night", and never stopped pondering the concluding line, "For we must end on the road to that mystery where courage, death, and the dream of love give promise of sleep." So then, what does it mean to be an American? Kovic brought this statement forth in such a compelling manner, that I couldn't help asking myself this question, while reading. I sit cozily, well-fed, and warm, reading this book as an undergraduate; Kovic's experience is unfathomable to a slothful log like myself. Perhaps, this is the point of Kovic's heart-felt articulation, to awaken us, the slumbering masses, who watch a media blurb on war and violence, then leave it behind us and change the channel, while eating our turkey breast with gravy. Things like Vietnam will always happen as long as people remain quiet and content! Thank you Ron Kovic for reminding me of this lesson.

Robert Templer, the author, is a young British journalist who was
raised in Asia. In 1994 he spent three years as a correspondent for
the Agence France-Presse and this book, published in 1998, is a well
researched account of a the creeping capitalism, corrupt government,
and historical struggles of the Vietnamese people.

More than half of
Vietnam's population today were born after the war and are more
interested in consumerism than communism. But in spite of their
smuggled videos and make-believe motor bikes (which are all chrome and
glitz and have tiny motors), they live in a culture where corruption
is a way of life, the judicial system is almost non-existent, and
writers are persecuted and forbidden to portray Vietnam without a rosy
myth.

The extent of the corruption is everywhere. If you are sick
you have to pay extra to get the most basic medical care, even if you
have government insurance. If you want your children to pass their
exams, you have to pay teachers for "private tuition". If
you want to move, change jobs or leave the country, you have to pay
someone. The police can arbitrarily rob street vendors or require
payoffs from anyone at whim. And, as foreign investors have found,
unlike other Asian countries, the pay-offs do not necessarily obtain
the results desired.

There's a history of famine in Vietnam and
memories of starvation. There are also food practices that Westerners
find abhorrent. Yes. The Vietnamese do eat dogs and cats and
restaurants get big bucks for serving meat that is on the endangered
species list. I know that I should try to not be judgmental, but the
ancient practice of beating a dog to death over several hours in order
to tenderize the meat particularly disturbs me.

The book is dense
with facts and slow reading. And some of the sections were difficult
to follow, especially when the author went into great detail about the
complexities of corruption in the Vietnamese Communist party where one
leader after another would fall into disfavor with the party, be
thrown into prison, his family denied any employment and his children
forbidden to attend school.

To raise money from tourists, especially
from Americans who return to Vietnam with a sense of guilt about the
war, several war museums have been erected. The fact that many of the
exhibits are not authentic does not stop people from visiting them.
There is even a museum that re-creates the infamous tunnels used by
the Viet Cong although they had to be made larger to accommodate the
larger size American tourists. There is even a make-believe mine
field with firecrackers that explode when a wire is tripped.

For the
Vietnamese who now live in other parts of the world, returning is
difficult. They are considered rich foreigners and intruders and it
is extremely rare for any of them to come back to settle
permanently.

It was a bit of a struggle for me to read this book. I
learned a lot but cannot say I enjoyed it. There was very little to
break the tension and the few shreds of humor were few and far
between. And yet, for anyone who is truly interested in a serious
comprehensive analysis of what Vietnam is today, this is a worthwhile
book and I would definitely recommend it.

Shadows and Wind is among the best books about my homeland that I've ever read. It really brings to life the country and the issues it faces and it is written with a depth of knowledge that I am surprised a non-Vietnamese could learn. This is one of the most important books about the country written in recent years and the first that views it through the eyes of Vietnamese rather than through the view of Americans and people who fought in the war. Parts of this book made me cry when I understood how much people in Vietnam still have to endure. This is a book for the post-War Vietnam, nto for those who only see the country through the war or those who still view it through the ignorant lens of Hollywood and American war books.

I bought this book before I went to Vietnam on vacation and if provided me with far greater insights into the country than any other book I've read on Vietnam. So many books are just about the war but this one goes deep into Vietnamese life and culture, explaining so much about the place. You end up learning so much about the country. I was particularly impressed by the chapters on food, literature and religion that explained so much. A great book on Vietnam. I thoroughly recommend it.