The Vietnam War Tamara L. Roleff, Book Editor Daniel Leone, President Bonnie Szumski, Publisher Scott Barbour, Managing Editor David M. Haugen, Series Editor Greenhaven Press, Inc., San Diego, California
Contents Foreword 10 Introduction: A History of the Vietnam War 12 Chapter 1: The War at Home Chapter Preface 35 1. Thoughts About Induction 37 by Tim O'Brien A college graduate faces the draft and the prospect of going to war. He considers his options of evading the draft or protesting the war, but the shame and disgrace such actions would bring on him and his family compel him to report as scheduled. 2. Draft Dodger 44 by Ron Stone A college student's local draft board determines he has had enough time to graduate and orders him to report for induction into the Army. Vowing never to fight in a war he does not believe in, he flees to Canada. 3. Conscientious Objector 54 by David Brown The Army is sometimes unwilling to grant conscientious objector status to its soldiers. In one case, it denied a soldier's CO application, and when he refused to obey orders during basic training, he was jailed, court-martialed, dishonorably discharged, and then imprisoned in a federal penitentiary. 4. Vietnam Veterans Against the War 65 by John F. Kerry Thousands of veterans of the war were horrified by what they had seen and done in Vietnam. When they returned to the United States, they organized the Vietnam Veterans Against the War organization to protest the senseless and needless deaths in Vietnam. One member speaks in front of Congress, urging it to end the war.
Chapter 2: Combat Chapter Preface 74 1. Every Day Is the Same 76 by Anonymous Life as an infantryman in Vietnam meant ceaselessly patrolling the jungle for the enemy. The lack of sleep and the unrelenting strain of always having to be alert had a mind-numbing effect on the soldiers. For one soldier, every day was the same always bad. 2. Crossing into Cambodia 82 by John B. Morgan A helicopter pilot who strays over the border into Cambodia was fired upon from the ground. He discovered a well-used trail, and his team of helicopters attacked everything in sight. When the Americans returned to their base camp, they were disciplined for their actions. It was then he knew the United States would never win the war. 3. A Gunship Door Gunner 88 by Ed Arthur The crew who flew in a helicopter scouting out enemy activity had one of the most dangerous jobs in the war. A gunner in a helicopter scout ship describes a busy day hunting and shooting soldiers of the North Vietnamese Army. 4. An Offering to America 94 by Tom Carhart All too often, American soldiers were called upon to offer their lives to their country. An officer of an Army platoon recounts how one of his soldiers made the ultimate sacrifice. Chapter 3: In the Rear Chapter Preface 107 1. R-and-R in Saigon 108 by Philip Caputo After nine months in the field without a break, a soldier was offered a chance for rest and relaxation in Saigon. For three days he was able to sleep without
interruptions, choose what he wanted to eat, explore a beautiful city, and forget about the war. 2. Happiness in a Vietnamese Village 115 by Jonathan Polansky For three months a soldier was stationed near a South Vietnamese village. He got to know the villagers, fell in love, and taught school there. He considers those three months the best time he had in Vietnam. 3. Donut Dolly 120 by Jeanne Christie A young woman volunteers to go to Vietnam as a "Donut Dolly" whose sole purpose is to raise the morale of the troops. Every day she was flown out to see different units, to talk, eat, and play silly games with them. Yet after a while, the war began to take its toll on her as well. Chapter 4: Wounded in Action Chapter Preface 129 1. Booby Trap 131 by Lewis B. Puller Jr. Troops in the field feared booby traps set by the enemy. Grenades, land mines, and other weapons were designed to blow off a man's arms and legs. A Marine who stepped on a booby trap describes the experience and his injuries. 2. Platoon Combat Medic 138 by Daniel E. Evans Jr. and Charles W. Sasser One of the most important people in a combat platoon was the medic or corpsman who cared for his sick and injured comrades. A medic who was afraid of blood recounts how he performed under fire for the first time when he rushed to save his fellow soldiers who stumbled into an ambush. 3. The First Day in the Intensive Care Ward 144 by Winnie Smith The intensive care unit in a field hospital in Vietnam was a busy place filled with both hope and despair. - An-aimy nurse who had no training in ICU was asked UUD2RS. ^
to help out during a busy period, and she felt overwhelmed by the injuries and death she faced. Chapter 5: Prisoner of War Chapter Preface 152 1. Getting the News 154 by Sybil Stockdale The wife of a pilot who was shot down in Vietnam gives her account of how she and her family reacted when they heard the news that her husband was missing. Her life changed in many ways; she had to worry about her finances, deal with military red tape, and accept her painful loneliness. 2. Communicating in a POW Camp 163 by Gerald Coffee Most prisoners of war in Hanoi were kept in solitary confinement, yet they still managed to communicate with each other despite strict rules to the contrary. A POW explains the secret tapping code that allowed the men to "talk" with each other for years without ever coming face to face. 3. Torture 171 by Ray Vohden The North Vietnamese used a Cuban interrogator to torture their American prisoners for a year. Although one prisoner of war broke under the torture, he is proud that none of the POWs who were subjected to the Cuban's torture were released to spread the enemy's propaganda. Chapter 6: The Enemy Chapter Preface 177 1. Why We Must Fight 179 by Le Ly Hayslip A former member of the Viet Cong explains why the poor Vietnamese villagers believed they had no choice but to support the communists in the war against the Americans. Only by defeating their country's enemy could they achieve freedom, independence, and happiness.
2. Capturing an American Pilot 187 by Van Anh A North Vietnamese soldier describes how his unit shot down an American jet and captured its pilot. The next morning, the North Vietnamese were able to shoot down an American helicopter by tricking them into thinking they were rescuing the pilot. 3. Living in the Jungle 192 by Truong Nhu Tang, with David Chanoff and Doan Van Toai Living in the jungle as a North Vietnamese soldier was difficult. A high-ranking officer recounts the difficulties they faced on a daily basis, such as malaria. Especially frightening, however, were attacks by American B-52 bombers. 4. The Massacre at My Lai 205 by Ha Thi Qui A woman who survived the American massacre of hundreds of Vietnamese civilians in the small village of My Lai gives her version of the event. She explains how she survived while most of her neighbors were slaughtered. Chronology 208 For Further Research 215 Index 219