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Hue 1968
- A Turning Point of the American War in Vietnam
- Narrated by: Joe Barrett
- Length: 18 hrs and 45 mins
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Publisher's Summary
Not since his New York Times best seller Black Hawk Down has Mark Bowden written a book about a battle. His most ambitious work yet, Huế 1968, is the story of the centerpiece of the Tet Offensive and a turning point in the American War in Vietnam.
By January 1968, despite an influx of half a million American troops, the fighting in Vietnam seemed to be at a stalemate. Yet General William Westmoreland, commander of American forces, announced a new phase of the war in which "the end begins to come into view". The North Vietnamese had different ideas. In mid-1967, the leadership in Hanoi had started planning an offensive intended to win the war in a single stroke. Part military action and part popular uprising, the Tet Offensive included attacks across South Vietnam, but the most dramatic and successful would be the capture of Huế, the country's cultural capital. At 2:30 a.m. on January 31, 10,000 National Liberation Front troops descended from hidden camps and surged across the city of 140,000. By morning, all of Huế was in Front hands save for two small military outposts.
The commanders in country and politicians in Washington refused to believe the size and scope of the Front's presence. Captain Chuck Meadows was ordered to lead his 160-marine Golf Company against thousands of enemy troops in the first attempt to reenter Huế later that day. After several futile and deadly days, Lieutenant Colonel Ernie Cheatham would finally come up with a strategy to retake the city, block by block and building by building, in some of the most intense urban combat since World War II.
With unprecedented access to war archives in the US and Vietnam and interviews with participants from both sides, Bowden narrates each stage of this crucial battle through multiple points of view. Played out over 24 days of terrible fighting and ultimately costing 10,000 combatant and civilian lives, the Battle of Huế was by far the bloodiest of the entire war. When it ended, the American debate was never again about winning, only about how to leave. In Huế 1968, Bowden masterfully reconstructs this pivotal moment in the American War in Vietnam.
Critic Reviews
"Narrator Joe Barrett's voice, always scratchy, careworn, and haggard, has just the sound this book needs to carry it forward. He sounds like an old boot and offers no quarter when detailing the battle's ravages, both in terms of men and American strategy." (AudioFile)
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What listeners say about Hue 1968
Average Customer RatingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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- Bee Keeper
- 07-28-17
I KNEW This Book Would Sting Me . . . .
What did you love best about Hue 1968?
Joe Barrett is a top shelf narrator, particularly with this genre of literature.
Who was your favorite character and why?
General Westmoreland I suppose only because he was such a common thread in this well crafted tapestry, and while I was in country 1966, Chesty Westy was my commander. I am happy that his faults and lies were portrayed as well as his grand image.
Which scene was your favorite?
The early morning breakout to the hills, being one of the three options the torn up and surrounded battalion came up with for ex-filtration. The men "Would rather die trying to live" instead of waiting to be over run.
Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?
As much as I could, yes.
Any additional comments?
. . . . and yet I clicked on play anyway. I was in 3rd Corps, Republic of South Vietnam for Tet 1966, assigned along with 11 other American pilots, crew chiefs, radio men and advisers to ARVN forces at Duc Hoa, Southeast of Siagon. The night sky lit up with tracers and my first reaction was that we were being over run. Not so, I was told by Captain Tompkins. It was Tet and this was their fireworks celebration. We lived in a pagoda next to a PSP air strip. Capt. Tompkins made me sleep on the top bunk with a flak jacket on. Tet 1968 became the talk of the base at Ft Stewart Georgia where I was assigned as a flight instructor. Then, I was still a believer and could not distinguish lies from fact.I want to say that I am angry in my old age because of the lack of moral values by LBJ and his posse in the 60's and 70's but it is something else. Hindsight makes me sorrowful over their misleading our country and the families of the 58,000+ that sacrificed their lives so that I could purchase a bag of frozen prawns at Costco labeled "Product of Vietnam". You have heard the debate about "Blood for Oil"? Well my war was evidently "Blood for Shrimp"!
My mother was a gifted artist when I left for MACV and she never painted again. I am told she spent the year on the sofa chewing ice cubes while watching the news. She even wrote the President asking why her son was fighting in that conflict.So even though I was an Army officer and pilot who lived in relative security while not involved in operations, the story lines here rang true as I handled many radio calls for medivac, air support, artillery and resupply. Until this week, I was naive as to the horrific battle at Hue, thinking that the battle of Ia Drang Valley in November of 1965 when I had been in country just 4 months was as bad as it got. It would be wrong to say that I enjoyed the book, however it did rivet my attention for 3 days and recalled many memories that had lain un-visited for decades.
I did not know many Marines over there as I was Army. However, I "knew" many of the characters in this book. The author took great care to be graphic . . . . to fill a reader's consciousness with the feel, sight, touch, sounds and smells of close quarter battle. I am sure Mr. Bowden took some "literary license" in portraying many of these Marines thoughts and feelings, but they did ring true for the most part. I have mixed feelings about the scene where the Vietnamese woman came to a dirty and battle weary squad of Marines wishing to trade sex for C rations. I suppose it happened, but I never heard of anything quite like that. In its own way, it was tender, and a damn sight better that men just forcing themselves on civilian women.
So if this is what you want, if you are curious as to why so many who came back from this "conflict" only to discover they can never quite get all the way back, then this book is for you. For me, I probably will not open it again. It was well done for sure, and I did learn a lot from it that I had not previously internalized about our . . . . my involvement in Vietnam. I believe Daniel Ellsberg was heroic in his actions and saved tens of thousands of lives. I believe General Westmoreland was the reverse of Andersen's "The Emperor's New Clothes". Rather than the crowd wanting to exclaim "Look, the Emperor has no clothes", it could have been said of Westmoreland, "Look, the uniform has no general".
64 people found this helpful
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- LAmetalbender
- 01-21-18
Amazing.
You know the second part of Full Metal Jacket? That was the battle of Hue. Dark humor, an NFL turned USMC infantry commander (and was interviewed for a tv report), personal accounts from both sides, DARK HUMOR that made me laugh out loud, and some true accounts of the demons that still haunt the veterans. Ever present is the famous USMC ability to be resourceful with what they have.
Legit book.
8 people found this helpful
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- Darwin8u
- 05-09-18
Beware of men w/ theories that explain everything.
“Beware of men with theories that explain everything.”
― Mark Bowden, Hue 1968: A Turning Point of the American War in Vietnam
I told my kids the other day that they were both indirect results of Vietnam. My wife's father, now dead, had a draft number of one, so enlisted so that he would have a better chance of chosing HOW he would enter the Vietnam War. He came in at the end of Vietnam and became a professional soldier and officer (green-to-gold). The Army trained him with helicopters and tanks, and he retired a decade ago as a Colonel. My own father, concerned too with the draft, enlisted in the Navy. He also made a career of the military and we met my wife's family when our families were both stationed in Izmir, Turkey in the late 80s and early 90s. I doubt very much if either of our fathers would have become officers and made careers out of the military without Vietnam. It is weird to think of the imacts of Vietnam 50 years+ after the fact.
The Battle of Huế was fought 50 years ago in Jan/Feb of 1968 as part of the Tet Offensive. It was the biggest, bloodiest, and most pivitol single battle of the Vietnam War. Both sides claim success and both claims can probably be easily criticized. It was the turning point for the US in both our perception of the War. Bowden captures, through exensive interviews and research, the claustrophobia, filth, and horror of door-to-door combat. If anyone walks away from this with less stature, it is probably General Westmoreland who went to his grave over-estimating those NVA soldiers killed, and underestimating US casualties, and ignoring the civilians killed. One of the sharpest, deadliest quotes of the book summarizes my feelings about General Westmoreland:
“Never had a general so effectively willed away the facts.”
I have brothers who fought in both Afghanistan and Iraq. Everyday, I wish we paid closer attention to Vietnam so we would have avoided getting ourselves into another protracted war in a country most of our citizens know little about. Understanding Vietnam (and understanding what got us and kept us there) requires knowing DETAILS. Bowden helps to uncover aspects of this war I knew about, but at a granular level I appreciated. If this book did anything else, it made me start planning a trip to Vietnam. I'd love to see Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, Da Nang, and of course -- Huế.
16 people found this helpful
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- Adam
- 01-26-18
Hue 68. Moving and balanced
Bowden captures the battle from both sides fairly. Heroism, criminalism, professionalism and amateurism are on dislpay. Like Thucididies, a great story and a warning to decision makers.
5 people found this helpful
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- Ray Robles
- 01-25-18
Hue 1968: A horrid, yet true and factual account
Great narration. Truth can be sickening at times, yet we must be open to these events. only thru factual accounts is there hope of non-repitition.
Along with countless other vets, I too struggle as to reasoning for our participation in this conflict.
5 people found this helpful
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- Fred
- 08-01-17
Great book
Probably the best book on Vietnam I've listened to. It described to overall brutality of the war. I highly recommend it.
5 people found this helpful
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- Michael
- 07-22-17
Excellent history
A compelling, thoroughly researched account of the bitterness battle of the Vietnam war told from the viewpoint of those who fought on both sides.
9 people found this helpful
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- Samuel
- 08-05-17
Terrible narration
Terrible voice. Boring voice. Hard to focus on story. Please rerecord this book with a better narrator
13 people found this helpful
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- Amazon Customer
- 01-12-18
Excellent story of an important battle
Detailed, blow by blow account from multiple perspectives (US military, NVA, ARVN, Vietnamese civilian, journalist, political) of a landmark battle of the Vietnam war but was, at the time, overlooked by many stakeholders. Just like Blackhawk Down, the author gives enough information to introduce you to the individuals so you can attach yourself to them but it doesn't become the story of this one guy or that one guy. The performance took a while to get used to. The reader seems to be using almost a loud whispering technique for much of it. I will give him credit for impersonation. Great LBJ and not bad on Cronkite either.
3 people found this helpful
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- S. H. Moore
- 11-04-20
Unbiased, complete, excellently told but LONG
Very impressed with the completeness of this book. It is always, from what I can tell, dang near neutral. It is however a bit of a drag. I’ve had this book for over a year and half and just finished it because sometimes I would just get tired of it and stop listening. It’s really long and could have been shorter. Just how many images of some getting run over by a tank do we need? Or of dead civilians executed by the NVA? It just ground on and on. However, it is a wonderfully done narrative. It’s hard to a book based on a battle and weave it into a story. Bowden here succeeds though, he weaves the different characters into the timeline of events perfectly. It just was so dang long. I felt it could have been a few hours shorter and not lost anything.
2 people found this helpful
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- Stephen
- 08-02-17
Outstanding Military History
What did you like most about Hue 1968?
Until I read Mark Bowden's outstanding Hue - 1968, I hadn't really appreciated the significance of Tet and Hue as a turning point in the Vietnam war. This is military history at its best, combining detailed research with clear, objective and compelling analysis. In other contexts, the level of detail would be confusing but Hue was such a complex and fragmented battle that Bowden is able to assemble all the disparate elements into a coherent narrative. It is only in the detail that you see the disconnect between the higher levels of command on both sides and the tactical actions on the ground. Bowden is balanced and objective about the significant failure of US generalship at theatre commander and formation level and his indictment of Westmorland, LaHue and Tolson in particular is salutary. In Bowden's view, the indictment is not just of incompetence but of wilful and arrogant self-delusion, which they translated into unrealistic and bombastic orders which got a large number of their subordinates killed and wounded in futile attacks. Bowden's review of the military-strategic and political context is also compelling but is more familiar territory. His judgment that the Press reporting was accurate, objective and in the public interest contrasts starkly with the popular misconception in the US that the Press unfairly influenced the US people to turn against the war. This book is definitive and a landmark in the literature of Vietnam, standing with the handful of books which provide real and original insight into a tragic and misdirected war.
What was one of the most memorable moments of Hue 1968?
Bowden's account of the shock and impact of the initial Front assault on Hue and shock and disbelief it achieved amongst the US troops. His account of the early defence of the MACV compound in Hue is memorable. His later portrayal of street fighting to recover the Triangle brings to life urban combat and we see a privileged view of what it was like for both sides and for the civilians caught up in the fighting.
What does Joe Barrett bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you had only read the book?
Joe Barrett is masterful. He narrates with real understanding and sympathy for the subject, avoids melodrama, has an engaging and lively voice which draws you to the narrative and keeps your attention. You really feel his deep engagement with the personalities involved and this creates an impression of intimacy which is the strength of the audiobook format. One of the best and in stark contrast to the narrators of other audio books who have little understanding of or sympathy with their subject and an inflated view of their thespian abilities. Joe Barratt avoids both traps and is a master of his craft.
Did you have an emotional reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?
It's military history. I read it with objective and detached interest. That said, Mark Bowden has interviewed many of the personalities in the book and has an obvious rapport with them which translates into many moving and human passages.
Any additional comments?
A fine book and one that particularly suits the audio format. Thank you to Mark Bowden and Joe Barrett for many hours well spent listening to their words.
9 people found this helpful
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- Mr C T Walsh
- 07-27-17
Very insightful book
Not the usual gung ho rubbish. This book attempts to tell the story from different sides. it felt like very balanced tale, and gripping too.
6 people found this helpful
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- Duncan Connell
- 02-24-21
Incredible detail
More than you thought you needed to know about the battle for Hue. Bowden has put together a masterpiece, first hand accounts from those who were there, both American and Vietnamese. He expertly covers the buildup, opening and the prolonged slog of the month long battle. Joe narrates it superbly. I went on a binge with this book and will be looking at what else Bowden has to offer.
5 people found this helpful
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- Amazon Customer
- 11-27-17
Brilliant and important history
This is a gripping, well written and very important book. Defines that war so well but frightening how so many lessons learnt have been ignored since then. Perfect blend of narrative, observation and context - and from all sides. The narration is perfect. Can’t wait to start this again.
3 people found this helpful
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- Paul J.
- 02-21-21
Dreadful, loses itself in individuals
I am interested in the Vietnam war and thought this would be a great read. I didn’t get far into the book. The content started off ok giving background to a person and how they were involved, another person and how they were involved, but obviously the personal information started to run thin so we had where they were from, how they died - repeat. I noted one comment about the sequencing of events, I agree it started to jump around, usually to introduce another person and how they ended up in Hue. Problem was, I didn't care, so the backfill of their story was lost on me, especially when it started to cover the journalists. Just didn’t flow nor give enough context to the battle and its management on either side. Even dropped into glib statements on the military and political reaction as the battle developed. I understand the US hit the wall in their involvement, especially given the regime in South Vietnam, but the dialog was not balanced. The Tet offensive blindsided the forces in the south, but apart from Hue was pretty much a loss for the north within 24 hours. In Hue, it was a political statement not a military one, and if you consider the result, it was a victory for the south. The fact it was used as propaganda for those not wanting to be in Vietnam, made it the 'turning point', not militarily.
1 person found this helpful
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- Mr Lee Rudd
- 01-20-18
History of a pivotal and gruesome battle
A history of one of the pivotal battles of the American war in Vietnam. As always with Mark Bowden, excellent and in depth research. Key points
Disconnect between the reality of the situation “on the ground” and the senior officers and politicians
Bravery in Alliance and American sides
Apparent total invisibility of ARVN and South Vietnamese authorities
How well planned militarily and politically the Tet offensive in Hue was, under the noses of the CIA and Military Intelligence
Survivability of American marines and troops from some very gruesome injuries
1 person found this helpful
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- Simes
- 08-18-21
Excellent
A superbly told even-handed account of incompetence and heroism and it's impact on civilians and combatants.
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- Phillip Lawrence
- 08-17-21
Expected better
Having seen documentaries on the battle of Hue, I was looking forward to the soldier’s view in this audible book.
However, from the start I really struggled with the performer’s narration. For me, the pacing was too slow and seemed to be trying to put a mis-placed chocolatey-box tone to what needed to be told with much more gravity, energy and horror of what was being experienced.
I had to listen at x1.25 speed and try to think of Martin Sheen reading
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- uk 2022
- 07-27-21
a well written and thought envoking book
it is written giving both sides perspective and really brings home what fighting was like for both sides to a great depth
really enjoyed this book
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- J. Deane
- 04-18-21
The key battle of the American war in Vietnam
For an American book on Vietnam there is a creditworthy attempt to try to interview and describe the view from the other side. Even so, the story is told mostly from the American perspective, with little from the ARVN or ordinary civilians. There is a reasonable amount on American atrocities against civilians, alongside descriptions of the Communist ones too.
in many ways it was the introductory and context setting chapters that held the most interest, and some of the fighting described rather overlong. It would have benefitted from more context setting afterwards, both from the US perspective but also from the Vietnamese one. Not until the final months of the war did the NLF attempt anything similar again, and some discussion of what they learned from the battle in terms of strategy and tactics would have been interesting.
Worth the listen.
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- Bill
- 02-28-18
Gritty history
My first audio book. A great, gritty, and detailed account of this battle, from the American, South Vietnamese and North Vietnamese/Viet Cong perspectives.
I hope my future audio books meet this standard.