Edward F. Murphy Livres

From their early days in 1965 when the order of the day was to drive the insurgent Viet Cong from the villages around Da Nang to the final, dramatic evacuation of Saigon ten years later, Semper Fi—Vietnam relates the whole gutsy, glorious saga of the Marines in Vietnam in stark, riveting detail. Acclimating to their strange new surroundings occupied the Marines’ first few weeks in South Vietnam. . . . Throughout the day, peasants dressed in pajama-like clothing and sporting conical hats worked the paddies behind the heaving water buffalo. . . . If daytime scenes appeared bucolic, the arrival of sunset quickly changed that perception. Gunfire and explosions erupted at dusk. Marines nervously watched bright tracers cut colorful swaths across the night sky. From distant bamboo thickets, mortar shells flew skyward to crash in the paddies. The Marines were learning that the war in South Vietnam was unlike anything for which they’d been trained.

Of the 13 million who served during World War II, only 433 received our country's highest award for valor -- and only 190 of those brave men survived to receive their medals. This book vividly chronicles their almost superhuman feats of selfless courage. We witness the climactic moments and brave deeds that made history in World War II: the bombing of Pearl Harbor, where fifteen men earned the medal; the vicious, desperate fighting in the Pacific islands; the invasion on the beaches of Normandy, and other crucial battles in the European theater, as the history of World War II unfolds in the heroic deeds of the men who won the war.

Covering a wide range of topics related to national security, diplomacy, and military strategy, this collection features pivotal works from various eras, including contemporary analyses of global threats. It combines historical texts with compelling firsthand accounts of battles, showcasing the evolution of thought in warfare. Some pieces are reproductions from esteemed libraries, which may exhibit imperfections, yet are deemed vital for understanding the complexities of war. This extensive anthology promises a rich exploration of both historical and modern military issues.