Boots on the Ground: America's War in Vietnam: List 3

by Elizabeth Partridge
In this acclaimed book, Elizabeth Partridge combines meticulous research, photographic records, and personal accounts into a vivid history of the Vietnam War and its aftermath.

This list covers Vietnam: Machine Gunner Henry Allen (April 1967–May 1958) – America: President and Commander in Chief Lyndon B. Johnson (March 1968–December 1968).

Here are links to our lists for the book: List 1, List 2, List 3, List 4, List 5
40 words 219 learners

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Full list of words from this list:

words only definitions & notes
  1. tote
    carry with difficulty
    “I was going to tote this machine gun for a year and I would never have to shoot it,” he said.
  2. induct
    admit as a member
    In November 1966, he was inducted into the army and the following April was sent to Vietnam.
  3. privy
    an outhouse
    He was given a wheelbarrow and told to collect human waste from the privies.
  4. stockade
    a place where persecuted groups are forcibly confined
    He’d be sent to Long Binh Jail, the American stockade on Long Binh Post, twelve miles northeast of Saigon.
  5. sheer
    complete and without restriction
    Sometimes the biggest enemy was sheer, unremitting thirst.
  6. unremitting
    uninterrupted in time and indefinitely long continuing
    Sometimes the biggest enemy was sheer, unremitting thirst.
  7. paddy
    an irrigated or flooded field where rice is grown
    His squad came to a muddy stream draining a rice paddy.
  8. canteen
    a flask for carrying water; used by soldiers or travelers
    I had three iodine tablets. I took my canteen cup and I looked into heaven at our Father in heaven. ‘I’m thirsty,’ I said.
  9. slake
    satisfy, as thirst
    He drank until his thirst was slaked, protected by iodine and a prayer.
  10. chaplain
    a member of the clergy ministering to some institution
    The chaplain eulogized King's commitment to nonviolence.
  11. eulogize
    praise formally and eloquently
    The chaplain eulogized King's commitment to nonviolence.
  12. profound
    coming from deep within one
    Something profound shifted in Allen. “That brought my humanity back,” he said. “It was gone. I had lost it.”
  13. belligerent
    characteristic of an enemy or one eager to fight
    A white officer stopped him and recommended he stay in uniform. As he traveled through the South, belligerent whites might give him trouble. Hopefully they’d respect the uniform.
  14. squalid
    foul and run-down and repulsive
    Squalid refugee camps were crowded with displaced villagers.
  15. refugee
    an exile who flees for safety
    Squalid refugee camps were crowded with displaced villagers.
  16. morale
    the feeling that makes group members want to succeed
    At home, public support for the war was slowly eroding, and Johnson’s fear that American troop morale would slip as the war dragged on was proving painfully correct.
  17. beleaguer
    annoy persistently
    Johnson felt beleaguered on all sides.
  18. downplay
    understate the importance or quality of
    President Johnson tried to downplay the massive attack at a news conference on February 2, saying “a few bandits can do that in any city.”
  19. wreak
    cause to happen or to occur as a consequence
    But it quickly became clear that the Communist forces were disciplined and committed as they wreaked carnage on both military and civilian groups.
  20. debilitating
    impairing strength and vitality
    As American casualties shot up, debilitating insomnia kept Johnson awake at night, prowling the White House halls in his bathrobe and slippers.
  21. abreast
    being up to date in knowledge
    Again and again, he went down to the Situation Room to stay abreast of the latest fighting.
  22. mire
    be unable to move further
    “To say that we are mired in stalemate seems the only realistic, yet unsatisfactory, conclusion,” reported Cronkite.
  23. stalemate
    a situation in which no progress can be made
    “To say that we are mired in stalemate seems the only realistic, yet unsatisfactory, conclusion,” reported Cronkite.
  24. relativity
    the theory that space and time are not absolute concepts
    To relax, he read science fiction and studied Einstein’s theory of relativity.
  25. personnel
    group of people willing to obey orders
    From the very first day, casualties poured into the 91st Evacuation Hospital, overwhelming the medical personnel.
  26. squelch
    make a sucking sound
    Kelley could feel blood squelching around in his boots, and his uniform was crusted with fresh and dried blood, sweat, dirt, and vomit.
  27. officious
    intrusive in a meddling or offensive manner
    Who is this officious little chrome-dome? he thought.
  28. insubordinate
    not submissive to authority
    “Who said that?” said the lieutenant, his eyes darting around the crammed room to see who had dared to be so insubordinate.
  29. blatant
    without any attempt at concealment; completely obvious
    After Kelley’s blatant disobedience, the lieutenant had it out for him.
  30. intravenous
    within or by means of a vein
    Many of the patients were losing blood fast from their wounds and had to have intravenous blood or plasma to stay alive.
  31. ascertain
    learn or determine by making an inquiry or other effort
    “My job was to ascertain if the casualty warranted the risk,” said Kelley.
  32. unyielding
    stubbornly unwilling to give in
    But Major Jones was unyielding. What he said went.
  33. nemesis
    a personal foe or rival that cannot be easily defeated
    His old nemesis, the lieutenant, was watching him like a hawk, waiting for him to mess up.
  34. animosity
    a feeling of ill will arousing active hostility
    It quickly escalated, and the animosity between the two men exploded.
  35. purloin
    make off with belongings of others
    “We were cooking purloined steaks and lobster we stole from the officer’s club and the mess hall,” said Kelley.
  36. burly
    muscular and heavily built
    But two big, burly soldiers right behind them grabbed Stringer’s arms before he could even react, and forced him to keep moving.
  37. bleak
    offering little or no hope
    Everyone—including Johnson—had assumed he would seek a second full term as president, but he knew now his chances of reelection were bleak.
  38. faction
    a dissenting clique
    But animosity ran high between the different factions.
  39. convulse
    move or stir about violently
    Johnson was convinced the battlefield was not where he had been unable to win the war. It was at home, with the country convulsing in turmoil and protest.
  40. confer
    have a meeting in order to talk something over
    Richard Nixon (right) confers with President Johnson in the Oval Office on the day Nixon was inaugurated, 1969.
Created on Wed Oct 17 11:32:01 EDT 2018 (updated Wed Oct 17 16:52:29 EDT 2018)

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