Boots on the Ground: America's War in Vietnam

by Elizabeth Partridge

Overview

★ "Partridge proves once again that nonfiction can be every bit as dramatic as the best fiction."*

America's war in Vietnam. In over a decade of bitter fighting, it claimed the lives of more than 58,000 American soldiers and beleaguered four US presidents. More than forty years after America left Vietnam in defeat in 1975, the war remains controversial and divisive both in the United States and abroad.

The history of this era is complex; the cultural impact extraordinary. But it's the personal stories of eight people—six American soldiers, one American military nurse, and one Vietnamese refugee—that create the heartbeat of Boots on the Ground. From dense jungles and terrifying firefights to chaotic helicopter rescues and harrowing escapes, each individual experience reveals a different facet of the war and moves us forward in time. Alternating with these chapters are profiles of key American leaders and events, reminding us of all that was happening at home during the war, including peace protests, presidential scandals, and veterans' struggles to acclimate to life after Vietnam.

With more than one hundred photographs, award-winning author Elizabeth Partridge's unflinching book captures the intensity, frustration, and lasting impacts of one of the most tumultuous periods of American history.

*Kirkus Reviews, starred review of Marching for Freedom 

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780670785063
Publisher:	Penguin Young Readers Group
Publication date:	04/10/2018
Pages:	224
Sales rank:	446,131
Product dimensions:	7.60(w) x 9.60(h) x 0.90(d)
Age Range:	12 - 17 Years

About the Author

Elizabeth Partridge is a National Book Award finalist, Printz Honor winner, and author of several nonfiction books for children, including Restless Spirit: The Life and Work of Dorothea Lange;This Land Was Made for You and Me: The Life and Songs of Woody Guthrie; John Lennon: All I Want is the Truth; and Marching for Freedom: Walk Together, Children, and Don't You Grow Weary. She lives in the San Francisco Bay area.

Table of Contents

Prologue (November 1068) 1

Vietnam: Military Advisor Mike Horan (May 1962-June 1963) 11

America: President and Commander in Chief John F. Kennedy (November 1963) 23

America: President and Commander in Chief Lyndon B. Johnson (August 1964-December 1965) 29

Vietnam: Boots on the Ground Gilbert de la O (October 1965-September 1966) 37

America: Protestor Martin Luther King Jr. (January 1967-October 1967) 51

Vietnam: Machine Gunner Henry Allen (April 1967-May 1968) 57

America: President and Commander in Chief Lyndon B. Johnson (October 1967-February 1968) 71

Vietnam: Medic Tom Kelley (December 1967-December 1968) 77

America: President and Commander in Chief Lyndon B. Johnson (March 1968-December 1968) 89

America: President and Commander in Chief Richard M. Nixon (January 1969) 93

Vietnam: Infantryman Jan Scruggs (April 1969-April 1970) 97

America: President and Commander in Chief Richard M. Nixon (February 1969-June 1969) 109

Vietnam: Green Beret David Oshiro (May 1969-May 1970) 115

America: Protest Singer Country Joe McDonald (August 1969-March 1970) 127

Vietnam: Nurse Lily Lee Adams (October 1969-October 1970) 135

America: President and Commander in Chief Richard M. Nixon (October 1969-August 1974) 147

America: President and Commander in Chief Gerald R. Ford (March 1975-April 1975) 155

Vietnam: Refugee Hoa thi Nguyen (March 1975-April 1975) 159

America: Veteran Jan Scruggs (April 1975-March 1979) 171

America: Memorial Designer Maya Lin (October 1980-July 1982) 179

America: The National Salute to Vietnam Veterans The Veterans (November 10-14, l982) 187

Epilogue 195

What Became of the Men and Women Interviewed for Boots on the Ground? 198

Acknowledgments 200

Source Notes 202

Bibliography 206

Index 211

Editorial Reviews

Today's dissenters are, like their predecessors, tilting at political and corporate windmills to change systems they find abhorrent. Partridge builds bridges to this audience by using the words of Americans who were young at the time of the Vietnam War, and including a wealth of black-and-white photographs that illuminate diverse American experiences. Although some of these images are disturbing, they may reach this visually literate generation in ways other historical sources just can't.

The New York Times Book Review - Felicia Kornbluh

★ 03/05/2018
Skillfully interweaving original interviews and black-and-white photos with narrative, Partridge (Marching for Freedom) evokes the political controversy and intense emotions triggered by the Vietnam War. Her spare descriptions of the physical tension between antiwar students and a discharged soldier exemplify the chasm between politicians and protestors, and between career military personnel and troops. Partridge trains a lens on five men who fought on the ground, plus a medic, a field nurse, and a Vietnamese refugee. The chronicle vividly brings to light their daily lives, the discrimination some encountered, and their loyalties and moral sensitivity to the war’s unending brutality. Interspersed chapters focus on decision-making at the highest level as well as growing antiwar sentiment; a look at the protest songs of Woodstock and Martin Luther King Jr.’s agonized decision to oppose the war fits neatly. Despite her antiwar sympathies, Partridge presents the presidents’ positions evenhandedly and elucidates the dilemmas they faced over the course of the war. A profoundly affecting description of the dedication of the Vietnam War Memorial in 1982 concludes these compelling stories. Ages 12–up. (Apr.)

Publishers Weekly

Praise for Boots on the Ground by Elizabeth Partridge:


★ “This indispensable volume brings a wise and humane lens to a confused and brutal conflict.” —Horn Book, starred review 

★ “A necessary, conscientious look at a factious time in American and world history.”
—Booklist, starred review 

★ “A personal, moving foray into the Vietnam War and its impact...Partridge’s narrative storytelling is incisive and masterfully woven together.” – Kirkus, starred review

★ “What makes the book powerful beyond the historical facts, though, is how the war irrefutably changed the people who were there.” –School Library Journal, starred review 

★ “The tandem placement of well-written textbook-style information with soul-searing personal dramas makes this compulsively readable while putting events and terms often encountered episodically into context.” –BCCB, starred review  

★ “Skillfully interweaving original interviews and black-and-white photos with narrative, Partridge evokes the political controversy and intense emotions.” –Publishers Weekly, starred review 


Praise for Marching for Freedom by Elizabeth Partridge:

"Elizabeth Partridge takes the path off its pedestal and shows how ordinary people, children among them, can sometimes tip the balance and help determine the outcome of events. . . . Drawing on archival photographs and interviews with marchers who were as young as 10 at the time, Partridge swiftly sets the stage for the political war of nerves that culminated in the walk from Selma to Montgomery." —The New York Times Book Review

★ "Effective and meaningful archival photographs, quotes, poems, and songs are woven throughout the narrative, giving readers a real sense of the children's mindset and experiences."
—School Library Journal, starred review 

★ "A perfect balance of energetic prose and well-selected, breath-taking photographs." —Kirkus Reviews, starred review

★ "A sharply focused historical narrative for a younger audience. . . . Partridge once again demonstrates why she is almost peerless in her photo selection." —The Horn Book, starred review

★ "The vivid text is filled with quotes collected from Partridge's personal interviews. . . . Every spread brings readers up close to the dramatic, often violent action." —Booklist, starred review

★ "A dramatic and a memorable statement." —VOYA, starred review

From the Publisher

04/01/2018
Gr 7 Up—Rather than offering a history of the causes and effects of the Vietnam War, Partridge brings the conflict to a personal level, with accounts of eight men, two women, four U.S. presidents, Martin Luther King Jr., and Maya Lin. Chapter by chapter, the author introduces an unseasoned Marine tasked with life or death decisions, a nonviolent follower of King who fires at the enemy until his machine gun is red hot, and an 18-year-old South Vietnamese woman who must flee the encroaching North Vietnamese Army. Partridge's interviewees all survived their year in-country, but what they saw and participated in haunted them long after. Late chapters on the Vietnam Veterans War Memorial and an epilogue provide closure. Photos of exhausted soldiers, pensive presidents, a helicopter evacuating the wounded, and stacks of coffins add visual immediacy to the emotional stories of young people at war and the protests stateside. Occasional racial slurs and strong language fit the circumstances of their use. VERDICT A stirring choice. Pair with DK/Smithsonian's The Vietnam War: The Definitive Illustrated or portions of the documentary The Vietnam War: A Film by Ken Burns & Lynn Novick for a more complete picture of the war and its surrounding circumstances.—Maggie Knapp, Trinity Valley School, Fort Worth, TX

School Library Journal

★ 2018-02-05
A personal, moving foray into the Vietnam War and its impact on the country and individuals whose lives it forever changed.Partridge (Dogtag Summer, 2011, etc.) takes readers on a chronological, multidimensional journey through the Vietnam War years via the personal stories of eight individuals: six American soldiers from diverse social and ethnic backgrounds, a biracial (Chinese- and Italian-American) nurse, and a Vietnamese refugee. Each segment moves readers forward in time and is interspersed with brief snapshots of what was happening at home, from glimpses of the American presidents' handling of the escalating crisis to the growing anti-war movement at home, viewed through the lens of leaders such as Martin Luther King Jr. and protest singer Country Joe McDonald. Of particular interest is the segment on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, a collaboration between veterans, government officials, and its young Chinese-American designer, Maya Lin. Emphasizing the lasting emotional legacy of the war for those who served, even as the rest of the country seemed content to put it behind them, Partridge's narrative storytelling is incisive and masterfully woven together. A superb selection of photographs puts an indelible face on the individuals whose lives the war affected.A valuable complement to existing nonfiction about the Vietnam War for young people, adding an intimate dimension to the larger history. (bibliography, source notes, index, photo credits) (Nonfiction. 12-18)

Kirkus Reviews

Ray Porter brings a pitch-perfect journalistic narration style to this history of the Vietnam War based on interviews with both veterans and anti-war protesters. The factual interludes are clear and easy to follow, even when they cover large chunks of complicated political action. Porter also creates voices and accents to match the personalities and backgrounds of a wide variety of interviewees. He is especially adept at knowing when to add touches of the black humor people often use to get through difficult situations. Author Elizabeth Partridge narrates the prologue and the epilogue in a sincere tone that clearly reveals her emotional attachment to her subject and the people who are telling her their stories. N.M. © AudioFile 2018, Portland, Maine

MAY 2018 - AudioFile

Ray Porter brings a pitch-perfect journalistic narration style to this history of the Vietnam War based on interviews with both veterans and anti-war protesters. The factual interludes are clear and easy to follow, even when they cover large chunks of complicated political action. Porter also creates voices and accents to match the personalities and backgrounds of a wide variety of interviewees. He is especially adept at knowing when to add touches of the black humor people often use to get through difficult situations. Author Elizabeth Partridge narrates the prologue and the epilogue in a sincere tone that clearly reveals her emotional attachment to her subject and the people who are telling her their stories. N.M. © AudioFile 2018, Portland, Maine

MAY 2018 - AudioFile