| Description |
xviii, 350 pages : illustrations ; 24 cm |
| Contents |
Coming of age in a time of war -- A war transformed: battle, politics and the Americanization of the war, 1963-1966 -- Fighting two wars: years of attrition and pacification, 1966-1967 -- A time for heroes: the Tet Offensive -- After Tet: the year of hope -- Hamburger Hill: the untold story of the battle for Dong Ap Bia -- A war transformed: Vietnamization, 1969-1970 -- Shattered lives and broken dreams: Operation Lam Son 719 -- The making of a traitor -- Journeys home: life in the wake of a lost war |
| Summary |
"Vietnam's Forgotten Army: Heroism and Betrayal in the ARVN chronicles the lives of Pham Van Dinh and Tran Ngoc Hue, two of the brightest young stars in the Army of the Republic of Vietnam (ARVN). Both men fought with valor in a war that seemed to have no end, exemplifying ARVN bravery and determination that is largely forgotten or ignored in the West. However, while Hue fought for South Vietnam until he was captured by the North Vietnamese Army and then endured thirteen years of captivity, Dinh surrendered and defected to the enemy, for whom he served as a teacher in the reeducation of many of his former ARVN comrades." "An understanding of how two lives that were so similar diverged so dramatically helps us understand the ARVN and South Vietnam's complex relationship with America's government and military. The lives of Dinh and Hue reflect the ARVN's battlefield successes, yet at the same time expose an army that was over-politicized, tactically flawed, and dependent on American logistical and firepower support. Marginalized within an American war, ARVN faced a grim fate as U.S. forces began to exit the conflict, and Dinh and Hue were left alone to make the most difficult decisions of their lives." "Andrew Wiest weaves historical analysis with a compelling narrative, showing how Dinh's and Hue's experiences and legacies mirror that of the ARVN's rise and fall as well as the tragic history of South Vietnam."--BOOK JACKET |
| Notes |
Includes erratum slip, with replacement map for that on p. 94 |
| Bibliography |
Includes bibliographical references and index |
| Subject |
Pham, Van Dinh, 1937-
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Tran, Ngoc Hue, 1942-
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Vietnam (Republic). Quân lực -- Officers -- Biography.
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Vietnam (Republic). Quân lực -- History.
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Vietnam War, 1961-1975 -- Biography.
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Vietnam War, 1961-1975.
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| Genre/Form |
Biographies.
|
| LC no. |
2007029782 |
| ISBN |
9780814794104 (cloth : alk. paper) |
|
0814794106 (cloth : alk. paper) |
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