The book portrait the Americans as killers, it portrait all the S. Vietnamese as corrupt and whores - typical leftist stereotypes. What the book does not tell you is that the North Vietnamese were the biggest whores and most corrupt government in the world. On January 28,2002 L'express- the French leftist newspaper publish an article by Sylvaine Pasquier(go to lexpress.fr to see the full article), showing that in 1958 the North Vietnamese Communist gave the Spratley and Pearl islands off the coast of South Vietnam and near the Phillipines to China in exchange for Chinese support for the war. Also, in 1999 and 2000, the Vietnamese Communist sign a series of treaties giving China over 13,000 square Kilometers of land in North Vietnam and islands off South Vietnamin exchange for China support against a growing democracy movement in Vietnam. Yes, money to foreign government in exchange for help against the Vietnamese people. Never in the 5000 years history of Vietnam did this happen. Vietnam is a small country to give away thousands of square miles to another country so that they will have you retain absolute power is unforgivable. If Bush gave away 4000 square miles of land to Canada in exchange for campaign contribution, what would Americans think?


One of the greatest books on the Vietnam War   December 27, 2001
 18 out of 21 found this review helpful

I spent three years in Vietnam as a GI from 1967-70. I saw plenty of combat and was on many operations throughout that time from places like Danang to Saigon to Plieku. I was also assigned for a time to the rear as an intelligence specialist. Reading this book and looking at the shockingly beautiful photographs bring home the realities of that war again. This is a great reference for those who are interested in the Vietnam war and the realities of often mis-directed American foreign policy. We entered that far away war sending ignorant young soldiers to a country with an alien culture and ended up fearing everything we did not understand, often destroying it We did strike out with deadly force against the perceived enemy often killing innocent Vietnamese just trying to get by in an untenable situation. We counted the innocent among the enemy dead. This book has unique insights backed up with stupendous black and white photographs.


Essential For Anyone Interested In The Vietnam War   May 25, 2002
 18 out of 22 found this review helpful

From the summer of 1966 through the fall of 1968, I was fighting in some of the same areas of Vietnam that Phillip Jones Griffiths so dramatically photographed. The pictures in his book are a jolting reminder of that experience.
No other book, by a single photographer, comes as close to capturing what Vietnam was like as this does.
He has produced a powerful, informative and compassionate work of photojournalism, that is as immediate today as when it was orignally published.