Battle for Hue: Tet 1968 Term Paper

He writes, "The M-60 opened up again. Carter steeped through the rubble, found his 3.5, and started putting out rounds" (51). There is no doubt these men were brave in battle and took the brunt of what the war had to offer, but the author often seems to place them on a pedestal or look up to them so much that he is clearly biased toward their actions and thoughts. He notes he was conservative at the time, and has become more cynical about the war and how it was conducted. Perhaps a little more of that cynicism could have made this book less biased and more irrefutable.

The author uses both primary and secondary sources, and many first-person accounts from soldiers who actually fought in Hue to make sure his book covers all aspects of the attacks. However, there is one aspect that is missing in this book, and that is the lack of information and interviews from the other side. There are no Vietnamese or Vietcong references or interviews to balance the book. A look into at least some of the opposition and their reactions to the battles in Hue would have made this a more balanced account, and would have added richness and texture to the book, as well.

While the author attempts to portray most of the Marines as extremely upright and moral, he does show that war can affect a man's heart and soul. After viewing some dead Vietnamese, one solider wonders if they were civilians or Vietcong infiltrators. The author notes, "Few of the grunts could have cared less either way" (67). He explains that thought process as a reaction to the Vietcong killing their buddies, but still, their lack of remorse humanizes and dehumanizes them at the same time. This could be one of the weak points of the book, but instead, it shows the inhumanity and horror of war even more vividly than the descriptions of the dead and wounded.The merits of this book are the author's passion (even if it is sometimes biased), and his interviews of survivors of the battles. His first-hand accounts really help bring the Battle of Hue to light, and show exactly what the Marines had to face and overcome to take the town. His ability to bring memories out of his interviewees is exceptionally good, and his understanding of the intricacies of the battles helps give the book much detail and credence. He does show that leadership and communication are often lacking in the heat of battle, and that often the grunts have to make quick decisions on their own, without any input from upper level leadership.

In conclusion, this is an important historical account of the Battle of Hue, and the back cover of the book notes it was the first one published to cover this battle. The author's immaturity is evident in the book. (He was only sixteen when he began writing it.) it is clear he has a deep understanding and respect for the Marines who fought in the war and the Marines as a fighting unit in general. He does appear biased in some of his thoughts and descriptions, and it would be interesting to compare a later work of his with this one, to see the differences. This book belongs on the bookshelf of a Vietnam historian - it does serve a vital purpose in discussing the war, but it has limitations.

References

Al Hemingway. "Author Seeks to Help Complete Vietnam Puzzle." VFW Magazine. March 2001. http://members.aol.com/KWNolan/Viet.html

Keith William Nolan. Battle for Hue: Tet, 1968. Novato, CA: Presidio Press, 1996......