Most history-minded Americans have discussed the Vietnam War, becoming familiar, at the very least, with the names of such pivotal events as the Siege of Khe Sanh, the Tet Offensive, and the Fall of Saigon. But to grasp the full impact of this agonizing conflict, the human costs of an infernal war that raged for 10 years and took more than 58,000 American lives, one must hear about it from the soldiers, sailors, and airmen who experienced the fighting and endured.

In The Soldiers' Story, veteran journalist Ron Steinman gathers the candid reminiscences of 76 men who survived combat in Vietnam. Not a military analysis or political study, this oral history vividly conveys the hardships, friendships, fears, and personal triumphs of marine, army, air force, and navy veterans - each of whom shares memories that have lingered to this day. It is a valuable frontline record of battle-torn Vietnam from the perspectives of those who lived it firsthand, giving us a window into the horror, intensity, and raw courage that the war engendered.