This book, unusual for its infantry Lieutenant's perspective, should be required reading for learning why we must not resort to war except in the most threatening circumstances. Vietnam certainly was no threat to the US, and so many of our young soldiers died or were wounded for so little.

The descriptions of what it was really like to invade a poor village are impossible to not remember indefinitely.

The voice of the narrator represented the author's persona very convincingly. Also, it was not fatiguing in any way.

I understood for the first time some of the reasons why some soldiers violate the USA's war-fighting rules and ethics. Yet this type of conduct is still inexcusable but is rarely prosecuted.

I was in college during the early years of the Vietnam war, and this book brought back many memories of those times. Many of my friends fought in the war, as did my high-school ROTC teacher (who was killed by a land mine).

Based on the USA's history since Vietnam, it's now clear that as a country we simply do not learn from involvement in a pointless, immoral war. Our soldiers and their families and friends bear the burdens.

This book is a classic. Being an Iraq War veteran I see that few things have changed since the 1960's.

To me an outstanding piece of literature - honest and authentic in all facettes of the situation and personality. I admire Caputo's ability to express his emotions and to describe the transformation of his personality over time. It is not only the violent situations which are fascinating but also the description of the administrative perversion which goes along with war and the inhumane bureaucracy. It is an "All Quit at the Western Front" transported to Vietnam with an equal achievement of manifestation against war and it is setting a monument for the casualties on both side. No heroism - straight forward and truthful Vietnam experience. Thank you Philip.

As hard to put down as any action/war novel. The narrative is engrossing. Ganser handles the voice perfectly.
An amazing piece of work that stays with the reader.

Yes except for the notes below.

The visuals that th writing gives you. Coputo is a master with words, specially when it's his own experiences he's writing about.

I would think he would check on pronunciation of words he's not familiar with. This is very distracting and detracts from the performance. It is not Yo-ko su ka, but Yo-kho-ska. This is only one of several errors made.

Any book about war makes me cry!!!

great writing about coming of age and disillusionment in Viet Nam.Great insight for a young man.

I've read a good number of books and memoirs from Vietnam, not sure how I am just getting around to this one. Its a good book, especially in its very vivid descriptions of Caputo's military experience. However, the vast majority of these accounts I felt like I've seen in dozens of movies or subsequent books. (ie The new troops arriving in Vietnam and seeing body bags going out. The old jaded troops looking at the fresh new troops coming in. Its the first ten minutes of PLATOON!)

I know this isn't Caputo's fault and can understand that the book might have been groundbreaking on its release. But in the epilogue, Caputo says his goal was to have written a book which his great grandchildren could read and still find an impact. I'm not sure this book quite lives up to that. Its not as strong as the subsequent Vietnam stories it may have paved the way for.

The biggest issue with the book is that it is not so much a story as a series of events strung together and described. Calling it a memoir doesn't change the fact that this makes the book less compelling. I recently read Jim Webb's FIELDS OF FIRE which was released at the same time and I think was just an overall better book because it had a better narrative.