"The story of the men of the 25th Infantry, the "Tropic Lightning" Division," in which film producer Oliver Stone served, and which was the basis for his film "Platoon."

1. A Setting for War: Coping with a Strange and Hostile World. Land and Climate. The Works of Man -- 2. Tools of the Trade. Infantry Weapons. Armored Vehicles. Supporting Arms: Ground. Supporting Arms: Air -- 3. Around in Circles: Warfare in 360 Degrees. Preparations for War. Intelligence. Objectives, Tempo, and Terrain. Firefights -- 4. The Shifting Battlefields of Vietnam. The Tethered Goat. Tet. Above the Earth and Below -- 5. WIA: Wounded in Action. Wounds. Evacuation. Care -- 6. The Vietnamese. Civilians. South Vietnamese Forces. Charlie -- 7. To Stand and Fight: Morale in the 25th Division. Political Motivation. Day by Day. Field Morale -- Epilogue: Last Thoughts from Three Veterans of the Tropic Lightning Division -- Appendix: A Roster of the 25th Infantry Division.