This novel launched the writing career of retired Marine James Webb. Webb was wounded in Vietnam and was decorated for his efforts. Based on his own experiences, he tells a story of a platoon of young Marines. They face a forbidding tropical jungle environment in which they must operate and a seemingly invisible enemy to fight against. At the same time, their mission lacks support and understanding at home. This celebrated novel has been recognized for its ability to convey the inherent conflict in war--abhorrence of destruction and loss of life while at the same time seeing attraction to war as a test of survival and opportunity to prove one's self. Based on actual events, this novel conveys the feelings and experiences of individual soldiers and functional units during the Vietnam War.This book can be found in HECSA Library:
Fields of Fire: The Classic Novel of the Vietnam War
James Webb
PS 3573 .E1955 F5 2000
