Infantry in Vietnam; Small Unit Actions in the Early Days: 1965-66

New York: Jove Books, 1985. Fifth printing [stated]. Mass market paperback. Good. [14], 298 pages. Illustrations. Occasional footnotes. Maps. Foreword by General William Westmoreland. Ink notation inside back cover. From the pages of this book, infantry leaders of tomorrow will be able to share the combat experiences of soldiers in Vietnam. For infantrymen to take heed of the lessons to be learned from the successes and failures is to ensure that our experiences are not wasted. On the battlefield of Vietnam, General Westmoreland saw the fighting for more than four years. He could say without reservation that our infantrymen were as well trained as any our nation had ever sent into battle. There they fought under extreme conditions: in chest-deep water and mud; through mangrove swamps, bamboo thickets, and dense jungle; and over mountainous terrain. The American infantryman adapted well to the different kind of fighting. There were no fixed battle lines. It was a war of ambushers, booby-traps, and terrorists. It was one of searching and waiting. This war tested the courage, endurance and competence of our infantrymen, as well as the depth and value of his training. This manual was based on a continuing review and evaluation of the enemy's habits and practices, and incorporated tactics designed to defeat him. In any future combat, the infantrymen must close with the enemy and defeat him. To win we must study the strengths and weaknesses of the enemy and train our young infantry leaders to do a professional job.