Triet’s March South
The author in this chapter focuses on the war between the French and Americans as they attack Vietnam. Triet, a soldier is a symbol of how the Vietnamese soldiers were determined to win the war. The chapter creates a picture that helps the leader to have an insight into war and how dreadful it was (Maraniss, 2003). Maraniss describes how the soldiers were patriotic and were willing to sacrifice they live rather than becoming slaves the Western nation. The chapter creates suspense and keeps the reader wanting to know what happens next when the soldiers match to the south.
It is disturbing how the soldiers were willing to endure hardship in search of war. They walked in thick jungle day and night with little food to consume, unity kept them united and had to face tree leeches for the next one and 27th days. War is feared by many people, and every nation tries to find a way of solving it but it is interesting how Triet and his soldier were willing to move from North to South Vietnam to engage in war, and for them it is a sign of patriotism. The chapter also describes how colonial masters became persistence in exploiting people by slaving them to work with little or no pay and somehow the war was meant to liberate themselves from slavery.
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Madison, Wisconsin
The Author talks flashbacks on what happened at Wisconsin University on October 18, 1967, while he was a student at the students. The chapter explains the caused the riots and protests in the university (Maraniss, 2003). Frequent uprising emerges at the University of Wisconsin, Madison. The students rioted to stop the Dow chemical project which manufactured Napalm from recruiting students, a horrific chemical that burned people fiercely. The author was raised in Madison and joined the university as a freshman. He had firsthand information on all events that occurred at the university. He illustrates the reasons why the students participated in unlawful riots and protest. Most of the students would begin the day as curious spectators, but soon or later the protests would radicalize them into the riot group and fought the war. The writer can rejuvenate the sense of harm, misperception, and fury of the campus administration as they were overwhelmed by student's riots actions which would alter the significant association between the students and the university, and it's the role of the university to provide and promote good student cultural relationship.
The author tries to create a war in the United States like the one in Vietnam. He describes how the violence and riots performed by students represent real battlefield like the ones in Vietnam which emerged at the university. Police from Madison community took charge of maintaining law and order, sometimes the students' protest was so aggressive and fierce and the only way to control students to beat them up with clubs and disperse them using fire tear gas. In his illustration Students, rioter is the soldiers, and most are young and innocent, some wearing military combat to stress their protest like a campaign.
Soglin’s Thrill
The Author in chapter 7 gives a brief description of the life of Paul Soglin, a Young lad whose political career grew from being a being a student leader to being a civil activist. Soglin was privileged to write a columnist in the Cardinal daily newspaper while still at the university; he tries to explain the importance of student administration (Maraniss, 2003). Maraniss describes the University of Wisconsin as a school which promoted political career growth to students who were willing to venture in politics. It is ironic how the author praises the University of Wisconsin as a leading school which produces the best students yet the students were always regularly involved in several riots. A school is supposed to be an institution that produces great men and women out of boy and girls and be a leading example to junior students in high school by inspiring them though it failed to do so.
Johnson’s Dilemma
In this chapter, Maraniss tries to compare how the Vietnamese and the US government were tired by the war and all in a dilemma to end the war. Most of Viet Cong soldier was entirely exhausted by the war they had no energy to carry on fighting the enemy and afraid by the US lethal bombs which caused fatal causality to Vietnamese people (Maraniss, 2003). The Soldiers also experienced a leadership challenge, and they were short of dedicated leaders who were to step up and take the leadership role. The author also describe the dilemma experience by US president, he had no plan on how to end the war, he describes Vietnamese as tough people to deal with, the president tried to engage them in dialogue, but they never realized a solution to curb the war.
For want of Rice
In this chapter the Author describes how the soldier got access to food while still the jungle and the soldiers solely depended on was rice as the main diet; rice farmers were contracted by the soldiers to produce rice to them (Maraniss, 2003). The community played an important role during the war without food supply the war would have ended much earlier. Food provided energy to soldiers to battle the American. The American understood that food was the primary necessity to soldiers in the forest and took the initiative of intercepting and destroying rice fields and storage facilities which held rice for soldiers. They had a belief that cutting the supply of rice would eventually result in Vietnamese backing down the weapons and retreat to surrender.
The Trees are moving
In the chapter Maraniss focuses on the various parties involved in the war and is keen to connect and develop a relationship among them for the reader to create better a picture of all aspects that concerned the war. It is fascinating how he chooses to portray the battlefields including the American soldiers whose reference is mainly through Welch, the Vietnamese soldiers and also includes the political perspective of the war for the American troops (Maraniss, 2003). It is through mentioning the budget cuts and the contact with various government organs including the Congress. However, one can notice that Maraniss does not bring in any aspects of trees or nature for the better part of the chapter.
Nonetheless, he brings in an aspect of tension and fear of the unknown through the anxiety demonstrated by various officials including Welch. As one reads through he or she is anxious about when these fears may come to pass and when the aspect of moving trees comes in. It becomes gradually evident as the troops march through the woods and as they Starr to work on their ambush Welch and other members of the troop notice a clicking sound and that is when the concept of moving trees comes in. It is admirable how Maraniss leaves the reader hanging concerning who is the trees and what happens after the troops make this discovery, but one always hopes for the worst in such an instance, and it is probable that they got ambushed.
The Ambush
Maraniss, in chapter 16 gives a detailed description of how the delta troop got ambushed by a well-organized Vietnamese side. As he describes, one can identify that what the American soldiers were exposed too was not what they expected. At one instance Welch was sure that his team would not be disseminated just like that and that they still had a fight in them (Maraniss, 2003). However, Maraniss shows that Welch and his team had underestimated the Vietnamese soldiers who had the advantage of home ground. It is interesting how Maraniss gives a detailed description of what was happening including the specific bullet and grenade sounds and the type of injuries many of the soldiers suffered.
One unique aspect of the chapter is Maraniss ability to guide the reader through the adversities of Welch and his troops as they were gradually destroyed and led out of the jungle. He shows how the Vietnamese executed their attack so well to the point that they had time to laugh out loud as they sprayed bullets and scattered grenades. Another unique aspect is how Maraniss incorporates the American soldiers' memories and the encounter they had during the war to their point of death and includes reminisces of the life they left in the safety of America. Even as Maraniss brings in a ray of hope with the sunshine at an opening in the woods, he shows that what they have lost is incomparable.
Moments of Decision
In chapter 22, Maraniss makes a connection between America and specifically the American student community with Vietnam (Maraniss, 2003). Here he needs the reader to identify that society is often sensitive on issues of war and that people will know more about aspects of war that are affecting them than one would expect. Students rise in rebellion against the cooperation they believe is involved in the Vietnam War. Maraniss uses the chapter to demonstrate the many decisions that needed to be made in the face of the altercation between the police and students. He mentions numerous students, educators and police officers who made decisions that resulted in firing up the violent demonstrations that were taking place. Here, Maraniss does not focus so much on Vietnam but on what the many decisions made during the presentations mean. In the end, Maraniss introduces suspense where Stielstra, one of the students comes up with a brilliant plan that involves the demonstrations and the two flags atop the commerce building.
Reference
Maraniss, D. (2003). They Marched Into Sunlight: War and Peace Vietnam and America October 1967 . Simon and Schuster.
