Book Review 2

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Book Review: Phase Line Green: The Battle for Hue, 1968 Christi College of Arts and Sciences, Liberty University HIUS 380: Modern American Military History Dr. David Snead November 9, 2023

2 Book Review: Phase Line Green: The Battle for Hue, 1968 "Phase Line Green: The Battle for Hue, 1968" by Nicholas Warr is Warr's memoir as a Second Lieutenant (2LT) in the Marine Corps and platoon commander during the Battle for Hue during the Vietnam War in 1968. Warr recounts explicitly the beginning of the Tet Offensive, a coordinated attack on several significant targets in South Vietnam, to the American assault on the Citadel of Hue, the cultural center of the country for many Vietnamese (18). Although a compelling historical memoir, Warr chose to write this book for more than just history. Fifteen years after his time in Vietnam, Warr began accumulating any document he could acquire about the Battle of Hue or his unit (Charlie Company 1st Battalion 5th Marines, 1/5) (12). Through his research, he realized that the historical documents of the battle do not match his memory of how the events took place. Warr wrote about his experiences to dispute the lies he had found in the documents about the Battle for Hue. Which account is correct is up to the reader to decide. In the book's Preface, Warr describes his experiences after his time in Vietnam and the events that led him to begin his research about the Battle for Hue, particularly the Citadel. When doing his research, he unveiled several discrepancies about what had actually happened during the Tet Offensive. Although he agreed with the description of the battle from several historians and writers, he has issues with the take on the "rules of engagement" that the documents refer to (13). Warr writes, "I do not dispute that [the battle of the Citadel of Hue is universally considered by writers and historians as the most hard-fought and blood battle] … Neither do I dispute the outcome... The dispute, here is over the 'rules of engagement' established by higher authorities and placed upon the Marines of 1/5"(13). The "rules of engagement" that Warr is referring to, stated in the documents he acquired, directly contradict his memory of the battle of the Citadel of Hue, especially at the sight of his

3 platoon's first objective for which the book is named, Phase Line Green. The day before 1/5's assault on the city, Warr and the other platoon commanders of Charlie Company received a brief from the commander of Charlie Company. The brief specifically explained that due to the Citadel's cultural significance for the Vietnamese people, there were to be no prep fires (artillery on an enemy position before a ground assault) on the Citadel, and only small arms weaponry was to be used against the enemy (179). To 2LT Warr and his Platoon Sergeant, this order made no sense. Through all his Marine training, Warr was taught that prep fires were necessary for a successful ground assault, especially if the enemy had had time to emplace adequate defenses (181). Warr was correct in the necessity of prep fires and heavy weaponry. Their absence was the cause of much death and destruction for the 1/5 Marines, especially Charlie Company First Platoon. The documents that Warr refers to would have the reader and others seeking the same documents that he did believe otherwise. Warr writes, "Specifically, these documents state that every effort was made to provide heavy artillery, air strikes, and naval gunfire support to the ground troops from the beginning of the battle. The reports further state that American attacks during this battle were made 'upon completion of prep fires, walking artillery in front of advancing troops'" (14). However, during his description of the battle, particularly at the street known as Phase Line Green, Warr states that time and time again, his requests for heavy artillery support were denied (212, 215, 220). After his last plea for heavy firepower was denied, Warr writes, "The powers that be had established the rules of engagement, and we would go forward across phase line green using the limited firepower of our small-arms weapons, or we would die. And, so, Charlie One died" (220).

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