EVERYTHING WE HAD

by Al Santoli

Here is an oral history of the Vietnam War by thirty-three American soldiers who fought it. A 1983 American Book Award nominee.

Genres: History, Nonfiction, War, Military Fiction, Military History, Biography, Asia

268 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1981

Reviews

[Guillermo Galvan · Rating 5 out of 5]

A powerfully unapologetic book. It completely destroyed the Hollywood and Media fantasy notion of what war is. The stories by these Vietnam veterans are raw and make no attempt to come off as politically correct. They talk about their experiences in their own words, which come off a little rough in writing but is done so for authenticity.

The stories follow a chronological order that start from the beginning of the war, all the way to leaving Vietnam. What I like about this book is that you got to hear from a wide range of soldiers, everything from Marines, SEALS, medics, Navy, and POW's. There's even some photographs of the men and women in the book.

What I liked about this book was the brutal honesty. They speak about the short coming of incompetent leaders, crazy soldiers, fear, courage, death, and a lot of other things that is usually overshadowed by an overtly patriotic message. This is one of those books people of this generation need so badly read. These voices from a not so distant past are trying to warn of us of the true nature of war. Their stories will linger in my mind.

[Tom Olmsted · Rating 5 out of 5]

Every American should read this book to realize how insane war is.

[Jeff · Rating 2 out of 5]

Unfortuently a lot of the narratives in this book are complete fiction. Collected during the Reagan era, this book purported to be a series of first hand accounts of Vietnam. It was a best seller and helped popularize the (true, IMHO) view of the Vietnam vet as a lost and often ignored/reviled generation.
Alas, at least a third and probably about half of the accounts are at best -exaggerated and at worst -complete fictions. A number of Vietnam vets and historians have published detailed investigative reports about the narrators and in many cases the veterans were not in combat, not in Vietnam and in a few instances- not even in the military!
The one account detailing the NVA executing captured American infantry soldiers is a proven complete fiction and the Vietnamese government uses this example (among others) as an instance of sponsored American state propaganda about the war. One might look to " Lies America Tells about the Liberation War and Reparations", printed in the Hanoi Daily of December, 1995.
Also see " Stolen Valor" and " Fake Warriors" about this book.

[James · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book is a literary fraud.

See STOLEN VALOR pp 390-392

The author of Stolen Valor filed freedom of information requests for the military records of soldiers mentioned in this book.

They prove the accounts given simply did not happen and often the person mentioned doesn't even exist.

Consider this yet one more book of fiction about the Vietnam war.

[Emily Hewitt · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very powerful read that makes you feel a lot of empathy for our Vietnam veterans and at times a lot of anger towards the US government. To be told that you’re doing something good for your country but to not truly understand what you’re fighting for is devastating. This book made me think of my grandfather as my family has always been so proud of his US intelligence career in Vietnam and Laos during the war. But all of the details from the men interviewed for this book made me wonder what atrocities and tragedies my grandfather may have witnessed or participated in. This book also made me think of the war in Afghanistan and all the various conflicts in other countries that we (the USA) have inserted ourselves into and stayed involved in for far too long. War is so ugly and traumatic for all sides involved and this book really depicts how horrifying and senseless it truly is.

[Joey · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was very informative and very moving. I will say all the stories here affected me in some way, but the one that sticks with me the most is called "My Men" by Robert Santos. 101st Airborne Division, Hue, November 1967-1968. This story has burrowed its way into my mind and I cannot seem to stop thinking about it. The lonelyness of this lieutanant and the way he describes his experience haunts my soul. To him and all other Veterans of war I would like to say Thank you so much from the bottom of my heart and I am so sorry that you have to deal with the hurt everyday that comes from being in wars. God Bless and keep safe all of you!

[Ben B · Rating 5 out of 5]

An early example of a genre that soon took off. Santoli worked in a clinic where Vietnam vets received group therapy, and after hearing their stories, asked permission to interview them for a compilation of the combat experience. Many of these anecdotes are unforgettable. Some are symbolic or symptomatic of everything good and bad about the war. Others are simply brilliant pieces of first-person reporting.

[Joseph Carrabis · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is a painful yet refreshing read. Oral histories are, to me, the best because the first person narratives, by their structure, share more than the jounalistic "who-what-when-where-why" of the past. Oral histories are the true differentiated "This is what happened, this is what I think happened, this is what happened to me."

[John Engelman · Rating 4 out of 5]

“Everything We Had,” edited by Al Santoli, consists of accounts by soldiers and marines who fought in Vietnam, and several women who served in Vietnam, and who fortunately did not fight. The Russians learned during the Second World War, and the Israelis learned during their War of Independence in 1948 that most women cannot fight and that if they are captured by the enemy most are raped. Moreover, when women are in combat their male comrades become more interested in protecting them than in fighting the enemy. I am afraid we are going to have to learn that the hard way during our next war.

These essays appear to have been recorded orally, and later on transcribed. Several include the f word. That should have been deleted.

These essays demonstrate what a terrible mistake the War in Vietnam was. Several of those who contributed essays complained that the South Vietnamese troops were reluctant to fight. That was because they had been drafted to defend a government they did not support.

In his memoirs President Eisenhower estimated that as many as eighty percent of the Vietnamese supported Ho Chi Minh. In Vietnam we were in the awkward position of claiming to be defending democracy against an enemy that would have won a fair election by a blowout.

The War in Vietnam enables me to understand, although not to forgive, the Russian war in Ukraine. Russia has been invaded through Ukraine three times since the beginning of the nineteenth century. During World War II many Ukrainians supported the Germans, but many more fought against the Germans.

The belief that a country on the other side of the earth was essential to American security seems ridiculous in retrospect. It should have seemed that way at the time.

[Lisa M. · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am not a member of the military so I will never be able to fully understand what it is like to serve our country. I was not alive during the Vietnam conflict, so it is particularly foreign to me. This book was probably one of the best - and maybe the only - way for me to understand the conflict. I am ashamed to admit that I knew very little about the history/facts of the war, let alone having a deeper understanding of emotions veterans experienced during it. I feel I now have a basic understanding of the Vietnamese conflict (what it was, ideas about why it happened, major players, even some major conflicts). I certainly have a more in-depth understanding of how this war - and perhaps others before and after it- deeply shaped the young men in our country. There were a variety of histories from service men/women in all branches, at different levels of power, positions. There were conflicting opinions/experiences. I feel this book is a great way to have an overview of some common experiences of veterans in Vietnam. Although many people disagreed in their narratives, one thing was certain -- Vietnam deeply changed the veterans in this book, and thus the generations that came to follow. I am grateful to the authors in this book, all the people that served, and the fact that I stumbled upon this at my used bookstore for $2.50. It is worth far more than that.

[Denise · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found this a difficult read. It took me much longer than it should have to read 260 pages. A few evenings I went to bed thoroughly bummed out. It wasn't a response to shock value. The stories related by these soldiers were tastefully told as much as possible while still telling their truth and expressing their feelings about what they witnessed and experienced. I left this book feeling a whole new level of disgust toward our government, its corruption, its self serving use of the military, its disregard for the welfare of its military personnel and the effects of war upon them. I can't imagine it has gotten any better since Vietnam.

[Michael Morrison · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not at all a pleasant book, entirely because of its subject matter.
But it tells some truths about the Vietnam war that have been ignored, often on purpose, by our "news" media, our politicians, and our schools.
It's not for the faint of heart, but for anyone who wants a personal look at that terrible time, this is a good place to pay attention.
ADDED, right after I read some of the other reviews: Several of them claim many of the stories in this book are fiction -- some, I guess, even downright lies.
Why such a book got published is beyond me, if it is not true.
I guess, though, a reader should be warned.

[Arnie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was in college studying psychology in the late 80's and early 90's. I was researching a paper on Post Traumatic Stress. Specifically... How much of PTSD was real and how much was Hollywood? I wanted to know. I got more than I bargained for. This was one of several books I read in the course of my research. My daughter is currently reading:The Things They Carried by Tim Obrien. In her Highschool class. I mistook it for Everything We Had. Both are excellent books on the subject of Vietnam and the men who were there. Both are honest and brutal portrayals of the dark realities of war.

[Nicholas Holloway · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was the first oral history on the Vietnam War that I read, back in 1981, when this was published. Have read quite a few since. What makes this particular book a bit more significant is its proximity to the war, which theoretically ended for the US in January 1973. The accounts are still "fresh" in their minds and the individuals were relatively young. Some of the memories are quite stark and disturbing but that isn't unusual. Worth reading as part of any study of Vietnam but you only have a US perspective in this volume.

[Robert · Rating 5 out of 5]

A gripping oral history from veteran's who served in the Vietnam War. It roughly follows the war chronologically but there is a lot of over lapping of time periods. Experiences range from Green Berets, grunts, officers in the field, medics, those working for CIA, pilots, POW's and so on. Some of its heartbreaking and other times savage. An excellent book if you'd like to hear from the boots on the ground point of view of the war.

[Brian Bratt · Rating 5 out of 5]

This first-person account of the Vietnam War provided some very interesting insight into a war that ended just before I was born. Like all other war books I have read, it makes me appreciate everyone in the military who has fought and died for my freedom.

[Jeff Emidy · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 is my "Liked it." Interesting first-person accounts of a bunch of different aspects of the war. Can't give it 4 or 5 stars because it is just a bunch of snippets without full stories around them. Its value is in getting the unvarnished truth from the people who lived it.

[Nancy Bandusky · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book contains stories of different soldiers fighting in the Vietnam War. While many of the stories are quite touching, the reader should be aware that violent situations are described and there are vulgarities. It is an informative look at the war through the eyes of the soldiers.

[Brian · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was great. It was written from several different perspectives of the people who were in Vietnam, which made it an even better read.

[William Woods · Rating 5 out of 5]

Green Frog men

[J · Rating 4 out of 5]

Such a heavy read. Had to take many breaks as the soul can only take so much.

[Teri Smith · Rating 2 out of 5]

A lot of swearing but also informative of what they went through.

[Caroline · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thought this was really interesting as it covered several different personal accounts, from members of the military from many different positions (captains, nurses, infantry, etc). It also stretched from early involvement (1961) to the pull out (1973/74) and some accounts from the aftermath. As my dad was a USMC Captain in Viet Nam, this was a great read, that triggered many different questions for him, that he was able to recall, with stunning detail, from 47 years ago.

[Jim · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent collection of oral accounts from the advisor era of the early 60's to the fall of Saigon in 1975. If you're studying the war, this book should be on the top of your reading pile.

[Antoinette · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Vietnam war never should have happened, this from the mouths of soldiers that were there and experienced the essence of this terrible war. Those new to Vietnam reflect on times when they felt like they were on vacation. Beautiful Vietnamese women were everywhere, and the bars were full. Then, they were thrown into vicious battles with people they perceived to be innocent. I am not scholarly enough to even begin to understand the Vietnam war. This book was suggested to me by a professor as a good starting point. It is everything you would expect it to be and more. Most importantly, it makes me want to learn more. A wide range of soldiers are interviewed, and their words were not edited. Horrifying.

[Steve Woods · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a collection of memories and recollections of a variety of Americans who served in Vietnam. it is presented without any structure or comment. I suppose that has some value as a primary source document for people who have the context already but it's not much use to anyone else except to get a "flavor". It could have been better if it were presented in a different way. Still there were some gems contained here. I did enjoy reading it as a simple compilation, it's not much else.

[Jenn · Rating 4 out of 5]

I wasn't sure about this one when I started, I think I live in a world that is so full of the media's interpretation of war and violence that I am very much desensitized to it. Of course this book didn't stop that from happening, but it was extremely well written and really stuck me in such a way (perhaps because it was written by the vets themselves) that war isn't about bombs and guns and dying, war is about the people who fight it, the people who die in it. War is the people.

[Brett · Rating 3 out of 5]

"an oral history of the vietnam war by 33 american soldiers who fought it". I found the vignettes to be highly readable,each giving different 1st hand perspective and contributing to overall understanding of the experience of those who fought in vietnam. the analysis of our veterans, men & woman, address tactical, social, cultural, aspects and psyche of those involved on both sides of this confrontation.

[Ben Klingman · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a really gripping book. Almost every chapter blew me away with another story, some of them were humorous and lighthearted, but many of them were very deep and horrific. This book gave me a realistic look at the lives and the experiences of the men and woman in the war during that time, and its very well done.

[Emily · Rating 4 out of 5]

I absolutely loved this book when I read it in college for a Recent History class. It is amazing to read first hand accounts from people who served in our military. This book really opened my eyes to the Vietnam war and the struggles that our soldiers endured.