According to the book description, “Sewall Menzel, presents us with a thought provoking portrayal of balancing the demands of command with the fighting needs of our troops. An attacking force to be successful must rely upon a chain of command which is aware of the odds facing its soldiers. Supplies, equipment, directions, all of the support needs must be available and in place to insure success.

Menzel as a commanding officer constantly placed himself in the forefront of action. He wanted to be aware of what faced his men. The ability to apply pressure to the enemy, the quickness in issuing orders for defense, awareness of terrain, all must be weighed for a successful engagement. Through At the Cutting Edge, we travel through many areas of operation in Vietnam valleys and hills, on roads, trails, rivers and through the heavy jungle growth. Our eyes are opened when the author presents army and air force actions in Cambodia and Laos, the supposed neutral areas which the enemy uses with impunity for supplying his troops.

Successful completion of assigned tasks is rewarded with promotion which brings additional responsibilities. The author was noted for his ability to develop new and effective counter defensive strategies to frustration tactics of the enemy.  The book is most instructive to those who might question America’s plans and execution of tactics. Menzel has the knack of clearly explaining how operations work effectively.  This work is recommended to those who wish to come to grips with the factual story of our commitment of forces to combat those who threatened that part of the world. It is a revelation to people who might believe the United States lost the war.”