How Long to Read Spies and Commandos

How Long Does it Take to Read Spies and Commandos?

It takes the average reader 6 hours and 9 minutes to read Spies and Commandos by Kenneth Conboy

Assuming a reading speed of 250 words per minute. Learn more

Description

During the Vietnam war, the United States sought to undermine Hanoi's subversion of the Saigon regime by sending Vietnamese operatives behind enemy lines. A secret to most Americans, this covert operation was far from secret in Hanoi: all of the commandos were killed or captured, and many were turned by the Communists to report false information. Spies and Commandos traces the rise and demise of this secret operation-started by the CIA in 1960 and expanded by the Pentagon beginning in1964-in the first book to examine the program from both sides of the war. Kenneth Conboy and Dale Andrade interviewed CIA and military personnel and traveled in Vietnam to locate former commandos who had been captured by Hanoi, enabling them to tell the complete story of these covert activities from high-level decision making to the actual experiences of the agents. The book vividly describes scores of dangerous missions-including raids against North Vietnamese coastal installations and the air-dropping of dozens of agents into enemy territory-as well as psychological warfare designed to make Hanoi believe the "resistance movement" was larger than it actually was. It offers a more complete operational account of the program than has ever been made available-particularly its early years-and ties known events in the war to covert operations, such as details of the "34-A Operations" that led to the Tonkin Gulf incidents in 1964. It also explains in no uncertain terms why the whole plan was doomed to failure from the start. One of the remarkable features of the operation, claim the authors, is that its failures were so glaring. They argue that the CIA, and later the Pentagon, was unaware for years that Hanoi had compromised the commandos, even though some agents missed radio deadlines or filed suspicious reports. Operational errors were not attributable to conspiracy or counterintelligence, they contend, but simply to poor planning and lack of imagination. Although it flourished for ten years under cover of the wider war, covert activity in Vietnam is now recognized as a disaster. Conboy and Andrade's account of that episode is a sobering tale that lends a new perspective on the war as it reclaims the lost lives of these unsung spies and commandos.

How long is Spies and Commandos?

Spies and Commandos by Kenneth Conboy is 358 pages long, and a total of 92,364 words.

This makes it 121% the length of the average book. It also has 113% more words than the average book.

How Long Does it Take to Read Spies and Commandos Aloud?

The average oral reading speed is 183 words per minute. This means it takes 8 hours and 24 minutes to read Spies and Commandos aloud.

What Reading Level is Spies and Commandos?

Spies and Commandos is suitable for students ages 12 and up.

Note that there may be other factors that effect this rating besides length that are not factored in on this page. This may include things like complex language or sensitive topics not suitable for students of certain ages.

When deciding what to show young students always use your best judgement and consult a professional.

Where Can I Buy Spies and Commandos?

Spies and Commandos by Kenneth Conboy is sold by several retailers and bookshops. However, Read Time works with Amazon to provide an easier way to purchase books.

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