Easter Offensive, The

On 30 March 1972 the North Vietnamese Army launched a large-scale attack on the South known as the Easter Offensive. The massive invasion forced author G. H. Turley, then a U.S. Marine lieutenant colonel on an introductory tour of South Vietnam's northern bases, to act as chief advisor to the 3rd ARVN Division. Writing from the depth of his experiences in the chain of command, Colonel Turley views the offensive as a historical lesson, a study in the impact of variables - both human and nonhuman - on the eventual outcome of a conflict. This is a story of incredible courage, action, determination, and heartbreak. Fully documented by official records, after-action reports, North Vietnamese orders of battle, and personal interviews, The Easter Offensive stands as a remarkable war memoir that as part of the Commandant's Professional Reading List is required reading for Marine officers and staff NCOs.