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Fields of Fire (novel)

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Fields of Fire
First edition
AuthorJames Webb
LanguageEnglish
SubjectVietnam War, United States Marine Corps
GenreHistorical fiction
PublisherPrentice Hall
Publication date
1978
Publication placeUnited States
Media typePaperback
Pages496 pages
ISBN0-553-58385-9
OCLC47918691
LC ClassCPB Box no. 1963 vol. 23

Fields of Fire is a novel by U.S. Senator Jim Webb, first published in 1978. It is a work of fiction which depicts a platoon of Marines serving in the Vietnam War.

Content

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The novel is told mainly from the viewpoints of three Marines: 2nd Lt. Robert E. Lee Hodges, who comes from a long line of soldiers; "Snake" (no full name given), a squad leader in Hodges' platoon, a tough kid from the streets; and "Senator" (Will Goodrich), an impressionable and sensitive Harvard student who volunteers for service. The major themes are centered on loyalty, leadership, and the brutalizing effects on people in a time of war. Written only three years after the last American troops withdrew from Vietnam,[1] and despite being written by a man who loved the military and hated the antiwar movement, Fields of Fire points out the flawed logic of the Vietnam War through its hero, Lieutenant Hodges.[2]

Reception

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References

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  1. ^ "This Day in History: Last US Combat Troops Withdraw from Vietnam". VOA. 29 March 2017.
  2. ^ Cushman, John H. (1988-02-28). "JAMES WEBB'S NEW 'FIELDS OF FIRE' (Published 1988)". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2021-02-14.