"In his tellingly detailed narrative (which doubles as a chronicle
of armed conflict in Vietnam from the pre-WWII era through the
border clashes with Cambodia and China in 1979), Currey . . . does
not shy from cataloguing Giap's shortcomings. Among other things,
he faults him for his active involvement in the Politburo's bloody
pogroms and his willingness to sustain appalling casualties in
pursuit of his objectives. The author nonetheless gives Giap full
marks for strategic vision, geopolitical savvy, tactical finesse,
and grasp of logistics. Currey also makes a fine job of
reconstructing Giap’s early years as a teacher and the influences
that set him on a revolutionary’s path."—Kirkus Reviews
"Currey . . . has written an assiduously researched and engrossing
biography."—New York Times Book Review
"There is no other account of North Vietnamese General Vo Nguyen
Giaps life . . . as in-depth and honest as this work. Readers come
away with a better understanding of not only what has occurred in
Vietnam in the past 50 years, but why it happened."—Vietnam
Magazine
"Victory at Any Cost is a complicated tale. . . . Had we understood
it all at the time, the outcome might have been quite
different."—Marine Corps Gazette
"Currey . . . has made excellent use of numerous interviews and
extensive research. . . . This is by far the most thoughtful and
engaging [biography]. It weaves Giap's contributions into the wider
fabric of Vietnamese history, and as such it merits a wide
reading."—Fort Worth Star-Telegram
"Fascinating reading for scholar and general reader
alike."—Infantry Magazine
"A telling biography about this heretofore enigmatic man is long
overdue, and [Currey] has provided a study that sheds much light on
the man who was victorious at the watershed battle of Dien Bien
Phu."—Naval History Magazine
"An unparalleled account . . . of Vo Nguyen Giap's early
life."—Journal of Military History
"Fascinating. . . . Cecil B. Currey has performed a great service
by carefully researching and presenting this biography. . . . The
book conveys a different and very enlightening perspective of our
involvement in Vietnam."—Airpower Journal
"When Giap chose Cecil Currey to be the recipient of limited but
significant access to his life experiences and inner thoughts, he
made the same successful leap of faith... Victory at Any Cost
certainly belongs in all collections of military or twentieth
century history and is a necessary addition to any library
supporting courses on modern Vietnamese history and/or the American
War in Viet Nam."—Journal of Third World Studies Book Review
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