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The Tragedy of the Vietnam War: A South Vietnamese Officer's Analysis Paperback – October 3, 2008

by Van Nguyen Duong (Author)

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What Americans call the Vietnam War actually began in December 1946 with a struggle between the communists and the French for possession of the country--but Vietnam's strategic position in southeast Asia inevitably led to the involvement of other countries.

Written by an officer in the Republic of Vietnam Armed Forces, this poignant memoir seeks to clarify the nuances of South Vietnam's defeat. From the age of 12, Van Nguyen Duong watched as the conflict affected his home, family, village and friends. He discusses not only the day-to-day hardships of wartime but his postwar forced relocation and eventual imprisonment. A special focus is on the anguish caused by the illusive reality of Vietnamese independence.

The political forces at work north and south, the hardships suffered by RVNAF soldiers after the 1975 U.S. withdrawal, and the effects of reunification on the Vietnamese people are discussed.

Print length

280 pages
Language

English
Publisher

McFarland & Company
Publication date

October 3, 2008
Reading age

18 years and up
Dimensions

7 x 0.56 x 10 inches
ISBN-10

0786432853
ISBN-13

978-0786432851
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Editorial Reviews

Review

“destined to become a classic in military history and Vietnamese studies”―Choice.

About the Author

After the fall of Saigon, Lt. Col. Van Nguyen Duong (RVNAF) was imprisoned for 13 years for "re-education." He immigrated to the United States in 1991 and lives in Honolulu. He has contributed to several Vietnamese magazines in the United States, Canada, Australia and Europe.

Product details

Publisher ‏ : ‎ McFarland & Company (October 3, 2008)
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Paperback ‏ : ‎ 280 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0786432853
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0786432851
Reading age ‏ : ‎ 18 years and up
Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 1.06 pounds
Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 7 x 0.56 x 10 inches

Best Sellers Rank: #786,186 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #504 in Vietnam War Biographies (Books)
- #1,445 in Vietnam War History (Books)
- #6,494 in Asian History (Books)

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T. Richards

a complete analysis of the Vietnam War and after

Reviewed in the United States on March 9, 2021

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There are many books concerning the US side of the War. I have been searching for an analysis and details of what the South Vietnamese soldiers' war as the Author fought it. I found the last several sections on the War aftermath from 1976, very revealing, especially the section on "How the US could have won the Vietnam War". This book contains may facts and figures that I haven't found in other books. Written in 2008, this book gives a complete view of what happened without prejudice. It is interesting that the author concluded that cutting the Ho Chi Minh Trail could have turned the outcome of the war.
The Social Revolution of Socialism in Vietnam was very sad for the people as many more Vietnamese were killed in the communist reeducation (concentration) camps that during the fighting.
The only improvement I could suggest would be to add more maps. A map of the Administration and Military Regions would have aided to the understanding of the Vietnamese country's regions.
This is a MUST READ for anyone interested in the Vietnam War.

Reviewed in the United States on May 9, 2014

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Many books have been written in English about the Vietnam war, mostly by Americans and other Western writers. The Vietnamese who came to the United States as refugees since the end of the war have now started to write and have managed to publish books in English presenting their personal stories and points of views.

The Tragedy of the Vietnam War is such a book. Its author, Van Nguyen Duong, who was a South Vietnamese military intelligence officer, offers unique insights into the major events of the war, especially from 1954 on, when the US became deeply involved in helping South Vietnam fight against a North Vietnamese take over. His book is one of the very few by Vietnamese like him who fought in vain for their country and their ideals.

It was not an easy book for me to read. I had to pause at times to think over what Van Nguyen Duong presents as facts or at least as plausible conclusions derived from his personal knowledge or his access to documents that few of us knew about. He makes a convincing case that the US, under several presidents, conducted a war strategy that could not possibly lead to victory against the communist aggressors. He was in An Loc when the outnumbered and outgunned South Vietnamese forces, with the help of US air support, managed to fight back three North Vietnamese divisions. He continued to serve until the end in 1975 when defeat was all but assured after a series of disastrous military decisions and the cut-off of all military and economic aid to South Vietnam. He made a strong case that with the 1973 Paris agreement, under Henry Kissinger guidance, all the US wanted was a decent interval for it to wash off its hands of South Vietnam.

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Van Pham

Great analysis of the Viet Nam War from an insider

Reviewed in the United States on January 11, 2022

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I read several articles written by the author published in several Vietnamese publications and jumped at the buy his book when it came out and was glad that I did. The author was a former G2 officer of the ARVN, and who used to report to general Do Cao Tri, one of the greatest, and bravest generals of the Viet Nam war. After the upheaval of 1975, the author made it to the U.S, when back to school at an advanced age to get his master which is an incredible accomplishment by itself. Clear and honest analysis of the war.Highly recommended.

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Cass

but the writing style is still pretty accessible. And I never heard about Vietnam from ...

Reviewed in the United States on January 10, 2015

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This book opened my eyes to how the world really works. I learned so much more than about the war. There is a ton of data here, carefully collected over decades of work, but the writing style is still pretty accessible. And I never heard about Vietnam from the perspective of the South Vietnamese. Invaluable to any person of learning and awareness of the world.

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The Tragedy of the Vietnam War: A South Vietnamese Officer's Analysis Paperback – October 3, 2008

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