Looking for French Indochina War book (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter Carnahan
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This is a tough one. Unless something has been done in France, I am unaware of a good, comprehensive, photo history of the French-Indochina war. There are a lot of good military histories that cover different aspects, with some photos. Best bet may be the various Osprey titles relating to the subject. Bernard Fall has written several books on the subject of Indochina and is a good place to start for written histories. -- Al
Grognard
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I did some search on the Web (I speak French) and I would recommend the following book: http://livre.fnac.com/a3086058/General-Bigeard-Ma-guerre-d-Indochine for the General Bigeard (famous French solidier).
This one looks interesting too: http://livre.fnac.com/a1163701/Amedee-Thevenet-La-guerre-d-Indochine as well as this one: http://livre.fnac.com/a117055/Erwan-Bergot-Commandos-de-choc-en-Indochine
Could not find out whether they have English versions...
johnnybach
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You might also try and find a used copy (in paperback) of a shortish book "Not a Military War - The French Experience in Indo-China" by Andrew Harrison. Not a lot of pics though, but a sound introduction to that troubled time - and an insight perhaps, of what was to come later! johnnybach
gus macrae
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Street without Joy by Bernard Fall is probably the best overall view I have read that is available in English, although a bit short on photos. If you try http://militaria.histoireetcollections.com/en/dossiers.html
a French magazine website. There are a number of Indo China War specials available. They are written in French but are jam packed with photographs of terrain uniforms and vehicles. It is a period I am interested in and I have managed to get my hands on a number of these magazines. Unfortunately they aint cheap.
a French magazine website. There are a number of Indo China War specials available. They are written in French but are jam packed with photographs of terrain uniforms and vehicles. It is a period I am interested in and I have managed to get my hands on a number of these magazines. Unfortunately they aint cheap.
jazzeum
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I did an Amazon search for you. It may be a bit too much but here you go, http://www.amazon.com/gp/search/ref...ch+indochina&ie=UTF8&qid=1303417861&rnid=1000
bromhead
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Street without joy is probably the best,,I stood almost in the middle of nowhere near the cambodian border,,there was a monument to the foreign legion,,untouched by the other side..also the remains of french armored vehicles along the infamous hwy 13"thunder road " at the time,,mid 66.But then again the equally infamous Michelin plantation close by merrily doing business w
ith those same folks.
ith those same folks.
jules118
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These days, the conflict in French Indochina is my primary area of interest. There are a number of books available although as has been stated, a lot are in French. Bernard Fall's "Street Without Joy" and "Hell in a very small place" (Dien Bien Phu) are great, as is Martin Windrow's "The Last Valley" also about DBP.
A good book, with lots of pix (but French text) is LES PARAS FRANCAIS EN INDOCHINE - 1945/1954 by Eric ADAM and Patrice PIVETTA
http://cgi.ebay.com.au/LES-PARAS-FR...itaria_DocumentsMilitaria&hash=item43a6ae84ca
Is there any particular aspect that you are trying to find resources on? I've got a reasonably extensive reference library and can maybe help suggest some titles.
Carnahan
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Thanks for the suggestion - that looks like a great book! I have Fall's works, but I was wondering if there were any good first-hand accounts by soldiers. And have you read - or heard anything about - "Devil's Guard: The Real Story"?
gus macrae
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Devil's Guard The Real Story is a comic without the pictures, a particularly badly written one at that. I managed about ten pages before binning it. The following books are first hand accounts written in English and should still be available secondhand.
IN ORDER TO DIE by Henry Ainley
A LEGIONNAIRE'S JOURNEY by Leslie Aparvary
There is another one I have by a famous person's son who joined the Legion under an alias I cant remember the title and I can't find it in my house. I have a horrible feeling that my wife has taken it to the local charity shop.
Both above a reasonable good reads, mainly dealing with minor skirmishes, getting drunk and chasing woman. The one I cant find has some detail of small unit action using Crabs/Alligators
The original Devils Guard by George Elrod, not sure if thats the right name of author is available again in paperback and is a reasonable read although a bit far fetched.
IN ORDER TO DIE by Henry Ainley
A LEGIONNAIRE'S JOURNEY by Leslie Aparvary
There is another one I have by a famous person's son who joined the Legion under an alias I cant remember the title and I can't find it in my house. I have a horrible feeling that my wife has taken it to the local charity shop.
Both above a reasonable good reads, mainly dealing with minor skirmishes, getting drunk and chasing woman. The one I cant find has some detail of small unit action using Crabs/Alligators
The original Devils Guard by George Elrod, not sure if thats the right name of author is available again in paperback and is a reasonable read although a bit far fetched.
George Elford is the author of "Devil's Guard" and it's 2 sequels. It has been absurdly high in price for years. There are a few lower priced paperbacks of it available on Abebooks but most are insanely expensive and, IMHO, is in no way worth the money being asked. The book is an entertaining read but is very sensationalistic and must be taken with a huge dose of salt. -- Al
jules118
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Have not read it but have heard that it's a pretty far fetched, bordering on the ridiculous. I don't know of too many English language books about the Indochina experience apart from those already mentioned. I've got an account by a Brit legionnaire somewhere, but not close by so will have to dig it out.
You can also try and find an English translation copy of the account written by a French para named Philippe de Pirey. The English translation is called "Operation Waste: First eye witness account of the war in Indo-China by a parachutist" published in 1954. The copy that I have is the reprint by Arco Publications Limited (London) published in December 1954. Try abebooks.com or one of the book search websites. It's a pretty brutal account.
One of my favourite non military (although there are some bits in it) books is Graham Greene's "The Quiet American". Very prescient account of Vietnam and the growing American influence written before the second Indochina war got underway. Was made into a film starring Michael Caine a few years back. Brilliant movie too.
Carnahan
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I'll check out those books! I really loved The Quiet American - read it and saw the movie, and found out there was an earlier movie made back in the '50s (trying to rent it now). I've found a few novels dealing with the war but haven't read them yet
Forest of Tigers
Beat on a Damask Drum
Barbarian's Country
To A Silent Valley
Night Never Falls
The Unrequited
Have you read any of these?
Forest of Tigers
Beat on a Damask Drum
Barbarian's Country
To A Silent Valley
Night Never Falls
The Unrequited
Have you read any of these?
If memory serves, there is a book called "The Centurions" by Guy Larteguy. It is a novel about the French in Algeria but starts out with the surrender at Dien Bien Phu and is about Frenchmen taken prisoner there and the return to France and the military after the peace. Great book. -- Al
Carnahan
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Great novel, and the sequel "The Praetorians" had flashbacks to Indochina