In Ride the Thunder, Richard Botkin breaks new ground in telling the heroic story of a few American and Vietnamese Marines who fought brilliantly and turned the tide of the Vietnam War, only to have policymakers surrender the battlefield. Botkin recounts the exploits of the American Marines and their Vietnamese allies who were largely responsible for thwarting the North Vietnamese invasion of the northern portions of South Vietnam—known as the "Easter Offensive of 1972" in the West3that was intended to bring the nation to its knees. These are the men who "rode the thunder" and almost saved a nation. Botkin tells the story of Captain John Ripley"s daring raid to destroy the Dong Ha Bridge; Major Le Ba Binh and his seven hundred Marines bravely holding off more than 20 thousand North Vietnamese troops; Lieutenant Colonel Gerry Turley"s leadership and bravery that helped thwart the Easter Offensive—and much more.