VIEW
← Back KODAMA
KODAMA / HISTORY & TRUE CRIME 2026
History · True Crime · Psychological · Investigation

Kill Anything That Moves

by Nick Turse

A monumental and devastating investigative report exposing the systematic destruction of civilian life and hidden war crimes committed by American forces during the Vietnam War.

Author Nick Turse
Publication 2013
Country United States
Original Publisher Metropolitan Books
Full Title Kill Anything That Moves: The Real American War in Vietnam
Type Investigative History / Nonfiction
A groundbreaking exposure of hidden military records and survivor testimonies. Vietnam · 1965 — 1973
KODAMA ARCHIVE HISTORY & TRUE CRIME
01
About the book

Beyond the My Lai massacre.

For decades, the My Lai massacre was framed by American authorities as an isolated aberration committed by a rogue unit. Nick Turse shattered that official narrative through a decade of exhaustive archival digging and fearless field reporting across rural Vietnam.

Turse uncovers secret Pentagon files, interviews American veterans, and documents the testimonies of Vietnamese villagers, revealing that atrocities against civilians were systemic, institutionalized, and a direct result of official rules of engagement and body-count metrics.

Somber historical landscape tones reflecting the heavy legacy of the Vietnam War.
“
A devastating investigative milestone that exposes the grim realities of industrial warfare and systemic cover-ups.
KODAMA / EDITORIAL NOTE
The author Present

Nick Turse

Nick Turse is an award-winning American investigative journalist, historian, and author. He serves as the managing editor of *TomDispatch* and has reported extensively on national security, military contracting, and human rights violations.

His meticulous research into government archives and dedication to uncovering ignored historical truths have earned him numerous prestigious journalism awards and international recognition.

ABOUT NICK TURSE

Also the author of Tomorrow's Battlefield and co-author of The Changing Face of Empire.

Archive

A few things that make the book even more intriguing.

01

The origin of the phrase.

The book's title stems from a standard operational directive given to troops in free-fire zones, instructing them to target anything that moved as a suspected combatant.

02

Uncovering the secret Pentagon task force.

Turse discovered the long-suppressed files of the Vietnam War Crimes Working Group—secret internal military investigations that proved My Lai was just the tip of the iceberg.

03

Returning to the villages.

Unlike researchers who relied solely on paper records, Turse traveled directly to remote hamlets in Vietnam to record the living memories of elderly survivors.

04

Body-count obsession.

The investigation exposes how the military's metric-driven obsession with "body counts" incentivized commanders to falsify reports and treat all dead villagers as enemy combatants.

On screen

Documentaries & Visual Legacy.

Turse's investigative discoveries have heavily shaped modern historical documentaries and television forums regarding the Vietnam War.

2017

The Vietnam War (PBS Documentary Series)

Directed by Ken Burns and Lynn Novick, incorporating historical documentation of civilian impacts and war crimes consistent with Turse's research.

Watch

Author Interview & Investigation.

An in-depth author interview with Nick Turse discussing his discovery of secret Pentagon files and the systemic realities of war crimes during the Vietnam War.

BOOK REVIEW Nick Turse · Kill Anything That Moves · Book Review
Quiet historical landscape under an open sky.
Legacy

Redefining the history of modern conflict.

Kill Anything That Moves stands as a courageous and vital historical intervention, ensuring that the hidden suffering of civilian populations during wartime is brought fully into the light of accountability.

Support Kodama

Want to read Kill Anything That Moves?

If you decide to purchase the book through our link, you help Kodama continue bringing new stories, recommendations, and literary discoveries to the site.

Buy on Amazon The link may generate a small commission for Kodama, at no additional cost to you.