Description
Book SynopsisChronicles 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). This book provides a lens through which to understand the ARVN and South Vietnam's complex relationship with Americas government and military.
Trade Review"No book about the Vietnam War can be simply a book about the Vietnam War. Vietnams Forgotten Army appears in the midst of a raging debate over American armed interventions abroad and over the proper lessons to draw from Vietnam for the war in Iraq." * The Nation *
"This sympathetic biography of Pham Van Dinh and Tran Ngoc Hue, mid-level officers in the Army of the Republic of Vietnam (ARVN), provides a unique perspective among American war histories. . . . [Readers] will gain new respect for the mishandled South Vietnamese army." * Publishers Weekly *
"While tactical history can seem stilted and dry at times, Andrew Wiest, in Vietnam’s Forgotten Army, presents an enriched and dynamic history of the Army of the Republic of Vietnam (ARVN) by chronicling the careers of two of ARVN’s best young officers, Tran Ngoc Hue and Pham Van Dinh, as they fought in the Vietnam War. Wiest seeks to dispel the myth of the ARVN as an ineffective fighting force... The value of Vietnam’s Forgotten Army lies in the author’s appreciation for ARVN fighting prowess and the book’s interesting perspective of the Vietnam War." * Military Review *
"This is a fascinating study of the Army of the Republic of Vietnam (ARVN)—the South Vietnamese army—during America's involvement in the Vietnam War. . . . This well-written, compassionate study is a major contribution to most libraries." * Library Journal *
"Wiest’s excellent book helps to fill a yawning void in the history of the Vietnam War." * Journal of Military History *
Table of ContentsAcknowledgmentsForeword by James Webb Preface:Welcome to America Introduction: Welcome to Vietnam 1 Coming of Age in a Time of War 2 A War Transformed: Battle, Politics, and the Americanization of the War, 1963-1966 3 Fighting Two Wars: Years of Attrition and Paci?cation, 1966-1967 4 A Time for Heroes: The Tet Offensive 5 After Tet: The Year of Hope 6 Hamburger Hill: The Untold Story of the Battle for Dong Ap Bia 7 A War Transformed: Vietnamization, 1969-19708 Shattered Lives and Broken Dreams: Operation Lam Son 9 The Making of a Traitor10 Journeys Home: Life in the Wake of a Lost WarConclusion Notes Bibliography Index About the Author
