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South Vietnamese Soldiers: Memories of the Vietnam War and After
South Vietnam lost more than a quarter of a million soldiers in the Vietnam War, yet the histories of these men and women are largely absent from the vast historiography of the conflict. By focusing on oral histories related by 40 veterans from the former Republic of Vietnam Armed Forces, this book breaks new ground, shedding light on an essentially unexplored aspect of the war and giving voice to those who have been voiceless.
The experiences of these former soldiers are examined through detailed firsthand accounts that feature two generations and all branches of the service, including the Women's Armed Forces Corps. Readers will gain insight into the soldiers' early lives, their military service, combat experiences, and friendships forged in wartime. They will also see how life became worse for most in the aftermath of the war as they experienced internment in communist prison camps, discrimination against their families on political grounds, and the dangers inherent in escaping Vietnam, whether by sea or land. Finally, readers will learn how veterans who saw no choice but to leave their homeland succeeded in rebuilding their lives in new countries and cultures.
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The experiences of these former soldiers are examined through detailed firsthand accounts that feature two generations and all branches of the service, including the Women's Armed Forces Corps. Readers will gain insight into the soldiers' early lives, their military service, combat experiences, and friendships forged in wartime. They will also see how life became worse for most in the aftermath of the war as they experienced internment in communist prison camps, discrimination against their families on political grounds, and the dangers inherent in escaping Vietnam, whether by sea or land. Finally, readers will learn how veterans who saw no choice but to leave their homeland succeeded in rebuilding their lives in new countries and cultures.
"
- GenresHistory
289 pages, Hardcover
First published March 1, 2016
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Displaying 1 of 1 review
January 9, 2025
There is an appalling lack of information on the ARVN published in English, and this book is an attempt to fill some of that hole.
Unfortunately, it's failing is that it falls into the trap of too much and not enough - too much of the author being repetitive, quoting irrelevant academic sources about things like memory and trauma, too much about the 1972-75 period, and not enough of the actual stories from the ARVN themselves, and not enough of the experience the rest of the war.
The work is skewed heavily by the fact that most, save for maybe 1 or 2, of the featured interviews are from those who served later in the war and were able to escape to Australia at some time after the end of the war in 1975. While their experiences and stories are invaluable, and important to read, it does lead to a narrowing of the experiences told.
Having said that, the book contains some incredible stories from those who served in the Airborne Division, the Marine Division TQLC, and the Rangers BDQ. From Doctors, to women who served, to members of the RF/PF, you get stories of what it was like to be a part of some of the later battles like at An Loc, as well as snippets about what it was like to deal with American Advisors. Each chapter has a group of people tied to a single theme, and does a great job weaving the stories into a narrative.
Two common themes that really stand out are just how many of those who were interviewed fled the North and the communists and then joined the ARVN, and the second theme worth nothing was just how devastating it was when America abandoned them and cut the supplies. It's chilling to read about that time period, of how many fought so hard with so little and could not understand how their allies could just leave them to die. That trauma still exists to this day and in subsequent generations.
But this book is incomplete. It shows glimpses of some of the best of the best who were then able to escape. It only briefly mentions the factional infighting, the religious turmoil, the incompetence, cowardice, and corruption that came to define the ARVN in many instances from top to bottom. Instead it feels cherry picked to only include those who were competent, patriotic, successful, and are large members of the diaspora who are still heavily involved in veterans groups and projects.
Honestly, even with understanding the framing involved, this book would have been better served to have included more by the subjects interviewed and less of the authors need to narrate and synthesize. Histories like these in English are so incredibly important, and this book is worth a read and includes a great bibliography to delve into the subject more.
Unfortunately, it's failing is that it falls into the trap of too much and not enough - too much of the author being repetitive, quoting irrelevant academic sources about things like memory and trauma, too much about the 1972-75 period, and not enough of the actual stories from the ARVN themselves, and not enough of the experience the rest of the war.
The work is skewed heavily by the fact that most, save for maybe 1 or 2, of the featured interviews are from those who served later in the war and were able to escape to Australia at some time after the end of the war in 1975. While their experiences and stories are invaluable, and important to read, it does lead to a narrowing of the experiences told.
Having said that, the book contains some incredible stories from those who served in the Airborne Division, the Marine Division TQLC, and the Rangers BDQ. From Doctors, to women who served, to members of the RF/PF, you get stories of what it was like to be a part of some of the later battles like at An Loc, as well as snippets about what it was like to deal with American Advisors. Each chapter has a group of people tied to a single theme, and does a great job weaving the stories into a narrative.
Two common themes that really stand out are just how many of those who were interviewed fled the North and the communists and then joined the ARVN, and the second theme worth nothing was just how devastating it was when America abandoned them and cut the supplies. It's chilling to read about that time period, of how many fought so hard with so little and could not understand how their allies could just leave them to die. That trauma still exists to this day and in subsequent generations.
But this book is incomplete. It shows glimpses of some of the best of the best who were then able to escape. It only briefly mentions the factional infighting, the religious turmoil, the incompetence, cowardice, and corruption that came to define the ARVN in many instances from top to bottom. Instead it feels cherry picked to only include those who were competent, patriotic, successful, and are large members of the diaspora who are still heavily involved in veterans groups and projects.
Honestly, even with understanding the framing involved, this book would have been better served to have included more by the subjects interviewed and less of the authors need to narrate and synthesize. Histories like these in English are so incredibly important, and this book is worth a read and includes a great bibliography to delve into the subject more.
Displaying 1 of 1 review