Street Without Joy

The French Debacle in Indochina

De: Bernard B. Fall

Narrado por: Derek Perkins

Duración: 13 h y 10 m

Resumen del Editor

In this classic account of the French war in Indochina, Bernard B. Fall vividly captures the sights, sounds, and smells of the savage eight-year conflict in the jungles and mountains of Southeast Asia from 1946 to 1954. The French fought well to the last, but even with the lethal advantages of airpower, they could not stave off the Communist-led Vietnamese nationalists, who countered with a hit-and-run campaign of ambushes, booby traps, and nighttime raids. Defeat came at Dien Bien Phu, in 1954, setting the stage for American involvement and opening another tragic chapter in Vietnam's history.

©1964 Bernard B. Fall (P)2013 Tantor

Still great after all these years.

What did you love best about Street Without Joy?

It showed how a great military force that adapted to the terrain still got beaten. The French forces were made up of so many brilliant soldiers and they were creative in dealing with their enemies, but were undone by political factors that they did face, but not as well as their enemies.

Great..

This book is just as great as I was told it was. I recommend it. If it’s not on the West Point reading list…it should be.

Great firsthand insight to first indochina war

Bernard Fall gives a great firsthand perspective of the French conflict in Indochina. He also provides a brief glimpse into how America was slowly pulled into the conflict.

Amazing Bit of History

Wonderfully performed. This book is important to anyone looking for background on the geopolitics that gave birth to The United States disastrous involvement in Vietnam.

Great book, lousy narrator

What did you love best about Street Without Joy?

Dr. Fall wrote an excellent and factual account that is an excellent read. I have been in many of the locations and walked, or drove, over the ground.

How did the narrator detract from the book?

Perhaps Perkins was using British pronunciation but his Vietnamese pronunciation really sucks. I found it very distracting and at times a bit hard to follow. Too bad, there are plenty of ways to get correct pronunciation.

Great Book!

Easy to follow. Narrator was easy to understand and I love when he lent his accent to the french parts.

overall good

the narrator is hard to listen to. very matter of fact and mono toned. but overall a very good book

A truly prophetic book

Bernard Fall becomes a prophet regarding the wars in Vietnam. Unfortunately, he died during the American Vietnam War, but he has left a legacy of prophecy regarding western involvement in Southeast Asia; specifically Vietnam. Exquisitely documented, Fall describes the military and political failures of the French in trying to hold on to their Indochina Colony. Most American military officers have read this book, unfortunately after the war had ended; they, along with their enlisted counterparts, they clearly agree that the French disasters described in the book, re-awakened during the American attempt to westernize Vietnam. "Street Without Joy" is a testament, although barely heeded, to politicians who want to convert the world to their ideals and systems of government.

Prophetic

I'm proud of the American grunts who fought in the Vietnam war. Ultimately we lost that war but capatalism is winning in Vietnam.
It's easy after a military defeat to second guess decisions and tactics, this book was prophetic in the way the war tactics would play out. It's a bit general, in the sense that it doesn't discuss individuals at length. This is refreshing and lacking at the same time. The book flows easily between battles, tactics, strategies and outcomes. The locations can get confusing, a little knowledge and a map is helpful. It's hard to believe that this book was available prior to much of the war. It's a shame that the desk jockies and miserable ' leaders"like Westmorland didn't read, or take the advice given. It would have saved a lot of lives.

A classic book on the post WW2 era.

I've known of this book since the late 70s but only now experienced it. If only it's lessons had been heeded in the 60s.