An enemy in the shadows, the Viet Cong was the military arm of the National Liberation Front, the Communist Party of the Republic of Vietnam.

Often working with the North Vietnamese Army, they were a constant factor amid the rice paddies and battlefields throughout the war. Despite fighting an enemy with overwhelming firepower and resources, they ingeniously made use of the local environment and resources to wage war.

Gordon L Rottman uses rare photographs and artwork to paint vivid portraits of these determined guerrilla warriors, discussing their initial training, their unique motivation, extensive political and psychological indoctrination, and the brutal reality of combat experience.