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Army officer Jim Thompson's horrific experience in a series of North
Vietnamese prisons was nasty and brutish--but definitely not short. He
was held as a prisoner of war for nearly nine years, longer than any other
American POW. His treatment was torturous: "I was put into a horizontal
cage maybe two feet wide, two feet high, and five feet long. There I was
kept for four months, chained hand and feet." And sometimes he was just
plain tortured: "I sat there with a pen in hand as they shouted at me to
write," he recalls of a time his captors tried to make him issue a statement
condemning the American war effort. "Periodically they hit me with bamboo.
Not hard enough to knock me unconscious or to break the skin. Just enough
to hurt. They kept at it for eight, ten, twelve hours a day." (He eventually
gave in, and signed a statement.)
The irony is that Thompson's life improved little upon his return to
the United States. His wife had taken up with another man, his family fell
apart, he drank to excess, and his son was convicted of murder. Readers
will be at once tempted and reluctant to call Thompson a hero--tempted
because of how much he suffered for serving his country and for his numerous
escape attempts, but reluctant because Thompson was himself responsible
for much of the pain he brought on himself and his family following his
return.
Military journalist Tom Philpott has produced an oddly fascinating book
about Thompson's ordeal. Glory Denied is not a piece of narrative nonfiction,
but an oral history. It tells Thompson's story through the words of Thompson
and those who knew him. Readers who want a more uplifting POW story may
want to try Faith of Our Fathers by Senator John McCain (who contributes
a foreword to Glory Denied), yet Philpott's book may come closer to capturing
the agony so many Americans continue to associate with Vietnam. --John
J. Miller --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.
From Publishers Weekly
Col. Floyd James "Jim" Thompson of the U.S. Army Special Forces was
captured by the Vietcong in South Vietnam in March 1964 and held longer
than any other prisoner of war in American history, suffering greatly physically
and emotionally. He was released, along with other American POWs, in March
1973. Thompson's troubles, however, only multiplied after his release.
During his captivity, Thompson's wife, Alyce, moved with their four young
children into the home of an army sergeant and told the... read more --This
text refers to the Hardcover edition.
Book Description
"Before Vietnam, the truth of war, of honor and courage, was obscure
to many of us. Like Jim Thompson, I learned the truth in war. Like Jim,
I discovered in Vietnam that faith in myself proved to be the least formidable
strength I possessed when confronting organized inhumanity on a greater
scale than I conceived possible. In prison, I learned that faith in myself
alone was ultimately no match for the cruelty that human beings could devise
when they where unencumbered by respect for the God-given dignity of man.
This is the lesson many Americans, including Jim, learned in prison. It
is, perhaps, the most important lesson we have ever learned. Jim Thompson
kept the faith. This is his story." (From Senator John McCain's foreword)
On March 26, 1964, barely four months after arriving in Vietnam, Special Forces Captain Floyd "Jim" Thompson was captured by the Vietcong. He would spend the next nine years in jungle cages and dark prison cells, attempting escape five times, and surviving torture, disease, and starvation. When he was finally released in 1973, he returned to a nation he no longer knew-and to a family that no longer knew him.
Thompson's epic story-and that of his wife and children, who also paid dearly for his sacrifice-is brought to life in this searing reconstruction of one man's torturous journey through the unspeakable horrors of war and its aftermath. Weaving together interviews with Thompson and his family; comments from friends, fellow soldiers, and other POWs; and excerpts from service records, medical reports, and intelligence briefings, journalist Tom Philpott creates a moving and compelling portrait of a complex and heroic figure. Combining the rich historical detail of Neil Sheehan's A Bright Shining Lie with the pathos of a James Jones novel, Glory Denied is a monumental work of oral history and a much-needed reminder of how far we have come-and how far we have yet to travel-in understanding one of the defining moments of our generation.
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Spotlight Reviews
Another tragic tale from the turbulent sixties, July 19, 2001
Reviewer: Tasha Staggers (see more about me) from New York, NY
USA
Glory Denied tells the story of all Vietnam Vets who went to fight
for their country only to realize how much has changed when they have returned.
Col. Thompson in my opinion was pretty much a person with no sense of direction
until he is drafted into the army. There he finds a purpose rather than
having to live the robotic lifestyle of that time when men basically got
married, had children, got house and waited to retired. As for the rest
of the Thompson family. I consider them Vietnam Vets as well. From Alycie
(Jim's Wife), their daughters and their only son. They did what they needed
to do to survive while Jim was being held prisoner in Vietnam. But nine
years is a long time to be away from your family and harder to adjust when
you are living in a house filled with strangers. The only thing I was puzzled
about was the ladent homosexuality Jim developed with he returned. I truly
felt the he did come this way while being imprisioned. These feelings were
very deep rooted and because of the times he was living in; he had to play
along (i.e. get married/have children)or face the consquences. --This text
refers to the Hardcover edition
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Col. Jim Thompson is not alone..., July 17, 2001
Reviewer: lippertr from Palm Coast, FL USA
Col. Thompson was without a doubt the most unique American prisoner
of war in Viet Nam. Jim's recalcitrant adherence to military demeanor almost
cost him his life, his sanity and, even after nearly nine years of torture
and mistreatment, his freedom when he initiated a hunger strike -one day
before his release. Ironically, all the recognition accorded this national
hero did little to turn back the sands of time and recoup the life and
loves he had left behind. Tragically, he continues to be a prisoner of
his own memories -from which there is no escape. Kudos to author Tom Philpott
for his unconventional portrayal of Col. Thompson's memoirs.
I would respectfully take this opportunity to submit that although Col.
Thompson was indeed the longest held American POW in Viet Nam, there were
numerous others on American (special ops) who were captured, tortured and
consequently served from ten to twenty years -and even more, in hellish
Cuban prisons. I was among them and could almost feel the despair and suffering
as I read each page. In no way do I claim to have undergone such horrendous
atrocities as Jim but many of my colleagues did and, ironically, their
profiles closely parallel his own. Especially after their return... --This
text refers to the Hardcover edition
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All Customer Reviews
Another casualty of an unnecessary, immoral war, February 7, 2004
Reviewer: Terry M. Callen (see more about me) from Gloucester
City, NJ United States
The list continues to grow, doesn't it? And, sadly, America has not
learned its lesson from the debacle known as the Viet Nam war.
There had to be times when Jim Thompson asked himself "Was it REALLY worth it?"
It's easy to criticize Alyce, but that's the result when a society teaches women NOT to be independent.
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Heartbreaking, November 3, 2003
Reviewer: Inger Watts (see more about me) from Trondheim, Norway
GLORY DENIED
This is a story that is difficult to forget. Jim Thompson survives
nine years of captivity. He is tortured and starved. When another prisoner
meets him some years into Jim's captivity, this other man describes him
as 'a skeleton with some white hair on top'. Nobody believes that Jim is
going to survive. But, what they do not know of is Jim's strong determination
to stay alive. He dreams a lot of his wife and his four children. Needless
to say: Jim's homecoming is a shock. His wife has lived with another man,
and the children have been told that their father is dead. His wife, Alyce,
has been very keen to keep her husband's name off all official lists, while
she at the same time has received his pay checks.
It is obvious that Alyce in many ways, behaved in a way that she should not be proud of, but at the same time, the strength of this book is that it gives her a chance to tell her side of the story.
When I read the book, Alyce never became my heroine, but still, I do see that her life was not easy: The way she was treated in 1964, when her husband was a POW, and she was alone with four children, was down right cruel. But, her solutions to the problem, were not very good. And, when Jim came back, her handling of this situation is not very good either. In many ways, Alyce does not come out as a very strong person, and the advice she received, was not the best all the time. Their four children's stories are heartbreaking. So, this is a sad story of how a family was affected by the Vietnam War. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition
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Incredibly and emotionally revealing......, April 15,
2003
Reviewer: Kyle Tolle (see more about me) from Phoenix, Arizona
United States
Special Forces Captain Jim Thompson was shot down (while an observer
on a reconnaissance flight) over South Vietnam on March 24, 1964. Held
first in jungle camps in South Vietnam and later moved to North Vietnam,
Thompson would not see another American for 4 years and would spend a total
of 5 years in solitary confinement and isolation.
Suffering brutal torture, disease, and starvation, he would endure some of the worst treatment ever imagined for almost 9 unbelievable years. Eventually, he would be recognized as the longest held prisoner of war in American history. During his confinement, Thompson never wavered in his defiance of his captors and continually upheld his convictions in America, his patriotism, his pride, and his beliefs.
Upon returning to the United States, hoping to re-establish a stable home life, Jim Thompson is quickly immersed in tragic events that would continue several years after his return. Starting with the revelation of his wife's infidelity during his captivity, major turmoil would befall his family soon thereafter. He is unprepared for 9 years of change that has influenced his family and this sadly leads to, among other things, alienation of his children, addiction to alcohol, estrangement from his wife, and eventual divorce.
In a constant uphill struggle, Thompson painfully suffered through many subsequent events in his life that literally brought him to the edge of despair and his attempting suicide.
Glory Denied is quite possibly the saddest, most tragic, and totally heart-wrenching accounts of POW captivity ever written. It is also a story of love, understanding, forgiveness, hope, faith, and survival.
Sixteen years in the making, this book is exceedingly well written and prepared and evokes much emotion in its content. Deserving of 10 stars, this book is very highly recommended to everyone. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition
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The Most Enlightening Book I Have Ever Read, March 5, 2003
Reviewer: historyreader1 (see more about me) from NY, USA
This book proved to be a major eye opener to me. One cannot understand
the horrors of being a POW until reading this book. This book proves you
do not have to die to be a casualty to war and that soldiers are not the
only victims of war. This book brings you into the world of Floyd J. Thompson,
the longest held POW. The author does not simply describe his experiences
in prison but also afterwards. The book describes how Thompson's POW experience
did not end with his release but still continues till this day. The truths
about the affects of his experience on his family is trully disheartening.
But I recommend this book to anyone who wants a glimpse into the world
of the POW and America's unsung hero, Floyd J. Thompson. --This text refers
to the Hardcover edition