The Village Audiobook By Bing West cover art

The Village

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The Village

By: Bing West
Narrated by: Peter Berkrot
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Few American battles have been so extended, savage, and personal. A handful of Americans volunteered to live among six thousand Vietnamese, training farmers to defend their village. Such "Combined Action Platoons" (CAPs) are not a lost footnote about how the war could have been fought; only the villagers remain to bear witness. This is the story of 15 resolute young Americans matched against two hundred Viet Cong; how a CAP lived, fought, and died; and why the villagers remember them to this day.

©2002 Bing West (P)2011 Tantor Americas Military Vietnam War Wars & Conflicts Village War

Critic reviews

"A minor classic about war." ( The Washington Post)
Thrilling Narrative • Honest Account • Historical Relevance • Emotional Content • Tactical Insights
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Vietnamese our Vietnam veterans move into their twilight years and the wars gets further in our rear view mirror it is nice to know there were some who made a difference and
That generation’s sacrifice is remembered fondly by some.

A good story

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This book is not written to change minds or state a political opinion. It is a well told and compelling story.

A different side of the war

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Good to know all was not in vain. Sadness and happiness return as opposing forces.

Memories

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Story: A classic on COIN in one village (a large entity in Vietnam) and the techniques that were successful if not too late for the disaffect US media and public. A must read / listen for military leaders as well as a civic leaders on the need for multiple lines of effort in any society: security, economics, governance, and communication.

Reader: Good.

Production: Good.

The Village - Mico Study of Counterinsurgency

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I wondered whether there would be enough action and there is. Detailed descriptions of guerilla style warfare as fought in a relatively small village (around 6000 people at the time). Doesn't gloss over the mistakes made by the USA but also doesn't forget about the brave US and Vietnamese men and women involved. Definitely an audiobook I will remember.

Definitely worth your time

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Started this one and could not put it down. You get transported INTO the story. Your heart rejoices and grieves with the characters. You even cheer them on. Marines are special ♡ and my prayers follow them always 🙏🏻💓

It is like you were there!

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A great story into the depths of an incredible unit operating in a little Vietnam village. You get to know all the characters well, and the battles get intense. The only drawback is that it is a little hard to follow sometimes, most likely due to it being an audiobook, listened to and not actually read by you.

Great Book

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A very different aspect our “all knowing, masters of all things”liberals who said Vietnam “wasn’t our war” and called returning veterans things like “baby killers,”among other horrible names, should sit their ass down and listen to . Maybe they’ll finally learn something. Like what the vast majority of our veterans were doing in Vietnam, and the loyalty and compassion most felt for the Vietnamese people they went over to try and help. Not every American sent to Vietnam was the kind who would have eagerly participated in atrocities like Mai Lai. Most truly wanted to help the South and were ready to lay down their lives for them. This story will tell our cowardly protesters who took their frustration out on our veterans, what a small band of Marines were facing while those cowards burned our flag and spit on our countries bravest. Hopefully, this will add to those cowardly pigs shame.

Our war

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While I thoroughly enjoyed the book as a whole, the epilogue was alone worth the price of admission. The story of the author’s return to the village was deeply moving.

Great Epilogue

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West writing like the short precise bursts of an M60(old timers will recall that beast). Very powerful. An indictment of military bureaucracy and a sad reminder of what might have been and those we eventually failed

Outstanding

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