Fallujah: Iraq's most dangerous city unexpectedly emerged as the major battleground of the Iraqi insurgency. For 20 months, one American battalion after another tried to quell the violence, culminating in a bloody, full-scale assault. Victory came at a terrible price: 151 Americans and thousands of Iraqis were left dead.

The epic battle for Fallujah revealed the startling connections between policy and combat that are a part of the new reality of war.

The Marines had planned to slip into Fallujah "as soft as fog". But after four American contractors were brutally murdered, President Bush ordered an attack on the city, against the advice of the Marines. The assault sparked a political firestorm, and the Marines were forced to withdraw amid controversy and confusion, only to be ordered a second time to take a city that had become an inferno of hate and the lair of the archterrorist al-Zarqawi.

Based on months spent with the battalions in Fallujah and hundreds of interviews at every level (senior policymakers, negotiators, generals, and soldiers and Marines on the front lines) No True Glory is a testament to the bravery of the American soldier and a cautionary tale about the complex, and often costly, interconnected roles of policy, politics, and battle in the twenty-first century.

Listening Length

13 hours and 21 minutes
Author

Bing West
Narrator

Robertson Dean
Audible release date

September 23, 2005
Language

English
Publisher

Random House Audio
ASIN

B000BKSFW4
Version

Unabridged
Program Type

Audiobook
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Product details

Listening Length	13 hours and 21 minutes
Author	Bing West
Narrator	Robertson Dean
Whispersync for Voice	Ready
Audible.com Release Date	September 23, 2005
Publisher	Random House Audio
Program Type	Audiobook
Version	Unabridged
Language	English
ASIN	B000BKSFW4
Best Sellers Rank	#72,504 in Audible Books & Originals (See Top 100 in Audible Books & Originals) #47 in Iraq War #152 in Middle Eastern History (Audible Books & Originals) #240 in Iraq War History (Books)

Customer reviews

5 star		73%
4 star		19%
3 star		4%
2 star		1%
1 star		3%

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Top reviews from the United States

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Mustang45

NO SONGS WERE SUNG, BUT THIS ONE.

Reviewed in the United States on January 3, 2019

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Bing West not only knows combat, he knows how to write about it. This is a riveting account of Marines in Combat, in its worst form: urban warfare. Mr. West reminds us, “For Greek warriors, there was no true glory if they were not remembered afterward in poem and in song. There will be no true glory for our soldiers in Iraq until they are recognized not as victims, but as aggressive warriors. Stores of their bravery deserved to be recorded and read by the next generation. Unsung, the noblest deed will die.”

God bless Bing West for taking the time to recount the trials of these amazingly courageous young Americans. We may argue through infinity about the wisdom of sending our military to Iraq (or Afghanistan, as well), but we must not allow our political opinions to diminish the brave accomplishments of our troops. They served in this hell for us, and for one another. Their crucible is worth remembering, and Bing West has sung their song. Semper Fi, Bing West.

9 people found this helpful

Helpful

" It wasn't quite as bad as Stalingrad

Reviewed in the United States on November 2, 2015

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I hope this book is required reading for all infantry officers, and preferably for all others as well because it covers seamlessly a long campaign from the strategic to the operational to the tactical level, right down to individual squads and even the individuals. As the sub-title states, the campaign is the Battle for Fallujah, but this was actually several battles with distinct phases and it took over a year. Bing West starts with a brief and exceptionally lucid introduction, then explains the intricate command relationship on Iraq as well as the complexities of politics which involved major political, religious and tribal divisions. This section is indispensable for an understanding of what was happening in Iraq after we took Baghdad and destroyed the Baathist regime.
There is then the seamless move to the battles, not just in Fallujah, but Ramadi and Sadr City as well. All of these were battles for cities, i.e. street fighting or as it is now called "operations in the urban terrain." It wasn't quite as bad as Stalingrad, Berlin and Budapest in WWII, but then the US forces engaged rarely exceeded an infantry regiment or brigade against high odds, albeit made up of untrained, but often fanatical fighters. The descriptions of these engagements are both hair-raising and exciting; this was a book hard to put down, even knowing the end.
There is a constant switching between the fighting and the "big picture" view and this is essential for gaining a knowledge of how the United States conducted its occupation and nation-building in Iraq. In fact, even in spite of many missteps, this turned out to be successful by the end of 2008 and started deteriorating afterwards when Pres. Obama announced the withdrawal of US troops.
Be that as it may, there were missteps enough in 2003-4 and the author describes them in detail but without acrimony or hyperbole. Indeed, he is careful to write history objectively, with personal views/conclusions limited mainly to the last chapter. I found it difficult to disagree with them. The author, by the way, is eminently well qualified for the subject by way of his service in the USMC and the Defense Department.
This is actually rather a short book, but it contains two long excerpts from Bing West's other books on Iraq and I am planning to buy both, although the excerpts by themselves are very useful.

7 people found this helpful

Helpful

Definitely a winner of a book

Reviewed in the United States on January 2, 2016

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There you have it. A book that basically tells how under appreciated our armed forces are in the conflict called Iraq. Like opening a can of worms, trying to step in to bring the powerful forces of democracy to a region where perhaps that kind of notion can not be understood. Of course, the ones who have to deal with all the violent resistance fro the insurgents, is the faithful US Armed Forces, where the Marines seem to always take front stage, not to discredit all the other members of the finest force of this world. This book is written by absolutely one of the best there ever was, a writer that knows and feels for our soldiers as much as anyone could. This is one book that should be read by anyone who might think the life over there is easy, the consequences of being there not too challenging. I happen to love our Armed Forces, and it hurts to know all the suffering our troops have gone through, having to deal with the politics that corrupt all military campaigns. Too many roadblocks created by those who sent them there in the first place, but one thing remains very clear: there are countless enemies disguised as regular people, and I can understand that the fight in Fallujah was no easy job, for the backstabbing that takes place outside of the tight units that got the job, would be enough to make the back of one's hair stand up. Instead of being able to go there in full force, too many restrictions governing the missions, for what will the world say if the poor population of Fallujah, who seemed to be very pleased with the bodies of Americans hanging in their bridge, complained of military abuse on the part of the invading army every chance they could voice their discontent. This book was as good as one is going to get in this modern war that started what it seems now a long time ago. 4.5 Stars.

3 people found this helpful

Helpful

David L. Fairbanks (a grunt in a different war)

This is the brutally honest story of the battles for Ramadi and Fallujah, Iraq, 2004.

Reviewed in the United States on April 27, 2021

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Any observer or student of the American involvement in Iraq in the early 2000's should read this book. West provides an unflinching account of the different, uncoordinated, conflicting, confusing and often contradictory lines of authority and policy considerations from the military units on the ground to the Pentagon, and from the diplomats in-country to the Whitehouse itself. The inevitable result was a significant increase in the grunts killed and wounded in Fallujah in November, 2004. His descriptions of the fire-fights is to be there: the sights; noise; smells; confusion; blood; carnage; and above all, the indomitable will, determination, discipline, humor, courage and bravery of the Marine (and some Army) grunts. West's respect, admiration and love for grunts is the very heart of this book. But beware: it will disturb your sleep patterns.

One person found this helpful

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Top reviews from other countries

munster8

A captivating mix of frontline action and politics

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on July 20, 2012

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I got this knowing very little of the events of and surrounding the fighting in Fallujah and West's book has more than corrected the gaps in my knowledge. As an ex-Marine, he clearly has an affinity for the troops he writes about, and the book is probably at its best when he is describing the combat experiences of the soldiers. However, West does not neglect the political context, as he also conveys the disconnect between the multiple and at times conflicting political interest groups involved, both back in the USA as well as in Iraq. A few maps would have been useful to get a sense of the geography (Google Maps came in handy), but otherwise this comes highly recommended.

3 people found this helpful

Panda

The Battle for Fulugah

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on October 2, 2020

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I bought this ebook because I like military history, and this book doesn't disappoint, it highlights just how many casualties their prepared to accept to achieve their goals. It's an good read.

Blunty

What people don’t know they don’t care

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on January 27, 2021

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Well written and comprehensive account

Albert

A really good, well written book

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on March 8, 2015

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A really good, well written book. The story puts you right into the hell that was Fallujah immediately after the fall of Iraq, you can understand the impossible job the American soldiers had as the higher chain of command struggled to keep all political parties happy whilst trying to suppress a growing insurgency culminating in the destruction of a city. Well worth reading.

One person found this helpful

Dunxjambo

Five Stars

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on March 8, 2017

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