A review by patrickkanouse
A Bright Shining Lie: John Paul Vann and America in Vietnam by Neil Sheehan

5.0

A stunning piece of biography and history. Perhaps the most impressive thing about this book is the way Sheehan constructs the book. The first part of the main body of the book starts with Lt. Colonel John Paul Vann landing in Vietnam and discovering the substantial difficulties the U.S. faces in defeating the Viet Cong. In this first part, Vann comes off as the unlistened to, wise sage who, if we the generals and politicians had only listened, would have provided a real opportunity to preserve the independence of South Vietnam. Part II explores the biography of Vann up to his return to Vietnam in 1965. What this section does is the really stunning part. As Sheehan describes Vann's life and you learn of his character, the complexity of Vann is starkly contrasted against the "hero" of part I. Vann still seemed much more in touch with the difficulties of a South Vietnamese victory, but his complexity mirrors the complexity of the war. The simplicity of right and wrong in part I is revealed to be not so. Again, Sheehan uses Vann's biography to demonstrate this.

For an excellent primer on the Vietnam War and an thoughtful interpretation of all that went right and wrong, you cannot start off with a better book. Highly recommended.