War in the Villages

TED EASTERLING served as a U.S. Marine in the Vietnam War. He received his Ph.D. in history from the University of Akron, where he taught history. He lives in Munroe Falls, Ohio, with his wife Mary.

"An exceptionally well written, organized and presented study that is a critically important and core addition to community, college and university library American Military History collections in general, and Vietnam War supplemental studies lists in particular."--Midwest Book Review "This is an exceptionally important study of counterinsurgency, reminding us that to succeed people's trust is everything. It is highly recommended for those wishing to under-stand the Vietnam War, counterinsurgency, and that one person can make a difference--for good or bad."--Journal of America's Military Past "The program, designed to fight guerrillas during the night and help villagers during the day, was in place in Vietnam from 1965-71, and was the subject of controversies between upper echelon Marine and U.S. Army commanders. . . . Easterling conscientiously takes the reader through all the stages of CAP's existence, a struggle intensified by the program's limited size and insufficient support from the South Vietnamese government."--VVA Veteran "Easterling presents a valuable contribution to an understudied topic. His emphasis on evaluating the CAP program as a counterinsurgency concept builds on the few available studies on the subject."--Journal of Military History "The Combined Action Program was not based on pacification, but on empowering the indigenous population to live their lives in the manner they chose without fear of harm or death. CAP Marines were committed regardless of the challenges faced in a harsh environment with little or no support from command or the supreme command of Westmoreland."--Barry Goodson, former CAP Marine in Vietnam and author of CAP Mot: The Story of a Marine Special Forces Unit in Vietnam, 1968-1969 (UNT Press) "The general debate between the Army and Marine Corps on how best to execute the war has been examined in the past, but War in the Villages adds to our overall understanding of the debate by addressing both the institutional debate and the operational performance of the CAPs. Easterling argues that the CAPS were successful in what they saw was their primary mission: to separate the NLF from their basis of support, the villages."--James E. Westheider, author of Fighting in Vietnam: The Experiences of the U.S. Soldier "War in the Villages provides those who are new to the study of the Vietnam War an excellent introduction to an important aspect of that conflict. It can also serve as a powerful springboard for those who wish to delve more deeply into such subjects as counterinsurgency, the history of the Republic of Vietnam, and the organizational culture of the United States Marine Corps."--Bruce I. Gudmunsson, co-author of On Infantry