Vietnam in all its horror, heroism, and human destruction

Book Review: We Were Soldiers Once... and Young by Lt. Gen. Harold G. Moore (Ret.) and Joseph L. Galloway

...I came across this book in a charity shop in the lake district prior to my cousin Alex's wedding this summer. I was actually in there looking for a belt so my trousers wouldn't fall down when I hit the dance floor later that week but managed to leave with several books - as well as a belt - for under a fiver. Charity shop pickups always seem to be a little hit or miss; you're relying rather heavily on a well-read individual passing away or having a clear out in the local area. This go round I hit the absolute jackpot. In terms of value for money this may be the best book I will ever purchase, a quid for what turned out to be a simply amazing read will be tough to beat. 

Now onto the review...

The sobering straightforwardness of Hal Moore and his men’s descriptions of their actions and experiences during the battle of Ia Drang is what makes this book so fantastic. The report-like communication of the events only emphasizes the bloody, courageous, and violent reality of the fighting. It is impossible to read these accounts – most of which are first-hand – and feel anything but the upmost respect, awe, and horror at what these young men had to do to simply keep themselves and each other alive. Through these direct narratives you see and smell a drop of the reality of the fighting in the Ia Drang. It makes you feel as if it would be almost disrespectful to even insinuate that this book allows you to ‘walk in the boots of a soldier’, as after reading these accounts you realize how incapable one is of understanding what these events must have truly felt like for those there, as well as the level to which it impacted them (those who survived) and their families post-war. The book is full of moments which make the hairs on the back of your neck stand tall, fill your eyes with tears, as well as simply stop reading and say, “what the fuck!”, in every way imaginable. The highest levels of heroism, friendship, and love are all ever-present.

An element which cannot be left unmentioned is the deliberate depoliticization of the accounts and book overall. Moore does a terrific job at focusing the entire work on the men in the battle, not the political narrative which is inevitable when Vietnam is the subject. On the same note, Moore’s inclusion and humanization of the North Vietnamese is a particularly positive element. His respect and empathy for the men of the NVA (North Vietnamese Army) comes through fully, he accentuates the reality that the men of the NVA are sons, brothers, and fathers all the same – and often suffered from worse conditions, practices, and casualties compared to the Americans. The singular political takeaway is the ill-preparedness of the U.S. Government and Military for war in Vietnam. This is evident in the underestimation of the NVA capabilities, a sheer lack of troops, and a binding political facade which bound the U.S. to action in the region.

Perhaps the most emotional and truly heartbreaking section of the book is that of the accounts and stories of families whose brothers, sons, fathers, and husbands never returned from the east. A truly tough and heart-wrenching read as you see the despair, utter sadness, and destruction which those KIA notices brought. The one solace from this section is the magnitude and strength of love (tell your loved ones you love them...like now). Through the depths of grief, you see the level to which people are capable of loving one another. The holes in those families lives left by the yellow cab telegrams (yes, notifications of death were literally delivered by yellow cab drivers during the early stages of the Vietnam war) were so huge only because of the fact that they were loved beyond measure.

This book is a horrific yet inspiring description of the realities of war. Read it. Appreciate your own life. Love a lot more. 

5/5