Dirty Little Secrets of the Vietnam War

[3inSlugger]

I just finished reading this book:
http://books.google.com/books/about/Dirty_Little_Secrets_of_the_Vietnam_War.html?id=7t-XPOvtWUkC

The title is completely misleading, there are few "secrets" in the book. But it is an excellent collection of statistics and little-known or popular facts and stories of the Vietnam War.

It goes into great detail about the LRRPs (Long Range Reconnaissance Patrols) and the Montagnards that viciously fought the VC and Veit Minh with the aid of the Green Berets (from which I assume the story of Apocalypse Now draws from).

It also summarizes the difference in the method of warfare since WW2/Korea in an effective manner.

Have you read this book, if so, what do you think of it?

I would recommend it as a short read about the Vietnam War. Now I'm off to start Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad.

 

[larkinmusic]

Haven't read it, but I've read and enjoyed a lot of books about Vietnam. A couple of my favorites are Low Level Hell and Chicken Hawk.

 

[mightymouse]

Heart of Darkness is a great read. You'll enjoy that one. Quite a few people think that "Apocalypse Now" is a modern re-telling of Conrad's novella.

 

[dennishoddy]

There are lots of "dirty little secrets" of the Vietnam war.
You'll never hear about them.

 

[WTJ]

Heart of Darkness is a great read. You'll enjoy that one. Quite a few people think that "Apocalypse Now" is a modern re-telling of Conrad's novella.

I think that is actually correct. Milius used it as the modified storyline, if I am not mistaken.

I think I did read that a long time ago. Did it discuss Igloo White?

 

[mightymouse]

I think that is actually correct. Milius used it as the modified storyline, if I am not mistaken.

I think I did read that a long time ago. Did it discuss Igloo White?

I don't remember anything about an "Igloo White" in "Heart of Darkness", but it has been quite a while since I read it, too.

 

[MLR]

The fact that we lost that war is a secret to some.

Michael

 

[3inSlugger]

I think that is actually correct. Milius used it as the modified storyline, if I am not mistaken.

I think I did read that a long time ago. Did it discuss Igloo White?

Are you referring to Dirty little Secrets or Heart of Darkness? I don't believe the former did and I haven't finished the latter yet.

Heart of Darkness is a great read. You'll enjoy that one. Quite a few people think that "Apocalypse Now" is a modern re-telling of Conrad's novella.

I'm pretty sure it is. Both objectives are named Kurtz. The river journey, the death of the captain and helmsman are similar.
Coppolla was angry at Brando for not reading HoD before arriving on set for Apocalypse Now.

The fact that we lost that war is a secret to some.

Michael

But it could have been won had the media not misled the American public following the Tet Offensive.