Summons of the Trumpet: U.S.-Vietnam in Perspective

Palmer's book was one on the first I have ever read on Vietnam, and remains one of the best. It is mostly concerned with overall strategy and campaigns; less with individual battles and operations. The book severely criticizes the Johnson Administration (with a particular venom for Robert McNamara) but is much more positive about Nixon. The author's attitude towards the South Vietnamese government and Army is critical but quite fair, and he gives the North Vietnamese their due. This is not really a book about American military performance, and does not really mention problems within the military, such as drug abuse, racial incidents, massacres, etc., but he does believe that any problems were a result of having a bankrupt political/military strategy. A few OK maps, no photographs or footnotes, but a nice bibliographical essay. All in all, a very good short introduction but certainly not a complete history of the war.

Summons Of The Trumpet definately stands out as one of the best books written about America's role in Vietnam. This book doesn't deal with what the French did, it's about America In Vietnam. Palmer presents a view that very few writers on the war in Vietnam present in other histories about America's involvment in Southeast Asia.If you're a student or someone just interested in America's involvment in Vietnam, this is the best place to start.

I decided to read Dave Palmer's "Summons of the Trumpet" to try fill the gap in my knowledge of the Vietnam War. A friend of mine whom graduated from West Point had to read this book as a part of his core readings. (Palmer is a three star general and was superintendant of West Point when my friend was there). So when he told me that, I got a bit concerned that maybe the writing style of this book would be "slightly over my head". But to the authors credit, General Palmer strikes an almost prefect balance between technical jargon, military expressions, and personal anecdotes. This makes " Summons of the Trumpet" an easy, enjoyable read, even for the lay reader like myself. (Every now and then I felt that it would have been useful to have better knowledge of the military language, but all in all I was able to follow without any problems..)This book is truly an excellent historical overview over what happened and why. General Palmer tracks the history of the American engagement in Vietnam. He focuses on the military strategy, and in an unbiased and detailed way he describes the war step by step. How things started, what the war was fought for, how it was fought, the victories the US won, and why it ended the way it did. I had very little knowledge about the start of the conflict, and why US got involved in the first place. I was completely fascinated by Palmer's writing, and it really was impossible for me to put the book down. I was looking forward to going home from work, as the hour commute back and forth to work is my "reading-time". "Summons of the Trumpet" gave me a deeper insight into a war I knew very little about. I know for sure that I will cite this book in the future. I couldn't recommend it higher. Great read!

This is a solid, no-nonsense history of the most divisive war in the history of the United States. The author sets out in no uncertain terms what the war was fought for, how it was fought, the successes won, and the heartbreak of why the US ended its participation in the war. The author also makes a solid case of how the war could have been, and in actuality was, won for the US on the battlefield. Short-sighted and limp-wristed leadership from the National Command Authority left battlefield and local political successes in Vietnam, such as the huge victory in TET 1968, unexploited and incomplete.This is the best one volume history of the war and should be read by all historians, military professionals, and students of the period. It is a compelling history of much valor and many high deeds, and of a national policy that left the fighting men with one hand tied behind their backs fighting a skilled, tough enemy, and of an army that won 'all the big battles and most of the small ones.' It may be the most underrated army the United States ever fielded. It certainly was the most underappreciated both by its commanders and the population in general.This book is highly recommended

This is not a picture book or a "....I been there" book. Objectively and carefully details the war step by step. By presenting the facts, Palmer allows you to decide....but that is not his goal. Clearly written to give the reader a non-partisan look from the first decisive battle (Ia Drang), to our continued efforts to support the South Vietnamese with U.S. airpower. Points out that TET was a hard fought win on the field for the Americans, but allows us to see the fatal political damage it inflicted on our leadership -- political and military, thus the "turning point." Not as detailed as Karnow and does not go as far back in history, but gives us a definitive look at the use of our military and its new hardware. If there is one book that is a must for a Vietnam War Collection, this is it....how we got there and why we left.