Bloody Jungle

by Chris Evans

Published 11 November 2013
This collection of photographs offers a glimpse into what it was like for a soldier to fight and live in the jungles of Vietnam. All aspects are covered here: weapons, from M-16 machine guns to grenades; uniforms, including boots, headgear, and wet-weather gear; equipment, such as rucksacks and binoculars; rations; ground vehicles like jeeps, armoured personnel carriers, and tanks; aerial vehicles like helicopters and troop transports; terrain and jungle conditions; conditions in camp; the effects of combat; leisure time activities like drinking and smoking; USO performances; and Vietnamese civilians. Most of the photos are colour, and most of them come from private collections and have never been published before. Complementing the photos, in addition to captions, are anecdotes from the men who served in Vietnam, who knew the "bloody jungle" firsthand. This is a unique look at a war that looms large in recent history.

The role of artillery on the Eastern Front should not be underestimated. While dashing aerial battles waged overhead and panzers and T-34s rumbled across the vast steppes, it was the artillery that rained down the most destruction. Steel Thunder takes the reader deep into the action, illuminating the massive array of weapons that were constructed by both sides in an effort to literally smash their enemy into the earth.

From light artillery pieces that could be man-handled by a small crew to guns so monstrous they had to be transported in pieces, and from rockets that wailed like screaming death to fully tracked armoured artillery vehicles designed to pulverise concrete, steel, and flesh, the sheer quantity and variety of weapons designed to hurl high explosives fills these pages.

About the Author

Chris Evans holds a master's degree in military history and is history editor for Stackpole Books. He lives in New York City.