Patrick > Recent Status Updates

In Duc Hoa District, Long An Province for Operation Marauder; what a VC education looks like; who is (and isn't) a "real" VC; Saigon doesn't learn very well.

The end of Plei Me and the entirety of Ia Drang, the winner: airmobility; dealing with North Vietnamese soldiers for the first time; Wick accidentally introduces a new numbering system for the NVA; back to Saigon (December 1965).

Beginning of the battle of Plei Me, autumn 1965; an expanding war = confusing intel terminology, and very unclear orders-of-battle from the North Vietnamese.

Into battle with the 173rd Airborne, and baptism-by-fire for intel go-teams; a dizzying amount on how to read VC; some lessons in how to talk to the VC; upending a whole VC provincial command from the top down.

A not-so-brief briefing on VC organizational structures; Tourison's views on the US military's errors and shortcomings in preparing and keeping qualified linguist-interrogators; how little a VC would actually know; preparing for battle.

Back to Saigon in 1965—what difference two years' absence makes; knowing Vietnamese vs. learning to speak VC; from translator to interrogator in one day.

From successfully taking on unions one year to unsuccessfully taking on Truman the next.

Apprenticeship to governorship; "commander-in-chief" and public advocate against postwar labor unrest.

The birth of American liberalism in the South, from Revolution to the 1830s.

Civil Defense siren songs for blackouts.

Virginia's women fighting the war at home, and "getting out the scrap." What keeps this book interesting, from being too dry, are all of the "rinky-dink" local stories about Victory Gardens, block leaders, and kids hitching up livestock for scrap drives.

Air raid sirens and (some sexagenarian) shotgun soldiers.

Introduction to life in Harry F. Byrd's Virginia (Ch.1), and Tuck's life from birth to lieutenant governor (Ch. 2). Quite good so far; the first chapter paints a great picture of Byrd-era Virginia, followed by a whirlwind background of Tuck.

"Three residents of Charlottesville decided not to take part in the blackout and refused to switch off or to hide their lights. One of them paid a heavy price for this independence; he was sentenced to a fine of a hundred dollars and was imprisoned for ninety days."

Daggone, man.

Really hoping the rest of the book isn't as tediously repetitive as the introduction.

"All government does tend to tyranny, and it's going to end there unless you watch it like a hawk. Always! Take your eyes off it and it's on the road to a blackjack and a gun."

So far a good history of the man, but a little frustrating in its presentation.

The governorship; presidency of UVA; losing a son; frustration at the UN General Assembly; the Byrd Organization and the beginnings of Massive Resistance.

Election, loss, and reelection; the mechanics of the Byrd Organization; running for governor; and the legacies - for better or for worse - of Senator Carter Glass and the poll tax.

Election, loss, and reelection; the mechanics of the Byrd Organization.

Holy hell I love this book but I swear I am never going to finish it.