In 1967-68, the United States Marine Corps (USMC) was on the front line
of the defense of South Vietnam's Quang Tri province, which was at the
very heart of the Vietnam conflict. Facing them were the soldiers of the
North Vietnamese Army (NVA), men whose organization and equipment made
them a very different opponent from the famous, irregular Viet Cong
forces. From the Hill Battles in April 1967 to the struggle for the city
of Hu? (January-March 1968) this bloody campaign forced the two sides
into a grueling trial of strength. The USMC held a general technological
and logistical advantage - including close air support and airborne
transport, technology, and supplies - but could not always utilize these
resources effectively in mountainous, jungle, or urban environments
better known by their Vietnamese opponents. In this arresting account of
small-unit combat, David R. Higgins steps into the tropical terrain of
Vietnam to assess the performance and experience of six USMC and NVA
units in three savage battles that stretched both sides to the limit.