A Better War: The Unexamined Victories and Final Tragedy of America's Last Years in Vietnam

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There was a moment when the United States had the Vietnam War wrapped up, writes military historian Lewis Sorley (biographer of two Vietnam-era U.S. Army generals, Creighton Abrams and Harold Johnson). "The fighting wasn't over, but the war was won," he says in this convention-shaking book. "This achievement can probably best be dated in late 1970." South Vietnam was ready to carry on the battle without American ground troops and only logistical and financial support. Sorley says that replacing General Westmoreland with Abrams in 1968 was the key. "The tactics changed within fifteen minutes of Abrams's taking command," remarked one officer. Abrams switched the war aims from destruction to control; he was less interested in counting enemy body bags than in securing South Vietnam's villages.

A Better War is unique among histories of the Vietnam War in that it focuses on the second half of the conflict, roughly from Abrams's arrival to the fall of Saigon in 1975. Other volumes, such as Stanley Karnow's Vietnam and Neil Sheehan's A Bright Shining Lie, tend to give short shrift to this period. Sorley shows how the often-overlooked Abrams strategy nearly succeeded--indeed, Sorley says it did succeed, at least until political leadership in the United States let victory slip away. Sorley cites other problems, too, such as low morale among troops in the field, plus the harmful effects of drug abuse, racial disharmony, and poor discipline. In the end, the mighty willpower of Abrams and diplomatic allies Ellsworth Bunker and William Colby was not enough. But, with its strong case that they came pretty close to winning, A Better War is sure to spark controversy. --John J. Miller

Book Description

Neglected by scholars and journalists alike, the years of conflict in Vietnam from 1968 to 1975 offer surprises not only about how the war was fought, but about what was achieved. Drawing from thousands of hours of previously unavailable (and still classified) tape-recorded meetings between the highest levels of the American military command in Vietnam, A Better War is an insightful, factual, and superbly documented history of these final years. Through his exclusive access to authoritative materials, award-winning historian Lewis Sorley highlights the dramatic differences in conception, conduct, and-at least for a time-results between the early and later years of the war. Among his most important findings is that while the war was being lost at the peace table and in the U.S. Congress, the soldiers were winning on the ground. Meticulously researched and movingly told, A Better War sheds new light on the Vietnam War.

Customer Reviews:

The Missing Piece to the Puzzle.......2007-06-29

I finished reading "A Better War" by Lewis Sorley - it is subtitled "the unexamined victories and final tragedy of America's last years in Vietnam".

I have been searching for answers to some of the questions that have bothered me for over 30 years: how could we win the battles and lose the war? what was the real impact of our strategies on the enemy? what are the lessons for Iraq?

This book really hits home - it provides an answer to part of the puzzle. It does this by describing the enormous differences in approach to the war by General Westmoreland and General Abrams. Abrams assumed command of MACV right after Tet '68 - a time when public support for the war had come undone. Some of you may be too young to remember, but I remember it all too well. We had massive demonstrations in the streets of our cities, troops deployed to Wash DC, bombings on college campuses, and hippies who delighted in spitting on our troops. Everything was falling apart. Yet, Abrams somehow managed, with great dignity and integrity, to effectively fight the war in Vietnam despite the intense distractions back home. He recognized that security of the population was the real objective, and that the war could not be won through a strategy of attrition (a strategy which had totally misread the will of the enemy). And so he completely changed the course of the war.

Of course, we know how that movie ended....the war was lost politically despite the new strategy and the victories on the battlefield. And we abandoned an entire people and an ally to their fate. And now we are witnessing a replay of the same script in Iraq.

One of the most telling parts of the book is in the Epilogue. Long after the war ended and Abrams had died, his son was on the faculty at the Army C+GS College where someone approached him and said that his father "deserved a better war". His son responded at once, " He didn't see it that way. He thought the Vietnamese were worth it." .

First Rate!.......2007-04-29

Reading "A Better War" was a sad experience for this reviewer. For one, BW makes it crystal clear that we lost a war we could have either won or exited with an honorable truce. For another, this reviewer was troubled by some truly acerbic earlier reviews that do not seem justified. That aside, BW covers the period of 1968-1972 when General Creighton Abrams was MACV Commander, replacing General William Westmoreland. Abrams spent the preceding year as Westy's deputy. BW is amply researched and documented. Major chapters encompass the Cambodian campaign of 1970, the invasion of Laos of 1971 ("Lam Song 719"), the Phoenix program, the Easter Offensive of 1972 plus the General's constant efforts to build up the South Vietnamese Army and to pacify the countryside. Author Sorley's contention is that Abrams was successful in these pursuits and produces the military facts to prove his point. This reviewer was particularly struck by the opening of Chapter 13: "There was a time the war was won....it can probably best be dated in late 1970, after the Cambodian invasion in the Spring of the year". That milestone took place just when this reviewer was in country. Sorley thoughts are fully in sync with what some of the higher ups in his unit thought. Then there is the close of Chapter 21: Referring to the Christmas bombing of Hanoi of 1972, (designed to force North Vietnam to wrap up peace talks in Paris), Sir Robert Thompson declared: "You had the war won"-it was over"! RT was the British Commander in Malaya in the 1950s. Instead, Kissinger and Nixon blinked at the bargaining table. Abrams himself pinpointed the main problem: "...the weakest thing in the whole setup, the will of the American people and the will of the American government". That quote may just describe the entire Indochina War in miniature. There is no doubt Abrams managed superbly during a time of shrunken budgets, vanishing home front support, political obstacles galore and vastly reduced manpower (in the year this reviewer was in country about 175,000 guys went home). The situation was surely "fluid". Were civilian leaders Nixon, Clifford, Laird, Averill Harriman and Henry Kissinger ever on the same page? Were they all running there own agendas isolating Abrams to fight the war? BW is not a "paen", but an unflinching look at the final years of the United States in Vietnam. BWs clear point is that matters went down the drain NOT when we had 543,000 troops in country but after most of them were back in the World! Only 4 stars are awarded "A Better War" solely because of the implicit criticism of General Westmoreland's command of MACV from '64-'68. This reviewer has no idea if Westy was right or wrong but he did serve his country bravely and honorably for over 30 years. He deserves a posthumous word in his defense. That said, BW is flatly recommended to anyone wanting to broaden their awareness, refresh their memories, or learn anew about the conflict that affected so many of us.

A brilliant fresh view.......2007-03-30

I teach a course on the Vietnam War and thought I knew something about the subject. The author's carefully documented analysis, making use of much of the newly-available sources from both sides (all sides) makes it clear that Westmoreland's attrition strategy was never the only choice open to him barring invasion of North Vietnam or China. Abrams effectively won the war despite a dwindling pool of resources and left it won. It was only Congress, and the radical American Left that managed to destroy South Vietnam afterward with minor help from the North Vietnamese.

The unfinished work in Vietnam.......2007-02-21

With the replacement of Westmoreland by Abrams in Vietnam, the strategy difference was obvious. Policies changed from a strategy of coercion and enforcement to a strategy of truly winning hearts and minds. The solution to counterinsugency, especially in rural popular revolutions, is not military alone. The solution is with winning the support and respect of the people. Abrams' approach sought and began to accomplish just that according to Mr. Sorley.

Sorley does make a very good case for his assertions about the change in the war. There will always be some who disagree but it is apparent that Mr. Sorley has given us one of the few examples of where real victory and lasting peace might have been completed. Some may draw the conclusion that the US gave up too soon. Perhaps that is true but more likely the US adopted a failed policy at the beginning that caused the war to continue far longer than it should have and left the government in Saigon far too weak to stand on it's own. Had Abrams' approach been adopted from the beginning, it seems far less likely the war would have lasted as long or been so costly in American and Vietnamese lives.

Mr. Sorley's work flies in the face of popular beliefs about US involvement in Vietnam. Perhaps this is the reason it is so oft overlooked by students of that war. Yet it remains an important piece of the puzzle of the unfinished work in Vietnam. In the end, it is the political failure of civilian leadership which did not recognize the importance of non-military solutions to win the moral side of war equations. Abrams, a military man, was clearly more understanding of the importance of the moral equation than were the civilians in Washington DC. The bulk of blame is not with the Vietnamese, the military, or the media. It is with the political forces in Washington.

First Rate Work.......2007-02-19

Mr. Sorley has produced a much needed work about what was happening in Viet Nam during the last part of the war. He made extensive use of primary sources. His work clarifies the actions of the invaders from North Vietnam and the responses and successes of the South Vietnamese until the United States first withdrew its troops and, more seriously, its support.The tragic results offer an important lesson for future decision makers in Washington and around the world.

A Better War: The Unexamined Victories and Final Tragedy of America's Last years in Vietnam

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A Better War: The Unexamined Victories and Final Tragedy of America's Last years in Vietnam
Lewis Sorley
Manufacturer: Harvest Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000OJHOLA

A Better War: Unexamined Victories & Final Tragedy of America's Last Years in Vietnam.

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A Better War: Unexamined Victories & Final Tragedy of America's Last Years in Vietnam.
Lewis. Sorley
Manufacturer: Harcourt
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000OJFIGI

Book Description

From the fall of Troy to interstellar messages by way of the Underground Railroad and Captain Midnight, Secret Messages is a collection of ninety-five of the most interesting examples of code and concealed communications throughout history. Authors William S. Butler and L. Douglas Keeney have compiled a fascinating array of encrypted communications from a varied field. Many of these examples are from times of war, including the story of how a too simple code was the undoing of Benedict Arnold, and how Commander Jeremiah Denton blinked in Morse code to indicate that his North Vietnamese captors were torturing him. Others are more lighthearted, such as the creative use of hand signals by catchers and managers in modern baseball. And some selections offer a glimpse into how codes are used in everyday life, unbeknownst to most of us, in places like hospitals, police stations, and firehouses. Uncovering hidden layers, Secret Messages will amaze you with its new insights into history and how it has been shaped by cryptography. It also explores the future of encryption, where technology will enable vast amounts of information to be hidden within minuscule hosts such as human DNA, or the dot of an "i." Full of stories of human creativity and ingenuity, Secret Messages is an engaging book that will inspire and delight.

Customer Reviews:

Fascinating Overview of Communication Methods.......2001-02-01

This is a wonderful overview of the ways we try to communicate in secret. You don't have to be a PhD to understand the methodology of the communication styles featured in the book. Recommended for anyone with a beginning interest in our "secret" history.

Secret Messages: Concealment, Codes, and Other Types of Ingenious Communication

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Secret Messages: Concealment, Codes, and Other Types of Ingenious Communication
William; Keeney, L. Douglas Butler
Manufacturer: Simon & Schuster
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000OM3KZ6

Book Description

This thoroughly revised and expanded new edition incorporates the most recent research findings on the subject, such as the discovery of dramatic undersea hydrothermal vents. It describes the key process in the generation of ore deposits and emphasizes solid theoretical understanding.

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excelent.......2000-09-03

this is very essential for economic geologists

Giant Metallic Deposits: Future Sources of Industrial Metals

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Comprehensive catalog with some background information

Giant Metallic Deposits: Future Sources of Industrial Metals
Peter Laznicka
Manufacturer: Springer
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 3540330917

Book Description

Metals in the earth's crust are very unevenly distributed and, traditionally, a small number of ore deposits, districts or countries have dominated the world supply and have influenced commodity prices. The importance of exceptionally large, or rich, deposits has greatly increased in the age of globalization when a small number of international corporations dominate the metals market, based on few very large ore deposits, practically anywhere in the world. Search for giant orebodies thus drives the exploration industry: not only the in-house teams of large internationals, but also hundreds of junior companies hoping to sell their significant discoveries to the "big boys".

Geological characteristics of giant metallic deposits and their setting and the politico-economic constraints of access to and exploitation in prospective areas have been a "hot topic" in the past fifteen years, but the knowledge generated and published has been one-sided, scattered and fragmented. This is the first comprehensive book on the subject that provides body of solid facts rather than rapidly changing theories, written by author of the Empirical Metallogeny book series and founder of the Data Metallogenica visual knowledge system on mineral deposits of the world, who has had an almost 40 years long international academic and industrial experience. The book will provide abundant material for comparative research in metallogeny, practical information for the explorationists as to where to look for the "elephants", and some inspiration for commodity investors.

Customer Reviews:

Comprehensive catalog with some background information.......2007-10-06

The majority of this book takes the form of a catalog of so-called "giant" metallic deposits. I am sure that the author is correct in his view that these deposits will provide most of the world's new supply of metals in the decades to come. The book has an enthralling introductory chapter on the chemical elements, their uses, sources and history; this chapter shows the author's immense knowledge of his subject at its best. I especially enjoyed his thoughts on sea water and desalination plants as a future supply of metals. In the subsequent chapters I would have liked to see more information on "how" and "why" these giant deposits formed, instead of a simple and (to my taste) rather dry catalog of the deposits.

Sediment-hosted Lead-Zinc Sulphide Deposits

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Sediment-hosted Lead-Zinc Sulphide Deposits
Mihir Deb
Manufacturer: CRC
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0849330807

Book Description

The Deposit Modeling Program was founded by UNESCO-IUGS with the major aim to disseminate knowledge from scientists in more developed countries to their counterparts from less developed ones. A fringe benefit of this effort was the compilation of information on existing models and promotion of topical workshops in developing countries. This book is the result of one such workshop that took place in Delhi and Udaipur, India, in December 2001. Sediment-hosted Lead-Zinc Sulphide Deposits compiles the work of renowned economic geologists from three continents. The authors highlight the recent advances in the understanding of the temporal and tectono-stratigraphic distribution of sediment-hosted Pb-Zn sulphide ores and processes governing their genesis. The first section comprises five chapters covering some of the most important deposits of this class in Australia and Canada in detail, emphasizing their genetic models. It also includes a paper on the "geoenvironmental model," which concerns behavior before mining and resulting from mining, processing, and smelting. The second section discusses the mineralized terranes in the state of Rajasthan, northwest India, which host three major sulphide deposits. This reference is packed with color and black and white photographs, illustrations, charts, and graphs, making it a valuable, up-to-date resource for any geologist or geotechnical scientist studying major mineral deposits.

Non-Ferrous Metal Ores: Deposits, Minerals and Plants (Mineral Deposits and Resources of the Former Soviet Union, Volume 1)

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Non-Ferrous Metal Ores: Deposits, Minerals and Plants (Mineral Deposits and Resources of the Former Soviet Union, Volume 1)
Julius Rubinstein
Manufacturer: CRC
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0415269644

Book Description

This volume presents information on mineral resources of non-ferrous metals, with a particular emphasis on practices in the former USSR. The author reviews the geographical distribution, geology, mining and ore processing plants of the former Soviet Union. Non-ferrous metal ores are classified in the text, and mineral processing technologies are described. Those technologies include gravitation, flotation, magnetic separation, leaching and other types. Non-Ferrous Metal Ores reviews the developments in Russia's mineral processing technology. A range of scientists and industry professionals can benefit from this text, including geologists, mineralogists, mining engineers and specialists in mineral processing and ore treatment.

Manganese Mineralization: Geochemistry And Mineralogy of Terrestrial And Marine Deposits (Geological Society Special Publication)

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Manganese Mineralization: Geochemistry And Mineralogy of Terrestrial And Marine Deposits (Geological Society Special Publication)
K. Nicholson
Manufacturer: Geological Society of London
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 1897799748

Book Description

Manganese mineralization is diverse in occurrence, origin, mineralogy and geochemistry. These variations reflect differences in the processes of formation and depositional environments, which in turn are a response to changes in the land - ocean - atmosphere system over geological time. As such, manganese deposits can act as markers of major events in the dynamic evolution of the Earth's surface. Modern manganese accumulations provide insights into key factors controlling manganese deposition that cannot readily be determined from examination of ancient ores. A knowledge of oceanic currents, ocean chemistry or small-scale variation in physicochemcal patterns of recent basins, for example, may extend our understanding of depositional processes in the past. Equally, the study of Precambrian deposits not only elucidates ancient mechanisms of manganese metallogenesis, but also helps to unravel the impact of comprehensive environmental changes on metal deposition on a scale not realised in younger geological times. The volume includes a review of the range of terrestrial Mn deposits and their relative abundance through geological time. This is followed by six papers on Precambrian deposits that cover the manner in which Mn mineralization reflects changes in planetary and environmentalchemistry. Ten papers on Cenozoic deposits show the wide diversity of genetic types of the younger deposits, from nodules, crusts and stratabound layers, todeposits precipitated from hydrothermal fluids. Five papers in the last section consider the geochemistry and mineralogy of Mn deposits. Experimental and modelling approaches to Mn geochemistry and mineralogy can further aid our understanding of the formational and depositional processes involved and thereby ourinterpretation of deposit metallogenesis.

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Classic textbook, comprehensive and entertaining
The greatest ore geology book
The Geology of Ore Deposits

The Geology of Ore Deposits
John M. Guilbert , and Charles Frederick Park
Manufacturer: Waveland Pr Inc
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 1577664957

Book Description

Modern civilization's dependence upon an increasing volume and diversity of minerals makes the search for new ore deposits ever more difficult. Now available from Waveland Press, Guilbert & Park's text presents ideas, principles, and data fundamental for beginning economic geologists to understand the genesis and localization of ore deposits and of the minerals associated with them. The authors comprehensively describe the physical and chemical characteristics of ore deposits, and correlate them with environments and conditions of deposition since ore deposits are best interpreted as extensions of the environments responsible for their enclosing rocks. Examples and illustrations emphasize structural, chemical, and temporal controls and encourage the three-dimensional thinking used by productive explorationists as they face unsolved problems. This upper-level undergraduate text is fully illustrated and meticulously indexed. Its reliable, authoritative coverage assumes an upper-level command of chemistry and physics, as well as mineralogy, petrology, and structural geology. Outstanding features include: 1) develops and combines the abilities of the explorationist and of the researcher of ore-forming processes; 2) structures the geologic descriptions into groupings recognized by researches and explorers alike; 3) builds confidence, revitalizes curiosity, and encourages expanded thinking; 4) emphasizes that the days of "easy" discovery of outcropping ores are not over; and 5) includes revised, expanded, and updated descriptions of districts.

Customer Reviews:

Classic textbook, comprehensive and entertaining.......2007-10-06

More than 20 years after its publication, this book is still (and deservedly) probably the most widely used text on the origin, description and classification of ore deposits. It is written in an entertaining style and provides enjoyment to the reader on a subject that could easily become dry. In 1986, when this book first appeared, many processes of ore formation were suspected but not scientifically proven. Most have since been proven, and Guilbert and Park have been proven correct in their assumptions. The book is in general very comprehensive, although it lacks any description of iron-oxide-copper-gold (IOCG) deposits, the first of which (Olympic Dam in South Australia) was discovered in 1976. For an up-to-date text, the reader can consult the "recent classic" by Robb Introduction to Ore-Forming Processes. The community of geologists has been extraordinarily industrious over the period between the publication of these two books.

The greatest ore geology book.......2007-09-04

This a very good clasic ore deposit book that must have all economic geologist. I recommend the ore textures chapter.

The Geology of Ore Deposits.......2000-03-30

This book, by Guilbert and Park, is the "Bible" for any economic geologist on ore deposits. As a graduate student in geology, I am constantly using it as a reference and use it more frequently than any other book I have. We used another textbook for my economic geology course, but all of us referred to "The Geology of Ore Deposits" when some info was needed. It is also on several professers shelves as well. Well organized and easy to find specific info.

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Uranium Ore Deposits
Franz J. Dahlkamp
Manufacturer: Springer
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 3540532641
Release Date: 2007-01-24

Product Description

The volume provides an overview on uranium geology, data characteristic for uranium deposits and a synthesis of these data in the form of a typological classification of uranium deposits. These are supported by more detailed descriptions of selected uranium districts and deposits. An annotation of important literature provided is as global as possible to facilitate access to the voluminous literature on uranium geology. The book is separated into five chapters: Chapter 1: A summary of world uranium resources and of uranium production. Chapter 2: Uranium geochemistry, in a manner intended to provide sufficient basic information needed within the scope of the work. Chapter 3: The principal aspects on the genesis of uranium, addressed synoptically. Chapter 4: The core of the book, describes the prinicpal recognition criteria, dimensions and metallogenetic aspects of identified types of deposits. Chapter 5: Descriptions of selected uranium districts and deposits and serves a) to support and complement the generalized descriptions in Chapter 4, b) to provide the reader with more detailed data of important deposits and c) to present data and views of geoscientists working on these deposits.

Ore Geology And Industrial Minerals: An Introduction (Geoscience Texts)

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Ore Geology And Industrial Minerals: An Introduction (Geoscience Texts)
Anthony M. Evans
Manufacturer: Blackwell Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0632029536

Book Description

Much new data and many new ideas have emerged in the area of ore geology and industrial minerals since publication of the second edition of this successful text in 1987. The overriding philosophy behind this new edition is the inclusion and integration of this material within the established framework of the text. The third edition is re-presented in the modern, favoured double-column format. Non-metallic deposits of industrial and bulk materials are fully covered to meet the changing emphasis of courses in applied geology. Chapter I has been considerably enlarged to include a section on mineral economics covering metals, industrial minerals and bulk materials. In this section, the various aspects of economic exploitation of industrial and bulk materials are compared with those of metallic deposits. Other major revisions and additions include a section on fluid inclusions; expansion of the section on wall rock alteration; expansion of the material on isotope studies; and the inclusion of a section on hydraulic fracturing and seismic pumping.

Ore Deposits (A Series of books in geology)

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Ore Deposits (A Series of books in geology)
Charles F. Park , and Roy A. MacDiarmid
Manufacturer: W.H.Freeman & Co Ltd
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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An Introduction to Ore Geology
Anthony M. Evans
Manufacturer: Elsevier Science Ltd
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: 044419472X

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