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MWSA Review
Marvin Wolf and Joseph Galloway have provided poignant, stirring accounts of the lives of nearly fifty Vietnam veterans in They Were Soldiers. Going beyond a simple retelling of their Vietnam experiences, Wolf and Galloway depict how these events shaped the lives of these people once they made it back home. Whether in Vietnam or back in the United States, these persons have made a broad impact on their families, friends, states, and nation, and their contributions are shared publicly in this book.
Wide-ranging is an accurate description of these narratives. Well-known names such as Chuck Hagel and Oliver Stone can be found alongside unfamiliar names such as Ted Gostas and Hal Kushner. The authors’ goal is to present a cross-section of individuals that accurately represent those that served in Vietnam. Men and women of each race and ethnicity, including Vietnamese refugees, are included in this broad category.
They all share one characteristic: they came back from the war changed by their experiences. Their stories are told in simple, plain terms, often incorporating their own words. The danger, sorrow, and despair of the war hang heavily in the book’s pages but clash deeply with the hope and resilience expressed by these individuals since the end of the war. The result is definitively inspiring.
This book should be considered a must-read by anyone interested in personal accounts from the Vietnam War. In addition, the uplifting, honest stories will more than likely make a positive impact for veterans in their post-war lives.
Review by Braden Hall (May 2021)
Author's Synopsis
They Were Soldiers showcases the inspiring true stories of 47 Vietnam veterans who returned home from the "lost war" to enrich America's present and future.
In this groundbreaking new book, the authors reveal the private lives of those who returned from Vietnam to make astonishing contributions in science, medicine, business, and other arenas, and change America for the better.
For decades, the soldiers who served in Vietnam were shunned by the American public and ignored by their government. Many were vilified or had their struggles to reintegrate into society magnified by distorted depictions of veterans as dangerous or demented. Even today, Vietnam veterans have not received their due. Until now. These profiles are touching and courageous, and often startling.
ISBN/ASIN: 978-1400208807
Book Format(s): Hard cover, Kindle, Audiobook
Review Genre: Nonfiction—History
Number of Pages: 416