Amazon.com
In the first significant engagement between American troops and the Viet Cong, 450 U.S. soldiers found themselves surrounded and outnumbered by their enemy. This book tells the story of how they battled between October 23 and November 26, 1965. Its prose is gritty, not artful, delivering a powerful punch of here-and-now descriptions that could only have been written by people actually on the scene. In fact, they were: Harold Moore commanded the men of the 1st Battalion, 7th Cavalry, who did most of the fighting, and Joseph Galloway was the only reporter present throughout the battle's 34 harrowing days. We Were Soldiers Once... combines their memories with more than 100 in-depth interviews with survivors on both sides. The Battle of Ia Drang also highlights a technological advance that would play an enormous role in the rest of the war: this was perhaps the first place where helicopter-based, air-mobile operations demonstrated their combat potential. At bottom, however, this is a tale of heroes and heroism, some acts writ large, others probably forgotten but for this telling. It was a bestseller when first published, and remains one of the better books available on combat during the Vietnam War. --John J. Miller
Book Description
Each year, the Commandant of the U.S. Marine Corps selects one book that he believes is both relevant and timeless for reading by all Marines. The Commandant's choice for 1993 was
We Were Soldiers Once . . . and Young.
In November 1965, some 450 men of the 1st Battalion, 7th Cavalry, under the command of Lt. Col. Hal Moore, were dropped by helicopter into a small clearing in the Ia Drang Valley. They were immediately surrounded by 2,000 North Vietnamese soldiers. Three days later, only two and a half miles away, a sister battalion was chopped to pieces. Together, these actions at the landing zones X-Ray and Albany constituted one of the most savage and significant battles of the Vietnam War.
How these men persevered--sacrificed themselves for their comrades and never gave up--makes a vivid portrait of war at its most inspiring and devastating. General Moore and Joseph Galloway, the only journalist on the ground throughout the fighting, have interviewed hundreds of men who fought there, including the North Vietnamese commanders. This devastating account rises above the specific ordeal it chronicles to present a picture of men facing the ultimate challenge, dealing with it in ways they would have found unimaginable only a few hours earlier. It reveals to us, as rarely before, man's most heroic and horrendous endeavor.
Customer Reviews:
We Were Soldiers Once and Young.......2007-09-24
This book is the best reflection of some of my personal experiences in Vietnam that I have read. If one really wants to truly know what it was like ,read this book. I especially like the fact that Hal Moore is a true soldier's soldier.These kind of leaders are special men and quickly earn the respect of their men. I also liked the fact of his follow up, after coming home, with the familys of the men he lost. The thumnail sketch at the end of the book of each surviving man shows how much he thought of his troops !!
We were ROTC graduates together, but he gave his life for our country.......2007-05-13
The book is an excellent story about the glory and the gore of any war. I only recently discovered that one of the company commanders in this story was a fellow classmate of mine. Col. Moore gave this person high praise for his leadership skills in battle. My friend survived this conflict but went on to give his life on his second, and VOLUNTARY, tour of duty in Vietnam. And he was a foreign born, naturalized citizen of this, his adopted country, as well.
We were Soldiers Once...And Young: Ia Drang--The Battle That Changed The War In Vietnam.......2007-01-10
For a clear and comprehensive understanding of what a major battle looked like from the ground and from both sides of a conflict, this is an highly informative book. It's detailed depiction leaves one with a deeper understanding of how horrible war really is and just what we ask soldiers to do when we send them to fight for their countries.
Gripping true to life..........2007-01-04
I finished the book over a month ago-I usually don't review at all-
& especially with the top review from Ramon A. Nadal who participated
in the battle-[much respect]
However I thought it was a pretty even-handed account of the battle-policies of the time & emotional content wasn't overdone.
I prefer documentery style books/movies etc...
It wasn't masked by any 60's rhetoric of the times-
which is nice-altho it was very "in the moment".
I wanted to get a feel for real combat-as opposed to soldiers as numbers- as Im actively opposing aggressive wars in Afghanistan & Iraq.
John Findlay
Story of Determination and Sacrifice.......2006-12-12
Books come to me in some odd ways. While walking through a small bookstore in Newark Penn Station, not necessarilly intent on buying a book, I found a copy of We Were Soldiers Once, on the bottom shelf. Having seen the movie by Mel Gibson, I was intrigued. Whenever possible, after visiting Hollywood for history, I always go back to the history to discover the gaps, the real interpretations, and unltimately, what really happened.
In this case, I am very glad I picked it up off that bottom shelf.
For anyone looking for a glamourized version of war, this is not it. Throughout the narrative each soldier who fell is mentioned, where they were from, their kin, and how they died. There are places where each paragraph for a number of pages references a fallen comrade. You can't help but feel connected to those brave men, especially when you read of their hometowns... places you recognize.
For the first major combat operation of the Vietnam War, it certainly defined the war. And for those were thrown into La Drang, it is an experience they cannot forget. Despite being a detailed account of the battle, with all the nuances that would make a military historian proud, I couldn't put it down. In fact, in more than one occasion, I resented my train for arriving on schedule.
Equally impressive was the time devoted to the Vietnamese perspective. We conveniently think of our enemies as marching robots, but if anything, Col. Moore paints a picture of an enemy that was struggling with the difficulties of battle and the realities of the battlefield.
If you are interested in a highly engaging battle account, especially of a battle so pivotal in the history of our involvement in Vietnam. And if, as a background, you are intrigued with how our military strategy evolved in such a short period - from amassing troops to using air cover, this is a book you will want to read.
Finally, if you are simply interested in learning about the men who gave the last full measure of their devotion to their fellow soldiers and their country, pick it up. Don't let this volume sit on the bottom shelf of a bookstore.
Book Description
Each year, the Commandant of the U.S. Marine Corps selects one book that he believes is both relevant and timeless for reading by all Marines. The Commandant's choice for 1993 was
We Were Soldiers Once . . . and Young.
In November 1965, some 450 men of the 1st Battalion, 7th Cavalry, under the command of Lt. Col. Hal Moore, were dropped by helicopter into a small clearing in the Ia Drang Valley. They were immediately surrounded by 2,000 North Vietnamese soldiers. Three days later, only two and a half miles away, a sister battalion was chopped to pieces. Together, these actions at the landing zones X-Ray and Albany constituted one of the most savage and significant battles of the Vietnam War.
How these men persevered--sacrificed themselves for their comrades and never gave up--makes a vivid portrait of war at its most inspiring and devastating. General Moore and Joseph Galloway, the only journalist on the ground throughout the fighting, have interviewed hundreds of men who fought there, including the North Vietnamese commanders. This devastating account rises above the specific ordeal it chronicles to present a picture of men facing the ultimate challenge, dealing with it in ways they would have found unimaginable only a few hours earlier. It reveals to us, as rarely before, man's most heroic and horrendous endeavor.
From the Hardcover edition.
Customer Reviews:
Not really a history...........2007-10-09
This book, while very popular and included on the US Army Chief of Staff's "Professional Reading List, is a mixed bag. There's lots of action, shooting, firefights, etc., and Col. Moore did get some of the NVA perspective as well. The maps are pretty good, and are useful to consult while reading this. After reading this book, I came away with a feeling of awe and near disbelief about what these very young soldiers had to go through, what they endured, and how many were killed. The problem, however, is that after awhile, the book reads like one non-stop chronicle of firefights and NVA assaults. There is not enough structural framework to the narrative once the battle starts. If the fighting was confusing to the GI's in the jungle where the battle was fought, how much more so to the reader 40 years later, not having seen the ground. The book suffers from what many do, especially by 1st time authors--it keeps EVERYTHING in, and leaves nothing out. The book could have used some editing of the repletion, and needs to have a much better organization of events. I kept asking myself, "why are the soldiers there?" "Why did they send in such a small force, and not reinforce in greater #'s?" Moore never really provides this.
Of some interest.......2007-06-24
This is an account of the first large scale encounter between the North Vietnamese Army and the Americans. Prior to this battle the Viet Cong had fought against the Army of the Republic of Vietnam.(ARVN) The success of the Viet Cong had led the North Vietnamese to think that they could win the war by conventional means in 1965. They started to send large detachment of troops down the Ho Chi Min trail. The command problems the North Vietnamese faced was that it took literaly months for their troops to travel the length of the trail. The original plan which led to this battle was for the North Vietnamese to blockade a large town and then to ambush the ARVN relief column.
The problem was that whilst the units were moving down the trail America committed large numbers of units to the war. This battle was not only an experiment for the North Vietnamese it also was for the Americans. Previously the French had problems in fighting the Vietnamese. Although they had modern forces their units were slow and the Vietnamese could make decisions about when to give battle. The Americans developed the notion of "Air Cavalary". Helicopter born infantry which could be quickly dropped in areas in which enemy troops were concentrated. This battle was the first combat experiance of Air Cavalary.
Broadly what happened was that the North Vietnamese units failed in their attempt to trap an ARVN column. The Americans dropped an air cavalary unit in an area which had concentrations of the units which had been involved in this attack. The North Vietnamese had a superiority in numbers of troops but no artillery or air support. They decided to attack anyway. There were two distinct battles. One was an attempt to destroy a unit of 400 Air Cavalary troops which initially landed. This was not succesfull as the Americans were able to use artillery and air support to destroy the attacking North Vietnamese. The second was a ambush of American relief forces had been landed and decided to retreat after the completion of the first battle.
The result overall of the engagement was inconclusive although it led to both sides thinking that they could win. The Americans inflicted a kill ration of something like 12 to 1. As a result the American commander thought that he could win a battle of attrition. It was from this battle that the search and destroy missions and body counts came from. The North Vietnamese although came out of the battle thinking that they could win. Despite the lack of artillery support and air support they had badly cut up one American column and they had inflicted casualties on the other.
The book is pretty much an oral history of both battles. Like any oral history it gives a fragmented picture of what went on as it moves from one eye witness account to another. Not surprisingly as the book is written by an American the account has the veneer of heroism over it. Although in any battle there are different types of heroism. Whilst the American troops were clearly brave and the dependence on supply by helicopter meant that the troops on the ground were not supplied with water(preferance was given to ammunition)the North Vietnamese had to fight with light weapons against a vastly better armed enemy.
On every Servicemember's Reading List.......2007-06-13
Battles achieve legendary status - however as modern times proceed, we don't hold the same reverence that we do to those battles from the time of Napolean to Gettysburg to Normady. This battle is on the same grounds and deserves the same reverence of how war was fought. Every military history buff and military strategist must read this account.
we were soldiers.......2007-01-18
A compelling story about emotions of soldiers and their families before, during and after return from their tour of duty in Vietnam.
We Were Soldiers Once.... and I Was too........2006-06-30
This is a prizewinning after-action-report and a fine account of our soldiers in action. I fought during Tet, and I know how brutal it was. This book made me tremble, but I feel great pride. All should read.
Book Description
In November 1965, some 450 men of the 1st Battalion, 7th Cavalry, under the command of Lt. Col. Hal Moore, were dropped by helicopter into a small clearing in the Ia Drang Valley They were immediately surrounded by 2,000 North Vietnamese soldiers. Three days later, only two and a half miles away, a sister battalion was chopped to pieces. Together these actions constituted one of the most savage and significant battles of the Vietnam War.
The story of how these men persevered paints a vivid portrait of war at its most inspiring and devastating. General Moore and Joseph Galloway, the only journalist on the ground throughout the fighting, interviewed hundreds of men who fought there, including the North Vietnamese commanders. This devastating account rises above the specific ordeal it chronicles to present a picture of men facing the ultimate challenge, dealing with it in ways they would have found unimaginable only a few hours earlier. It reveals to us, as rarely before, man's most heroic and horrendous endeavor.
read by Johnny Heller
Customer Reviews:
Excellent book on tape.......2006-08-18
The movie was great, but the book (on tape) was much more intense and horrifying. I highly recommend this book to everyone!
Classic Book - Superb in Audiobook Format.......2005-10-25
I thoroughly enjoyed this story on a recent family trip across country. I was surprised when my wife, who is usually not interested in war stories, became immersed in the book. I only wish it was available in CD-Rom format.
it stays with you even after you've read it.......2004-11-06
This book is a very real and truthful account of what happened. I read it in a few days and could not put it down. The story goes into the lives of the men there and you will be horrified, stunned, and angry. This book is impossible to read as an outsider; it draws you in and stays with you for a while afterward. The personal accounts are so chilling and real. Also, the lives of the families at home, the political happenings and the aftermath confront you with shocking realizations.
Powerful.......2003-01-12
I have never read a book that i could not put down,i bought this book yesterday 1/10/03 and just finished it now 1/11/03. My heart goes out to those American Soldiers who were in this battle and how brave and galently they fought,i had never heard of this battle until i saw the movie,i wanted to find out the facts as to what happened in the battle.This book told me everything down to the last detail.This is a book everyone should read to see what its really like in battle.That battle and bravery our soldiers will stay with me forever.
History All Americans Should Know.......2002-11-14
I recommend this honest and very straight forward book to all who care to know more about the Vietnam conflict. As a kid who was born in the 1960's, my appreciation of the soldiers who fought and gave their lives has been limited to the various movies and stories of the era.
The authors of this book have done an incredible job gathering information from their fellow soldiers (and in some cases those soldiers families) in order to convey and portray what can only be described as an incredibly poignant account of their experiences.
I know that this will be a story I will one day recommend that my own children read in an effort to improve their understanding of the sacrafices such brave people have made for the sake of our continued freedom.
Book Description
A #1 New York Times Bestseller
In 1965, 450 were dropped into the Ia Drang Valley. Immediately surrounded by 2,000 North Vietnamese soldiers, they faced nearly certain destruction. How these men survived is a vivid portrait of war at its most devastating and inspiring.
Included in Core 6 only.
Customer Reviews:
Go get it.......2005-02-01
This book was outstanding it took a very large ordeal and shrunk it to the story of the 1st battalion, 7th cavalry. And the personal accounts that these people had in the Ia Drang valley in Vietnam. This was one of the most significant events in America's history. There were some 450 men in this battalion; they were immediately surrounded by some 2000 Vietnamese soldiers that would only stop fighting when they were all dead. It told the story of the unselfishness that our American soldiers have for each other; probably one of the most touching events through out the book. These soldiers cared for each other all the way through the battle.
I recommend this book to people who like attention grabbing books because this was definitely one of them. Also if you like learning about Americas history this is the book for you it hits many points and makes you question what we did and why did we do it. I personally don't like to read but this book was well worth it and I did not want to put it down once I started reading it. So I do highly recommend this to everyone it's a great read full of action and now I want to go rent the movie to see all the action that I visualized while reading. So don't sit there and read anymore of this and go get the book what are you waiting for? Go get it now...
Will bring a new respect for the american soldier..........2004-02-14
This is a great book. It will put many things into prospective for you. I would definitely recommend this book, though at times it is hard to keep up with the store with so many different viewpoints by other soldiers. Over all this is an excellent book.
Average customer rating:
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The African-American Odyssey, Volume I: To 1877 with Audio CD
Darlene Clark Hine
Manufacturer: Prentice Hall College Div
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
 Africa
| History
| Subjects
| Books
| African Studies
| Algeria
| Angola
| Benin
| Botswana
| Central Africa
| Comoros
| Democratic Republic of Congo
| Djibouti
| East Africa
| Egypt
| Equatorial Guinea
| Eritrea
| Ethiopia
| Gabon
| Gambia
| General
| Ghana
| Guinea
| Guinea Bissau
| Ivory Coast
| Kenya
| Lesotho
| Liberia
| Libya
| Madagascar
| Malawi
| Mali
| Mauritania
| Morocco
| Mozambique
| Namibia
| Niger
| Nigeria
| North Africa
| Rwanda
| Sao Tome and Principe
| Senegal
| Sierra Leone
| Somalia
| South Africa
| Southern Africa
| Sudan
| Swaziland
| Tanzania
| Togo
| Tunisia
| Uganda
| West Africa
| Western Sahara
| Zambia
| Zimbabwe
General
| World
| History
| Subjects
| Books
Ethnic Studies
| Special Groups
| Social Sciences
| Nonfiction
| Subjects
| Books
ASIN: 0137588224 |
Book Description
This book is the first comprehensive survey of the African-American experience. It draws on recent research to present black history in a clear and direct manner, within a broad social, cultural, and political framework. Life in sixteenth-century Africa, slavery, the antislavery movement, The Civil War, emancipation, and reconstruction. For anyone who is interested in an in-depth exploration of African-American history as it relates to U.S. history.
Customer Reviews:
A Comprehensive Primer.......2007-08-28
"The African American Odyssey" just got better with the release of the 3rd edition. Updated accounts, in-depth coverage, a broadened focus (the American West, and beyond America), and the wonderfully helpful enclosed CD which allows for additional research, all make this a comprehensive volume for any and all students of African American history.
The blending of the famous and the unknown, men and women, North and South, slave and free, provides for a tapestry that weaves together both the terror and the triumph of the African American experience which enabled them to move beyond the suffering to a place of healing hope. The faith-basis for so much of the African American triumph could have been covered more comprehensively, though it is more than hinted at in the original sources covered.
Reviewer: Bob Kellemen, Ph.D., is the author of Beyond the Suffering: Embracing the Legacy of African American Soul Care and Spiritual Direction.
Terror and Triumph.......2007-01-21
"The African American Odyssey" just got better with the release of the 3rd edition. Updated accounts, in-depth coverage, a broadened focus (the American West, and beyond America), and the wonderfully helpful enclosed CD which allows for additional research, all make this a comprehensive volume for any and all students of African American history.
The blending of the famous and the unknown, men and women, North and South, slave and free, provides for a tapestry that weaves together both the terror and the triumph of the African American experience which enabled them to move beyond the suffering to a place of healing hope. The faith-basis for so much of the African American triumph could have been covered more comprehensively, though it is more than hinted at in the original sources covered.
Reviewer: Bob Kellemen, Ph.D., is the author of Beyond the Suffering: Embracing the Legacy of African American Soul Care and Spiritual Direction, Soul Physicians, and Spiritual Friends.
Great Job.......2006-02-25
I received this order on time and in excellent condition. I will do business with again.
A Great History Book.......2004-04-15
An effective book, which the young new generation of African Americans can really gain their sense of knowledge from.
Average customer rating:
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Nobel Laureates in Chemistry, 1901-1992 (History of Modern Chemical Sciences) (History of Modern Chemical Sciences)
Manufacturer: Chemical Heritage Foundation
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
General
| Biographies & Memoirs
| Subjects
| Books
Scientists
| Professionals & Academics
| Biographies & Memoirs
| Subjects
| Books
General & Reference
| Chemistry
| Science
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Science
| Subjects
| Books
General & Reference
| Chemistry
| Professional Science
| Professional & Technical
| Subjects
| Books
ASIN: 0841224595
Release Date: 1993-06-01 |
Product Description
An authoritative and informative volume that examines the scientific achievements in chemistry for which the Nobel Prize has been awarded. Biographies of all 116 Nobel laureates explore their scientific achievements and their human side. Many essays were written by colleagues, coworkers, or former students of the laureates, and all living laureates reviewed their entries for accuracy.
Average customer rating:
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The Cuckoo on the Kettle (Animals)
Joan Grant
Manufacturer: Whittet Books, Limited
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
General
| Animal Care & Pets
| Home & Garden
| Subjects
| Books
Conservation
| Environment
| Outdoors & Nature
| Subjects
| Books
Living on the Land
| Ecology
| Outdoors & Nature
| Subjects
| Books
| Architecture
| Hunting & Fishing
Nature Writing
| Outdoors & Nature
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Conservation
| Outdoors & Nature
| Subjects
| Books
Birds
| Field Guides
| Outdoors & Nature
| Subjects
| Books
Reference
| Outdoors & Nature
| Subjects
| Books
ASIN: 1873580053 |
Books:
- West Indies Accounts: Essays on the History of the British Caribbean and the Atlantic Economy
- Where We Were in Vietnam: A Comprehensive Guide to the Firebases, Military Installations and Naval Vessels of the Vietnam War, 1945-1975
- Why Did This Happen to Me?: Bouncing Back When Life Knocks You Down
- A Companion to 19th-Century America (Blackwell Companions to American History)
- A History of World Societies: From Antiquity Through the Middle Ages He World
- A War Like No Other: How the Athenians and Spartans Fought the Peloponnesian War
- A-Z of Modern Europe, 1789-1999
- Abraham Lincoln and the Washington Territory
- Africa South of Sahara 1997 (26th ed)
- Agency and Autonomy in Kant's Moral Theory: Selected Essays
Books Index
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