Word of Honor (novel)
 |
|
| Author | Nelson DeMille |
|---|---|
| Cover artist | Gene Light |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Genre | Novel |
| Publisher | Grand Central Publishing |
|
Publication date
|
November 1, 1985 |
| Media type | Print (Hardback & Paperback) |
| Pages | 518 |
| ISBN | |
| OCLC | 12052966 |
| 813/.54 19 | |
| LC Class | PS3554.E472 W6 1985 |
Word of Honor is the fifth major novel by American writer Nelson DeMille and the first which involves the Vietnam War. It was originally published in 1985 by Warner Books. Time Magazine referred to it as "The Caine Mutiny of the 80's", while Publishers Weekly stated that it is comparable to the classic but has "wider implications". The novel covers broad themes associated with war, crime and punishment, culpability of leaders, guilt, justice, honor, and the Vietnam War.
The novel centers on a Vietnam veteran, Benjamin Tyson, who has made a great life for himself after serving as a lieutenant in the war. An investigative journalist uncovers a possible massacre similar to My Lai committed by Tyson's platoon in 1968. This sets off a series of events that affects Tyson's life. The Army seeks punishment while the public is conflicted. Complex issues of Tyson's culpability arise as DeMille slowly reveals more detail surrounding what really happened. The novel blends intense and accurate Vietnam War flashbacks with "intelligent and highly charged courtroom melodrama".
The novel begins with Ben Tyson finding and reading excerpts from Hue: Death of a City, a recently published book by Andrew Picard about the Battle of Hue during the Vietnam War. The book highlights an incident similar to MyLai and is based on information provided to Picard from two men in Tyson's platoon and from a nun who escaped the incident. It names Tyson as the leader of the platoon, which is shot at as it approaches a hospital, suffering one casualty and two injuries. According to the book, a doctor at the hospital refuses to help one of the American soldiers because his condition is too bad; after an American soldier shoots the doctor and others are killed in the hospital, chaos ensues and, according to Picard, the platoon decides to kill all the witness (everyone in the hospital). The book never mentions names except Tyson's, stating that he was the platoon lieutenant.
Tyson researches his possible options and learns that a platoon leader can be held accountable for the actions of his men if he should have anticipated them or possibly if he knew of them and did not report them. In this case, the charge would have to be murder since the statute of limitations ran out on other possible charges. Tyson tells his wife, Marcy, of the book and has her read it. He doesn't deny what the book charges but instead says that on the whole it is accurate. Marcy is a liberal, was very active in the 60's anti-war movement, and is somewhat skeptical of her husband's actions but still supports him.
...
Wikipedia