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When Christian Appy's epic work came out in 2003- it was something new. Where most oral histories of the war focused on one side, usually the Americans, and often on one aspect of the war, Helicopter or Riverine warfare for instance- Appy takes it all on. From all three sides, Communist and non-Communist Vietnamese, and the American interlopers who came to take part. The result is a towering 550 page work- discussing all aspects of the war- from all aspects. With this format, you can't spend too much time on any one part of the war- but can get get up close with a lot of different experiences- and getting the memories from opposing combatants can give a lot of perspective. I really enjoyed it - even as I read some really anguishing memories- because I learned new things about a conflict that I've already read a lot about. Appy covers the civilian wars in Country and in North America, and the POW/MIA war so you really get a feel for the era.

There are Memories of the Famous , figures like Walt Rostow, Daniel Ellsberg and General Westmoreland, who planned and managed the war. But the real meat of the book is interviews with regular Officers and Men, Marines and Soldiers, Pilots and Sailors, Viet Cong and NVA, RVN soldiers and bureaucrats, City and Rural civilians, POWs and Captors, Anti War Protestors and Pro War Advocates- whenever you get one side, you are likely to get at least one opposing view. It's not perfect, I might have liked another few voices in the mix- but its really good. I think its mixed up enough that any reader can learn from it - you don't have to a Military History buff.

This is a very real book with a LOT of adult themes, and a lot of graphic passages, so this is best read by the Junior reader over about 14 years. For the Gamer/Modeler/Military Enthusiast, this is a real resource. Only about a quarter of the stories translate into possible scenario/diorama ideas- but those that do are pretty vivid. The content on the Vietnamese combatants is really interesting- as we don't get much of that translated for us. And there are some interesting stories from parts of the Military you don't tend to hear from- logistical guys tending not to write books of their experiences- but getting to tell their stories here. It's not a required Wargame/Modeller/Enthusiast book- but a really nice extra resource to give your comprehension of the conflict some depth. And for the more casual reader- a wonderful way to get acquainted with the Issues of the war through the people that lived them. If you are writing an essay- and you need a lot of different perspectives in one place - this book is gold. A Strong Rec.