Book Review on Platoon Leader: A Memoir of Command in Combat

James R. McDonough once express that his story is not a comprehensive credentials of the Vietnam War, but a mere account of an American platoon leader in battle. Lt. McDonough had, for a year subsequently West Point, been situated in specialized fosterage bases to be fibre of an airborne brigade. And as he was readily equipped, he was brought to the Strategic Hamlet syllabus formed by the US armed forces in the 1960s to weaken the Viet Cong with civilian control, which, failed in the 1970s.Nevertheless, the US armed forces have not fade out this program yet. 2nd Lieutenant McDonough found himself despotic a platoon led by a non-com c atomic number 18ed officer. Every whiz was in low morale and inefficient as the surrogate McDonough was replacing refused to wage fight every the snip keeping the platoon from being harmed. Setting his goals straight, McDonough looked forward to elevate the loyalty of his platoon, as well as, completing the mission with minimal or no cas ualties on their part. Mc Donough journeyed through a difficult period of entry leadership.He practiced careful observation and everyday combats with the enemy to lay out plans that would ensure an unadulterated mission. An air of loneliness have also been created passim the whole story as platoon hands divided up their piece of sufferings, fears and yearnings both in their military and individualised lives. The novel provided a in truthistic point of peck to both sides of the war good and bad, the thoughts that prevail to from distributively one character in the story and the choices separately one of them has to make in the line of duty (Hopkins).The troika things this narrative might embed in the proofreaders mind might includeDoing the chastise thing in the in effect(p) time and with the right reasons There is a given responsibility each soldier has to his fellow comrades it is to protect them at all costs and Tiny mischiefs might ignite great conflicts thi s should teach vigilance in discipline (Jacobs).These are just three of three of the important points presented in this memoir. But, among the most significant to note is leadership. He has raft goals for a demoralized group of men, has aided each one of them to brave in realizing these goals, and ensuring that each of his men savor the success of these goals. McDonough made a compare between good and bad leadership through the two lieutenants the non-commissioned officer who refuses to fight, and he who wishes to be a real leader.Vivid details in the memoir bring the setting come to life along with the compelling set of characters. McDonough seemingly did not pick up it necessary to delve much in the diseased images of the war, rather, on the relationships that developed throughout the story. It was reflected in moments of chaff and humor an indication of the need to be resilient. He also enumerated diametric strategies and tactics that had been formulated during the war. T hese relationships were part of the humanizing aspects of the story, including issues that involve latrines.McDonough filled his memoir with discovering varied kinds of relationships with assorted men from high-ranking men to allies and enemies, and civilians. It was a compilation of the view and experiences of war by different people. The Platoon Leader also indicated the ethics and morals of the war, the dehumanizing adventure a soldier might come across in the cruelty of the war.McDonoughs instrument character in this memoir is his being a leader it enabled him to explore relationships, establish a set of war ethics and morals, a progression into a real leader. He portrayed a wise, humane, tough and satisfying leader, under the most difficult circumstances. The novel is a profound documentation on wartime virtues making it a very important piece in American literature (Mazza).ReferencesHopkins, Martha. Platoon Leader A account of require in Combat. 2003.25 whitethorn 200 7 .Jacobs. Platoon Leader A Memoir of Command in Combat Review. 2007. 25 May 2007 .Mazza, Michael. Platoon Leader A Memoir of Command in Combat Review. 2004. 25 May 2007