Indochina (1 Viewer)

[Panzer ace]

Can someone please recommend a book about Dien Bien Phu?

Thanks in advance.

 

[lancer]

Can someone please recommend a book about Dien Bien Phu?

Thanks in advance.

The best book on the market is Bernard Falls' "Hell in a Very Small Place". Falls did a whole series of books on Indochina, "Street Without Joy" is also outstanding. There are other books on Dien Bien Phu, but Falls is far and away the best, IMO. -- Al

 

[lancer]

The best book on the market is Bernard Falls' "Hell in a Very Small Place". Falls did a whole series of books on Indochina, "Street Without Joy" is also outstanding. There are other books on Dien Bien Phu, but Falls is far and away the best, IMO. -- Al

Meant to mention that Hell in a Very Small Place is readily available in both HB or PB. E-Bay has a few dozen copies. -- Al

 

[jazzeum]

I’d recommend Frederick Logevall’s Embers of War, which will give you the background of the war up to Dien Bien Phu. It’s one of the finest books written about Vietnam.

If you look through my Vietnam 67 thread, I have a large reading list on Vietnam.

https://forum.treefrogtreasures.com/showthread.php?61858-Vietnam-67&highlight=Vietnam

 

[jazzeum]

Go to page 9 of my thread and you’ll find the reading list.

You can also access the article and the comments that gave genesis to the reading below. It really is worth a read.

https://www.nytimes.com/2017/08/22/opinion/reading-vietnam.html

 

[Panzer ace]

Al & Brad:

Leave it to 2 of the pillars of this forum to come through for me.

Thank you!

Best,
Jason

 

[jazzeum]

Jason,

You’re welcome.

By the way I don’t know if you read fiction but Tim O’Brien’s books, especially The Things They Carried, are excellent. In fact, his books are taught in writing courses. From the North Vietnamese side, Bao Ninh The Sorrow of War is also very good. Both men served in the War. Karl Marlantes’ book Matterhorn ​is supposed to be very good but I haven’t read it yet.

Brad

 

[lancer]

Al & Brad:

Leave it to 2 of the pillars of this forum to come through for me.

Thank you!

Best,
Jason

Jason, sure thing. Some of the more recent works are by Martin Windrow (The Last Valley), Ted Morgan (Valley of Death), Harold Simpson (Dien Bien Phu), and Boylan & Olivier (Valley of the Shadow). The Falls work, even as early as it is, remains the most detailed and complete military work done on Dien Bien Phu. -- Al

 

[Arnhemjim]

To PanzerAce,
May I recommend a classic; "Hell is a Very Small Place", by Bernard Fall.
Arnhem Jim
Arizona Territory

 

[The Katzie Kid]

If you can find it check out "The Traitors" by John Briley.

 

[Panzer ace]

Thanks again to everyone for the recommendations.

I am starting with “Hell in a Very Small Place” while picking up a few others to read after I am done with it, including the fictional books Brad suggested.