Book description
In the spring of 1972, North Vietnam invaded South Vietnam in what
became known as the Easter Offensive. Almost all of the American forces
had already withdrawn from Vietnam except for a small group of American
advisers to the South Vietnamese armed forces. The 23rd ARVN Infantry
Division and its American advisers were sent to defend the provincial
capital of Kontum in the Central Highlands. They were surrounded and
attacked by three enemy divisions with heavy artillery and tanks but,
with the help of air power, managed to successfully defend Kontum and
prevent South Vietnam from being cut in half and defeated. Although much
has been written about the Vietnam War, little of it addresses either
the Easter Offensive or the Battle of Kontum. In Kontum: The Battle to
Save South Vietnam, Thomas P. McKenna fills this gap, offering the only
in-depth account available of this violent engagement. McKenna, a U. S.
infantry lieutenant colonel assigned as a military adviser to the 23rd
Division, participated in the battle of Kontum and combines his personal
experiences with years of interviews and research from primary sources
to describe the events leading up to the invasion and the battle itself.
Kontum sheds new light on the actions of U. S. advisers in combat during
the Vietnam War. McKenna's book is not only an essential historical
resource for America's most controversial war but a personal story of
valor and survival. Thomas P. McKenna, Lt. Col., USA (Ret.), served as
a military adviser to the Army of South Vietnam and has published
articles on military history in Vietnam, Military Officer, and Military
Heritage magazines. He lives in Stowe, Vermont.
