Bait Audiobook By Gregory W. Sanders, James D. McLeroy cover art

Bait

The Battle of Kham Duc

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Bait

By: Gregory W. Sanders, James D. McLeroy
Narrated by: James D. McLeroy
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About this listen

An account of the battle of Kham Duc, one of the least known and most misunderstood battles in the American Phase of the Second Indochina War (1959 to 1975).

The strategic potential of the three-day attack of two NVA regiments on Kham Duc—a remote and isolated Army Special Forces camp—on the eve of the first Paris peace talks in May 1968, was so significant that former President Lyndon Johnson included it in his memoirs. This gripping, original, eyewitness narrative and thoroughly researched analysis of a widely misinterpreted battle at the height of the Vietnam War radically contradicts all the other published accounts of it. In addition to the tactical details of the combat narrative, the authors consider the grand strategies and political contexts of the US and North Vietnamese leaders.

©2019 James D. McLeroy and Gregory W. Sanders (P)2022 Blackstone Publishing
Asia Military Southeast Asia Vietnam War Wars & Conflicts War US Air Force Air Force
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I can’t believe I’ve never heard about this battle after reading so many books on the Vietnam war. This is an excellent book and well researched. I thought the narration was very good.

Excellent storytelling about an incredible battle

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Great historical recount of sacrifices made by and of brave men. Would recommend as a good listen.

Great Story of Bravery

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A new look at an old battle by someone who was actually there. Many view Kham Duc as a defeat for the US (particularly the press), but was it really? The authors present the theory that Kham Duc was used as bait to entice the NVA to gather in large numbers in order for air power to devastate them. The base was not overrun, it was evacuated and the NVA suffered horrendous casualties. Many accounts determine it as a defeat of US forces (just like Hue or even Mogadishu). I don't see how the side that inflicts casualties on their enemies at 40:1 ratio (even 10:1) can be considered the "loser". The authors present both broad and narrow views including calling out the ineptitude and chrony-ism that permeates the officer corps. that persists to this day. False narratives, unearned awards doctored documents. None of that however overshadows the courage of the true warriors who were there. Including the pilots, facs, SF, SOG and the others. A good book. The only thing I wasn't a huge fan of was that you could tell the narrator's age by his voice.

New look at an old battle.

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